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vulnerable populations among us -- including migrants and refugees fleeing conflict or <br /> disaster, homeless LGBT youth, Alaska Native and American Indian women and girls, <br /> and children in poverty -- are preyed upon by human traffickers. In order to rid the world <br /> of modern slavery we must do everything in our power to combat these violations of <br /> human decency. <br /> The United States has pursued efforts to address these crimes and lift up individuals <br /> who have suffered unspeakable abuse at the hands of traffickers. Through the <br /> Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, we have joined <br /> with the private sector, faith communities, law enforcement, and advocates to <br /> coordinate efforts to prevent trafficking and protect victims. Focusing on an agenda that <br /> prioritizes victim services, the rule of law, procurement of supplies, and increasing <br /> public awareness, the Task Force has strengthened Federal efforts to end human <br /> trafficking. In 2012, 1 issued an Executive Order to strengthen protections against <br /> human trafficking in Federal contracting, and nearly a year ago, I signed legislation that <br /> strengthened our ability to prevent products made with forced labor, including child <br /> labor, from entering American markets. <br /> We must address the consequences of human trafficking and work to tackle its root <br /> causes. This past fiscal year, the Department of Health and Human Services and the <br /> Department of Justice provided more than $60 million to community-based <br /> organizations and task forces to assist human trafficking victims, and since the <br /> beginning of my Administration, we have nearly tripled the number of victims connected <br /> to services.The Department of Homeland Security has also taken steps to streamline <br /> immigration procedures for trafficking victims and ensure their regulations are consistent <br /> with existing law. And through new Victims of Crime Act regulations, Federal funds can <br /> now be used to help human trafficking victims with their housing. Through the White <br /> House Council on Women and Girls, we have worked to address the sexual abuse-to- <br /> prison pipeline that disproportionately affects those especially vulnerable to sex <br /> trafficking -- including young women and girls of color. And the U.S. Advisory Council on <br /> Human Trafficking -- comprised of 11 human trafficking survivors of diverse <br />