IV 
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 Traf-
ficking 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 Traf-
ficking in Persons (TIP) report to engage foreign govern-
ments on the issue of human trafficking; 
Whereas the TIP report is the most comprehensive global re-
source for anti-human trafficking efforts and shines a 
light on violations to fundamental human rights world-
wide; 
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•HCON 65 IH 
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 ear-
lier but for a grace period to make necessary improve-
ments; 
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 com-
ply with the TVPA’s minimum standards; 
Whereas Malaysia remains a key destination country for 
members of the Rohingya ethnic minority fleeing persecu-
tion 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 ade-
quate food, water, or freedom of movement; 
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•HCON 65 IH 
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 beat-
ings, 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 de-
creased 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 Ma-
laysian law enforcement officers at the country’s borders 
were engaged in corruption and many of them were fund-
ed 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 traf-
ficking 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 govern-
ment officials have been complicit in trafficking; and 
Whereas despite egregious ongoing violations of basic inter-
national 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 
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Trafficking in Persons report should have placed Malaysia 
in Tier 3. 
Æ 
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