JEFFERSON CITY (AP) — The U.S. Senate has sent legislation aimed at combatting sex trafficking to President Donald Trump's desk.
Missouri Republican U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner's measure passed the Senate on a 97-2 vote Wednesday.
The legislation would make it a federal crime to knowingly facilitate sex trafficking through websites such as the classified site Backpage.com. Violators would face up to 25 years in prison.
The measure also would give state attorneys general the authority to file civil lawsuits on behalf of victims of sex trafficking.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in a Wednesday statement touted passage of the legislation.