here on c-span. >> people to not want to think of roosevelt's conservation as a policy as much as a passion. keep -- people are talking about environmentalism, roosevelt is becoming the key figure to understand. he was the only politician of this say that understood biology and understands the birds of migratory pattern and mating habits of deer and elk and antelope, and actually did something. >> sunday on "q&a" at 8:00 p.m. on c-span. you can listen on ex-im satellite radio -- xm satellite

radio. >> secretary clinton looks at the human trafficking report. this is a couple of minutes. >> we are delighted to have some key members of congress who have worked on this important issue for a number of years. this is the first time we have introduced the report in this way, because we want to demonstrate that this truly is a partnership between the state department and the congress. if it were not for the congress, would would not have the legislation, the follow-up, out reach that these members have been doing. i am very grateful they can take

time out of their very busy schedules to be here with us. you will hear from two of them in a moment. let me introduce carolyn from new york. then from maryland. -- ben from maryland. one person from texas and another from new jersey. one person from florida. i think that is all of the members who are here with us. the may be some others who will come later. i will be introducing some of the other speakers in a moment. this is one of the really significant days in the calendar for our country, in particular the state department. we have so many people who have been affected by this significant issue over the years.

it is especially fitting that we would hold this announcement here where we have a great diplomatic history of so many important events in our nation. i am especially pleased that our new ambassador, the new director of the office here at the state apartment was confirmed in time for him to be a part of this ceremony. [applause] he has been a valued member of the team on the house judiciary committee. thanks to him, hundreds of trafficking survivors are now living productive and healthy

lives in our own country while their abusers are behind bars. we're also joined by two very special guests from the front lines against trafficking. we have this person who runs a foundation that helps victims in coaster rica, and one person who opened the first shelter in albanian for women and girls who have been traffic. we are celebrating nine men and women this year for their courage in the fight against trafficking. we're so grateful they could join us today. [applause] around the world, millions of people are living in bondage. they labor in fields and factories under brutal employers could threaten them with violence if they tried to escape. the work at home for families

that keep them in prison. they are forced to work as prostitutes or beg in the street, fearful of the consequences if they fail to earn their daily quota. they are women, men, and the children of all ages. they are often held far from home with no money, no connections, and no way to ask for help. this is modern slavery. a crime that spans the globe and provides ruthless employers with an endless supply of people who are used for a financial gain. human trafficking is a crime against those who are traffic and the families who are left behind. some of them and never see their loved ones again. and as a broad global impact as well. it weakens legitimate economy fueled by threatened public health and safety, shatters families and shreds the the fabric that is necessary for progress.

it is an affront to our basic values and fundamental beliefs that all people everywhere deserve to live and work in safety and dignity. the obama administration is fighting the human trafficking situation both at home and abroad. it is a critical part of our foreign policy agenda. we fund won lead for the entire trafficking programs in nearly 70 countries as well as 42 domestic task forces to address the challenge here. -- we fund 140 trafficking programs in nearly 70 countries as well as 42 domestic task forces to address the challenge here. the tracking report is not an

indictment of past failures, but a guide for future progress. it includes examples of steps taken against trafficking worldwide. for example, where an army officer was convicted in a groundbreaking case of forcing children to serve as soldiers. in colombia, the government pioneered a comprehensive operation center for agents to track allegations and ensure the victim's receive rehabilitative services. the ministry of labor has established a fund to abide trafficking victims with food, housing, and legal aid. this report hopes to shine a bright light on this scale of modern slavery so all governments can see where progress has been made and where more is needed. trafficking it thrives in the shadows. it can be easy to dismiss it as something that happens to someone else somewhere else.

that is not the case. it is a crime that involved every nation on earth. that includes our own. trafficking in forced labor are great problems here in the united states. we have been reminded of this in recent weeks where there was a scheme uncovered to use foreign laborers in 14 midwestern states. to coincide with this year's global tracking and persons report, the department of justice is releasing its own report whist describes the problem of human trafficking in the united states and offers recommendations for how we can do a better job of fighting it. we are grateful for the work. it will help us advance ever struggle against trafficking in our own country. we are committed to working with all nations collaborative lee. in recent years, we have had a comprehensive approach through

prosecution, protection, and prevention. we have to add a partnership to that. our response must cross borders and continents. we are committed with building new partnerships with governments around the world. the repercussions of human trafficking affects us all. i know there are many of you in this room who have been advocates in the fight against trafficking. let me hold this report up. this is a wonderful piece of work. it is beautifully presented. i want to thank everyone at the state department and helped produce this report. i hope it is read and studied said that we together can continue to make progress against this terrible surge.

thank you. >> according to the annual trafficking and persons report, there was a 30% increase in human trafficking due to the global financial crisis and the tightening of standards by congress. for more on this report, the state the problem of trafficking in director. this is 25 minutes. >> this morning the secretary

and unveiled the human traffic report. it would give us the progress that countries are making a run the world. one of the things the report but said this year is the effect of the global economic crisis on the human trafficking issue. it concludes that in the time of economic crisis, victims are more vulnerable, affected communities are more from all -- vulnerable as well. many people get their victims through promises of a better life and better earnings, the ability to earn money if they

are willing to travel abroad or work. we often see the notion of large upfront payments and recruiting fees that are made to the recruiters themselves of the loan sharks in the recruiting country so that by the time workers get to their destination, they are held in debt bondage. that is a circumstance that employers can build upon, holding a compliant labor force through the threat of force and corrosion and bankruptcy in an economic ruin. this is something the united states has been leading luncheon the last few years. it is the ninth annual trafficking reports. when it first began, it looked at 82 countries.

