The Power of One-Plus-Many Produced Historic Anti-Trafficking Legislation

Ironically, Bush, a Southern evangelical, depended upon a Jewish strategist to seal the deal on his trafficking and other social justice initiatives. Michael Horowitz is totally unrelenting in pushing for causes that involve human exploitation — whether it happens in North Korea, in brothels and dives around the world, in hovels of the worst poverty-stricken ghettoes of international disgrace, in diplomat’s homes in D.C. suburbs, or in truck stops and back alleys of American cities. Michael keeps pushing — even when he is ruffling feathers or attacking those who slack off in the endeavor. He is single-minded in defense of the vulnerable and perceptive in seizing the opportunity for political advantage. His skill in brokering legislative victories is unparalleled.

The specifics of the TVPRA were hammered out by Michael and a wide variety of experts — including both of the Directors of the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Office (TIP), Ambassadors John Miller and Mark Lagon — in hours-long sessions over months and months of discussions and negotiations. The inevitable compromises and changes in language necessary for acceptance were the result of Michael phoning and meeting with various involved parties dozens and dozens of times over the past two to three years. Three senior House staff members received many of those phone calls — David Abramowitz, Bobby Vassar and Lou Debaca — and provided leadership and expertise in the negotiating process. The impetus and passion for the bill’s passage came from Michael’s demanding phone calls and e-mails that pushed and shoved, praised and cajoled. The wide disparities between various interested parties and the divergent members of the coalition were brought together by Michael’s vision for unity in a cause bigger than any of our individual organizational missions.

The TVPRA represents democracy at its best — American people coming together to help protect the most vulnerable among us and to ensure the triumph of the righteous over those who would engage in evil purposes against those who are desperate and at the mercy of people to whom much has been given.