<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><div><div apple-content-edited="true" class=""><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt;" class=""></span><b class=""> </b><b class=""><span style="font-size: 14pt;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: red;" class=""> </span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: red;" class="">* * * MEDIA RELEASE * * *</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: red;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> </span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">July 27, 2015<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: right;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></strong></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: right;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">MEDIA CONTACT<o:p class=""></o:p></span></strong></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: right;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;" class="">Lee Whack (202) 225-2111<o:p class=""></o:p></span></strong></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: right;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></strong></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 24pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class="">Schakowsky Statement on Malaysia being upgraded in the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report</span></b><span style="font-size: 24pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="border-style: none none double; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 6.75pt; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;" class=""><p class="textsize" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">WASHINGTON, DC</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""> – Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement in response to the State Department’s decision to upgrade Malaysia in the <i class="">Trafficking in Persons Report</i>, which was released today: <o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="textsize" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">“I am disappointed that the State Department has chosen to upgrade Malaysia in this year’s <i class="">Trafficking in Persons Report</i>. This month, I joined 159 Members of Congress in writing to Secretary of State John Kerry to share our concerns about the situation in Malaysia, and reports that their status would be upgraded from Tier 3. Unfortunately, today’s announcement confirms those reports. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">As noted in our letter, rather than working diligently to improve its record on human trafficking, Malaysia’s government has shown little interest in taking the steps necessary to help those harmed by human trafficking. While maintaining its Tier 3 status would have made Malaysia ineligible for participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, I firmly believe that Malaysia should remain ranked in Tier 3 until they fully address the serious issue of human trafficking is addressed.” <span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""> </span></div></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""> </span></div></div>
</div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">For Immediate Release</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">, July 27, 2015 <b class="">Contact:</b> Gonzalo Salvador 202-637-5018<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">AFL-CIO Condemns State Department’s Upgrade of Malaysia on Trafficking List<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on the U.S. Government upgrading of Malaysia on its annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report<o:p class=""></o:p></span></i></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">This decision is wrong and outrageous. It is a political decision that undermines the integrity of the TIP Report and signals that the U.S. is willing to turn a blind eye to modern slavery and grave human and labor rights abuses in order to advance its trade agenda.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">The administration has had difficulty securing approval for fast track. Today's cynical upgrade </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><a href="http://www.aflcio.org/content/download/150491/3811471/file/TPPreport-NO+BUG.pdf" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">of a nation where forced labor, human trafficking, and exploitation remain pervasive</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">, undermines its promises on labor rights, human rights, and anti-corruption in trade deals and does not bode well for TPP passage. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">###<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Statement online here: <a href="http://www.aflcio.org/Press-Room/Press-Releases/AFL-CIO-Condemns-State-Department-s-Upgrade-of-Malaysia-on-Trafficking-List" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">http://www.aflcio.org/Press-Room/Press-Releases/AFL-CIO-Condemns-State-Department-s-Upgrade-of-Malaysia-on-Trafficking-List</a><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div></div>
</div></body></html>