Amending Executive Order 13257 To Implement the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003

This executive order amends a 2002 trafficking order to implement the 2003 reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. It assigns specific responsibilities to the Secretary of State, Secretary of Homeland Security, and other agencies for coordinating anti-trafficking policies, preventing sex tourism, regulating federal contracts and grants, and conducting research on human trafficking.

Federal Register Open PDF 69 FR 13455

Key directives

SPOG shall establish guidelines and policies to coordinate executive branch activities on international trafficking in persons
SPOG shall advise Secretary of State on regulations needed to implement Section 105 of the Act
Secretary of State shall promulgate regulations to implement Section 105 of the Act
Secretary of State shall carry out functions under subsections 106(c) and 106(d) of the Act
Secretary of State shall determine foreign destinations where sex tourism is significant under Section 106(e)(1)
Secretary of Homeland Security shall carry out remaining functions under subsection 106(e) including regulations on distribution of prevention materials
Agency heads shall consult with NGOs consistent with Section 106(f)
Secretary of State shall initiate regulatory implementation of Section 106(g) contract requirements and propose FAR amendments
Each affected department or agency shall implement Section 106(g) requirements for grants and cooperative agreements
Entities named in Section 112A shall carry out research initiatives and award grants per SPOG policies

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

SPOG authority to establish guidelines and policies for interagency coordination
Secretary of State authority to determine foreign sex tourism destinations

Near term (90d)

Secretary of State to promulgate regulations implementing Section 105 of the Act
Secretary of State to initiate regulatory implementation of Section 106(g) contract requirements including FAR amendments
Agency heads to implement Section 106(g) requirements for grants and cooperative agreements

Long term

Research initiatives under Section 112A to be carried out
Ongoing interagency coordination through SPOG
Federal Acquisition Regulation amendments proposed

Risks & tensions

No explicit deadlines specified in EO text; implementation timing depends on agency discretion and statutory requirements in the underlying Act
Potential tension between information sharing mandate (Section 105(f)(4)) and executive privilege claims under Section 7(b) withholding authority
FAR amendment process typically lengthy; 'initiate' language in Section 5(d) suggests starting point rather than completion requirement
Multiple agency coordination through SPOG and Task Force may create implementation friction