WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is currently soliciting nominations for membership to serve on the DOT Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking (ACHT).
“The purpose of the ACHT is to make triennial recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation on countering human trafficking in the transportation sector,” USDOT said. “In particular, the DOT Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking must submit a triennial counter-trafficking report that relates to human trafficking violations involving commercial motor vehicles and includes recommendations for countering human trafficking and an assessment of best practices by transportation stakeholders.”
The ACHT is required to make triennial recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation on countering human trafficking in the transportation sector. The deadline for nominations for committee members must be received on or before Oct. 14.
ACHT Member Duties
- Actively participate in committee deliberations.
- Contribute substantively to the committee’s work.
- Review complex materials.
- Participate in and produce subcommittee work.
- Prepare for meetings outside of scheduled committee sessions.
- Consult with stakeholders.
- Conduct online research.
- Draft content for the report.
- Translate specialized knowledge into actionable recommendations.
ACHT Background
According to USDOT, the ACHT was established by the Secretary of Transportation on October 3, 2018 in accordance with section 5(a) of the 2018 Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act (Pub. L. 115-99), reestablished on July 29, 2022 in accordance with section 23020 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117-58), and it operates in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. ch. 10.
Membership
In accordance with the 2018 Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act, the Committee comprises 15 members, representing:
- Trafficking advocacy organizations.
- Law enforcement.
- Trucking, Bus, Rail, Aviation, Maritime and Port Sectors, including Industry and Labor.
Appointments are for the life of the committee. The department is interested in ensuring membership is balanced fairly in terms of the points of view represented and the functions to be performed by the Committee. Unless otherwise required by law or approved by the secretary, all meetings will be held virtually.
Meeting Frequency
The committee is expected to meet quarterly and subcommittee meetings are expected to meet at least monthly, or as determined necessary by the committee chairperson and designated federal officer.
Nominations
“Qualified individuals can self-nominate or be nominated by any individual or organization,” USDOT said. “Past members of the committee are welcome to apply. Please reference the Federal Register Notice and ACHT Nomination Submissions for guidelines on complete nomination submissions.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
