Lawmaker calls on U.S. Senators to stop blocking key nomination

State Rep. Annette Glenn participated in a joint committee of the House Health Policy Committee and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services to bring awareness to human trafficking in Michigan. Following the hearing on Thursday, Rep. Glenn – who has one daughter and six granddaughters – issued the following statement:

“It is a common misconception that trafficking only happens in major cities.
“That’s not reality. The reality is that it happens everywhere – including Midland and Bay counties. That tragic reality demands we have the most vigorous, aggressive, and effective prosecution of traffickers possible.

“Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow are stubbornly standing in the way of our ability to do so.
“I agree with President Obama’s attorney general Eric Holder, who said that not having a Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney for half the state of Michigan is a major impediment to effective law enforcement.

“On behalf of women and children in Michigan, I call on Sen. Peters and Sen. Stabenow to stop blocking the president’s nomination of highly-qualified former prosecutor and House Speaker Tom Leonard to that position. His appointment has high-level bipartisan support.
“It’s inexcusable that Senators Peters and Stabenow have for months been impeding the kind of focused, aggressive, and effective law enforcement that Michigan must have to best protect women and children from human trafficking.

“Human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world, second only to drug trafficking as the most profitable form of crime, according to the U.S. Department of State. Approximately $87 million is made per day from sex trafficking transactions. The committee members heard testimony from human trafficking survivor Ruth Rondon and Kelly Carter, executive director of the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission.

“Ruth was very brave to share her heartbreaking story. By her coming forward, she is telling other survivors they are not alone and that there is hope.”

Glenn supported House Resolution 210 on Wednesday, declaring Jan. 11, 2020 as Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the state of Michigan. The resolution was adopted with overwhelming support.