[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 7 (Monday, February 18, 2002)]
[Pages 231-232]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13257--President's Interagency Task Force To Monitor and 
Combat Trafficking in Persons

February 13, 2002

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, including the Trafficking 
Victims Protection Act of 2000, (22 U.S.C. 7103) (the ``Act''), and in 
order to combat trafficking in persons, a contemporary manifestation of 
slavery whose victims are predominantly women and children, to ensure 
just and effective punishment of traffickers, and to protect their 
victims, it is hereby ordered as follows:
    Section 1. (a) The President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and 
Combat Trafficking in Persons is hereby established.
    (b) The Task Force shall consist of:
(i)         the Secretary of State;
(ii)        the Attorney General;
(iii)       the Secretary of Labor;
(iv)        the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
(v)         the Director of Central Intelligence;
(vi)        the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;
(vii)       the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
            International Development; and
(viii)      any additional officers or employees of the United States as 
            may be designated by the President.
    (c) The Task Force shall be chaired by the Secretary of State.
    Sec. 2. Activities. The Task Force shall, consistent with applicable 
law and the constitutional authorities and duties of the President, 
carry out the following activities:
    (a) coordinate the implementation of the Act;
    (b) measure and evaluate progress of the United States and other 
countries in the areas of trafficking in persons prevention, protection, 
and assistance to victims of trafficking in persons, and prosecutions 
and other enforcement efforts against traffickers, including the role of 
public corruption in facilitating trafficking in persons;
    (c) assist the Secretary of State in the preparation of the annual 
reports described in section 110 of the Act;

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    (d) expand interagency procedures to collect and organize data, 
including significant research and resource information on domestic and 
international trafficking in persons, while ensuring that any data 
collection procedures involved, respect the confidentiality of victims 
of trafficking in persons;
    (e) engage in efforts to facilitate cooperation among countries of 
origin, transit, and destination, and such efforts shall aim to 
strengthen local and regional capacities to prevent trafficking in 
persons, prosecute traffickers and assist trafficking victims; shall 
include initiatives to enhance cooperative efforts between destination 
countries, transit countries, and countries of origin; and shall assist 
in the appropriate reintegration of stateless victims of trafficking in 
persons;
    (f) examine the role of the international ``sex tourism'' industry 
in the trafficking of persons and in the sexual exploitation of women 
and children around the world;
    (g) engage in consultation and advocacy with governmental and 
nongovernmental organizations, among other entities, to advance the 
purposes of the Act; and
    (h) address such other matters related to the purposes of the Act as 
the President may determine.
    Sec. 3. Administration. (a) The Department of State shall provide 
funding and administrative support for the Task Force, except as 
otherwise provided by the Act.
    (b) At the call of the Chair, the Task Force shall meet as necessary 
to accomplish its mission.
    (c) Task Force members may designate representatives from their 
respective agencies to represent them at Task Force meetings.
    (d) Whenever the work of the Task Force involves a matter committed 
by law or Presidential directive to the consideration of the National 
Security Council, or by Executive Order 13228 of October 8, 2001, to the 
consideration of the Homeland Security Council, that work shall be 
undertaken, and any communication by the Secretary of State to the 
President shall be undertaken, in a manner consistent with such law, 
Presidential directive, or Executive Order.
    (e) The Task Force shall have no directive authority or other 
substantial independent authority.
    (f) As necessary and appropriate, the Task Force shall report to the 
President, through the Secretary of State, the following:
(i)         progress on the implementation of the Act; and
(ii)        recommendations for United States policy to monitor and 
            eliminate trafficking in persons and to protect the victims 
            of trafficking in persons.
    Sec. 4. Judicial Review. This order does not create any rights or 
benefits, enforceable at law or equity, against the United States, its 
departments, its agencies, or other entities, its officers or employees, 
or any other person.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 February 13, 2002.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., February 15, 
2002]

Note: This Executive order was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on February 14, and it will be published in the Federal 
Register on February 19.