The U.S. House will soon deal with one aspect of the trafficking problem in the United States as it considers a bill introduced by a newcomer to Capitol Hill.

Last week, Congressman Mark Walker (R-North Carolina) introduced his first bill since taking office – the Human Trafficking Detection Act of 2015 (H.R. 460). The freshman lawmaker explains it is designed to provide training for Homeland Security personnel to better detect and to intercept human traffickers and their victims.

"These individuals have become very crafty at trying to integrate these victims – which are mostly young ladies – as part of a family [or] part of a group traveling together," he tells OneNewsNow. "And there are certain questions to ask – without revealing all of those that law enforcement have shared – to be able to separate and to be able to identify these potential victims."

According to Walker, an estimated 17,500 victims are brought into the U.S. each year, most often for labor or for prostitution. "Even more tragic, nearly half of these victims are children," he notes.

The Republican congressman, whose state is often ranked as a top state for labor and sex trafficking, says the "unconscionable industry" is an increasing problem that needs to be halted or, at the very least, slowed down.

"Right now we're closing in – and these are conservative estimates. [There are] close to 20,000 people who are being trafficked in the U.S. alone, and 21 million people ultimately worldwide," he laments. "But because of the profitability or the wealth of this country, we're seeing a spike and a rise and an expansion of it."

Walker expects a vote on his bill later today in the House. Nine other members of Congress are co-sponsors of H.R. 460.