A Senate committee advanced a proposal to combat human trafficking on Thursday. Sen. Daniel Akaka is one of dozens of co-sponsors of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.

One aspect of the act would address foreign labor recruitment, an issue that came up in two high-profile trafficking cases in Hawaii (read a related article). 

While the bill would extend several programs through 2015, it slashes overall funding levels established in the last authorization of the law in 2008. A spokeswoman for the Judiciary Committee that advanced the bill on Thursday says the funding reductions will translate to savings of more than $60 million.