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Hello, I'm Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx.
It's estimated that right now, around the world, there are more than 27 million people
being held against their will -- 27 million people who, every day, are being traded, sold,
coerced, and forced into labor or prostitution. All victims of modern slavery.
And many of them are right here in America.
That's why I want to echo President Obama's call for us to renew our commitment to bringing
an end to human trafficking.
The President has proclaimed January 2014, "National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention
Month."
And we at the Department of Transportation are committed to making not only that month
-- but every month -- a month of action. Because we have a responsibility to make sure that
America's roads, and rails, other routes of transportation aren't being used to traffic
people into slavery.
That's why DOT has brought together private and public stakeholders and formed the Transportation
Leaders Against Human Trafficking partnership.
And it's why, to date, we've trained almost all of our 55,000 US DOT employees to identify
-- and report -- instances of human trafficking. And together, with the Department of Homeland
Security, we're also preparing thousands of other transportation-related workers, too.
Amtrak, for example, has committed to training its 20,000 employees. And under our "Blue
Lightning" initiative, airlines have established reporting protocols and are training front
line workers, as well.
But we can -- and must -- do more.
The open road and sea and sky have always been places where people feel free. We have
to make sure that they actually are.
So please, take a moment to learn the signs of human trafficking -- and to learn who to
call when you see something that's not quite right. Because what you see could set someone
free.
If you suspect human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center
at 1-888-373-7888.
Only together can we "Put the Brakes on Human Trafficking."
Thank you.