Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Blumenthal, authors of the Senate version of the legislation, appeared at an event in the Capitol hosted by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation on Monday afternoon, leading a packed room in a chant of “Not on Our Watch!” Wagner delivered impassioned remarks about the importance of passing her legislation before a screening of the film “I Am Jane Doe,” which documents the struggle of victims of sex trafficking to get legal recourse from Backpage.com. A number of groups including the National Center on Sexual Exploitation have also sent a letter to leaders of the House crime subcommittee with concerns about the omission of a sex trafficking survivor or family member from the witness list of today’s panel.
