This, to me, has been a very helpful hearing. It is a dimension of our Rebalance to Asia that needs to have a spotlight on it.

I want to touch on the two areas that we need to have a better public understanding of what is going on.

It is disturbing to see, in the jurisdiction of this subcommittee, East Asia and the Pacific, that, with all the priorities being given, we have not made the type of advancements that I think is expected.

Thank you, Senator Rubio.

We need to regulate labor recruiters around the world.

Well, let me thank both of you, not just for your testimony, but for your commitment in this area.

Slavery still exists. It exists around the world today, and it is something that we cannot allow to continue.

Only two countries were upgraded.

We believe strongly that labor standards in the TPP and other trade agreements should include the same enforcement and dispute resolution mechanisms as other provisions.

We expect greater progress.

Trafficking is the modern-day slavery. We understand that.

I believe we can elevate that through a strong labor provision within the TPP, but it has got to be enforceable.

It took a major effort to be able to turn that around.

I am proud of the role that the U.S. Helsinki Commission has played.

I cannot say thank you enough to you about this--but, in S. 744, Subtitle F removes those recruitment fees.

What does that mean, as far as they are ready for TPP? Are they ready for TPP, if they cannot deal with their trafficking issues?

We have up to 4 million people in Malaysia that are emigrants.

corruption is a huge issue. In some cases, it is arguably the biggest issue in the eyes of the people.

The three areas of recommendations that you made--the trade agreements, dealing with legislation to deal with labor recruiters, and then more consumer activism--consumers understanding what they are involved with.

Many of us support a very high standard--ILO standards in regards to labor in TPP.

I think most people in this country--a large number of people in this country would not want to participate in forced labor.

There are absolutely products being made with forced labor that are in our grocery stores, in our retail stores.

I do not think people really understand that there are people being trafficked and sold to a boat for 9 years for fishing.

the TPP needs to have enforceable labor commitments, because we have not been able to make the progress by just putting a spotlight through the TIP Report.

Congress should encourage the U.S. Trade Representative to suspend GSP and other trade preferences for any country that does not effectively address forced labor.