[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 65 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 65

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the upgrading of Malaysia on 
                the 2015 Trafficking In Persons report.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 28, 2015

 Ms. DeLauro (for herself, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Pascrell, 
  Mr. Ryan of Ohio, and Mr. Pocan) submitted the following concurrent 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the upgrading of Malaysia on 
                the 2015 Trafficking In Persons report.

Whereas this year marks the 15th anniversary of the Trafficking Victims 
        Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) (22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.);
Whereas the TVPA has become the international standard for trafficking victims 
        protection and statutorily requires the United States Department of 
        State to issue the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report to engage foreign 
        governments on the issue of human trafficking;
Whereas the TIP report is the most comprehensive global resource for anti-human 
        trafficking efforts and shines a light on violations to fundamental 
        human rights worldwide;
Whereas the TIP report is to hold governments accountable for their actions, or 
        lack thereof, to support victims of human trafficking and end slavery;
Whereas just one year ago, the TIP report found that there was ample evidence of 
        forced labor and sex trafficking in Malaysia to downgrade the nation 
        from the Tier 2 Watch List to Tier 3;
Whereas Malaysia would have been downgraded 2 years earlier but for a grace 
        period to make necessary improvements;
Whereas countries on Tier 3 of the TIP report do not fully comply with the 
        TVPA's minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do 
        so;
Whereas numerous reports by independent nongovernmental organizations and the 
        media outline the failure of the Malaysian government to make 
        significant efforts to comply with the TVPA's minimum standards;
Whereas Malaysia remains a key destination country for members of the Rohingya 
        ethnic minority fleeing persecution in Myanmar;
Whereas over 100,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar in the past three years, often 
        at the hands of human traffickers in dangerously overcrowded boats for 
        weeks to months at a time;
Whereas the United Nations estimates that 25,000 migrants, including Rohingya 
        and Bangladeshis, fled by sea in the first months of 2015, double the 
        rate in 2013 and 2014;
Whereas Rohingya are frequently abused and exploited by traffickers for weeks in 
        horrific conditions without adequate food, water, or freedom of 
        movement;
Whereas Rohingya who arrive in Malaysia are frequently held in detention 
        facilities operated by human traffickers for reasons of exploitation 
        where they are subject to beatings, torture, and threats by organized 
        criminals;
Whereas asylum seekers and refugees in Malaysia lack legal status, 
        documentation, and other basic protections;
Whereas the number of Malaysian trafficking convictions decreased between 2013 
        and 2014, from 9 to 3;
Whereas 139 graves of human trafficking victims were found in trafficking camps 
        in Malaysia in May 2015;
Whereas a recent report based on 10 years of surveillance by the Royal Malaysian 
        Police found that 80 percent of Malaysian law enforcement officers at 
        the country's borders were engaged in corruption and many of them were 
        funded by human trafficking organizations;
Whereas United States Ambassador to Malaysia Joseph Yun in April 2015 stated 
        that Malaysia must demonstrate greater political will in protecting the 
        victims of trafficking and prosecuting traffickers in order to improve 
        its ranking on the TIP report;
Whereas Malaysia is in fact a country of origin, transit and destination for 
        severe forms of trafficking and government officials have been complicit 
        in trafficking; and
Whereas despite egregious ongoing violations of basic international human rights 
        and a failure by the Government of Malaysia to try to substantially 
        improve conditions, Malaysia was upgraded from Tier 3 to the Tier 2 
        Watch List in the 2015 TIP report: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that the 2015 Trafficking in Persons 
report should have placed Malaysia in Tier 3.
                                 <all>