(a) Short title

This section may be cited as the “Survivors of Human Trafficking Empowerment Act”.

(b) Establishment

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There is established the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking (referred to in this section as the “Council”), which shall provide advice and recommendations to the Senior Policy Operating Group established under section 7103(g) of this title (referred to in this section as the “Group”) and the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking established under section 7103(a) of such title (referred to in this section as the “Task Force”).

(c) Membership

(1) Composition

The Council shall be composed of not less than 8 and not more than 14 individuals who are survivors of human trafficking.

(2) Representation of survivors

To the extent practicable, members of the Council shall be survivors of trafficking, who shall accurately reflect the diverse backgrounds of survivors of trafficking, including—

(A) survivors of sex trafficking and survivors of labor trafficking; and

(B) survivors who are United States citizens and survivors who are aliens lawfully present in the United States.

(3) Appointment

Not later than 180 days after May 29, 2015, the President shall appoint the members of the Council.

(4) Term; reappointment

Each member of the Council shall serve for a term of 2 years and may be reappointed by the President to serve 1 additional 2-year term.

(d) Functions

The Council shall—

(1) be a nongovernmental advisory body to the Group;

(2) meet, at its own discretion or at the request of the Group, not less frequently than annually to review Federal Government policy and programs intended to combat human trafficking, including programs relating to the provision of services for victims and serve as a point of contact for Federal agencies reaching out to human trafficking survivors for input on programming and policies relating to human trafficking in the United States;

(3) formulate assessments and recommendations to ensure that policy and programming efforts of the Federal Government conform, to the extent practicable, to the best practices in the field of human trafficking prevention; and

(4) meet with the Group not less frequently than annually, and not later than 45 days before a meeting with the Task Force, to formally present the findings and recommendations of the Council.

(e) Reports

Not later than 1 year after May 29, 2015, and each year thereafter until the date described in subsection (h),¹ the Council shall submit a report that contains the findings derived from the reviews conducted pursuant to subsection (d)(2) to—

(1) the chair of the Task Force;

(2) the members of the Group;

(3) the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security, Appropriations, and the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; and

(4) the Committees on Foreign Relations, Appropriations, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Judiciary of the Senate.

(f) Employee status

Members of the Council—

(1) shall not be considered employees of the Federal Government for any purpose;

(2) shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with the applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5; and

(3) may each receive compensation for each day such member is engaged in the actual performance of the duties of the Council.

(g) Nonapplicability of FACA

The Council shall not be subject to the requirements under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).¹