On Dec. 23, 2008, President George W. Bush signed the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act into law. White House Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto called the bill “a priority issue for the administration in preventing the trafficking of persons around the world,” adding, “So this is a piece of legislation we’re very proud to sign.”

the White House may have been excited about signing the legislation, but few others took notice. The country was teetering towards recession. Banks were failing. The president-elect was announcing his cabinet picks. Wilberforce was no biggie.