now it is up to 175 nations. it is becoming a global snapshot of the problem. the use of the word trafficking has the notion of movement built into it. movement is not required. but we are really dealing with is the notion of global forced labor in global slavery. the ilo estimated about 12.3 million people in bondage worldwide. about 1.2 million are in sexual slavery.

it is passed the accounts you see in movies and mass culture. they tend to define this as a problem of people being moved for prostitution or being kidnapped. what we see is the notion that people are being enslaves whether it is for prostitution, labor, agricultural, domestic service, they are often entering into the relationship of voluntarily and becoming in slate with in that. the notion of -- and becoming enslaved with an nein that.

a person may agree to be a maid. after the abuse starts, she is being held captive. it is not necessarily trickery, but it is often built into the situation. the report is here. hopefully you have had a chance to see the cup is that were distributed. we should have more copies available as well. this is notable for the notion that there are countries that have shown improvement. it is reflected in the report. there are some countries that have gone backwards or they'll to improve. one of the things look at as far as the traffic report is concerned is whether countries are showing continued and

sustained efforts in this field. it is not enough for a country to pass a trafficking law or announced they have a national plan of action. we spend the next year to see if they are using that trafficking law. they should not only look at victims but also prosecute cases. if they are prosecuting cases, are they talking bold sexual and labor trafficking. of the 2983 convictions reported last year, it was an empress has never giving countries to net do a good job of keeping track of human trafficking and conditions, but above the amount we were able to confirm as far as convictions are concerned, only 104 of them were for trafficking in the labour

sector. there are a 11 million more people being held in bondage in what we call ballot forms of labor. there are a -- in what we call to balance ththatvalid forms of. we talked about nigeria. i cannot talk about nigerian enough. this as a country that has gone from here to watch list of the cusp of tier 3 -- gone from tiahrt ter 2 watchless on the cf

tier 3 -- watch list on the cusp of tier 3. one of the things we find very important and i cannot stress enough of is fighting human trafficking is something that was established in the clinton administration. the first lady hillary clinton and that time worked very hard on it. it was something the bush administration was very committed to working on once they came in. the same is true of the obama administration. today's president of the secretary seining information both here and abroad is a marker as far as a continuation

of the commitment of the persian ministration to fighting human trafficking in modern slavery but shows continued efforts by in hillary clinton and the obama administration. people like myself 11 federal prosecutors, how we are investigating the cases, we are seeing a lot of positive responses to its. elk we will see an improvement in the coming year as far as the counter trafficking response. there is a notion that because we are in a time of economic crisis, and foreign debt workers a very vulnerable because of the way in which recruitment is done, we see a problem in our

presence abroad and in the united states. many are affected by country's seven large programs that none had any safeguards built into them. we saw this in the united states in territorial possessions of side bands. -- site bands. we saw there would replicate itself in many countries around the world which is the notion that the first step has to deal with labor unrest or people who are asking for minimum amounts of food and pay, the nation they would withdraw the sponsorship once the person is supported and cut off the labor activism and in the intends to make the

workplace better a punishing the workers who would dare to speak back. that punishment should not be something that the government is complacent in. the united states passed a law in december in which we address the situation. one of the recommendations is that we do a top down review of our programs to see if there are additional programs that need to be put into place. we encourage other countries to do that same type of review of their programs. at the end of the day, it is done about administrative responses. is not about structural responses. this is a crime. this is one of the most serious crimes out there.

the slavery and involuntary servitude is something that cannot be remedied by having different immigration structures, having labor instructors and different policies about various things. it can only be dealt with by investigating and prosecuting the people who dare to do them. we stand ready not just abroad but also home for those countries who like to engage and you are willing to do the same type of self assessment that we did in our attorney general's report which was also released today with the get the strengths and weaknesses of the united states government's response for those countries who are willing to engage in that type of partnership -- the rest of the government stands ready to partner.

>> what jumped out at me was the substantial increase in a number of the country's put on the tier 2 watch list. what is it a function of? this is a reflection of the at coming or this administration applying more stringent criteria than the last one dead? >> i think it is all of the above actually. we have seen one assembly countries this year -- 173 countries this year. congress changed the standards last fall which is who gets

right as opposed to who gets reported on. -- who get ranked as opposed to who gets reported on. a country reporting zero cases is probably an indication that there is a problem there. it is like a police force saying they have arrested zero people for domestic violence. you wonder if the police force as part of the problem. this is something we've seen as far as some countries coming in and the pull getting bigger. the economic crisis is putting so much strain when the labor system, given the fact that we're looking at sex trafficking and labor trafficking as well. this is not an obama administration versus and budget

minister in tech analysis. -- bush administration type of analysis. we are continuing on the work of one ambassador who was my predecessor who started focusing on some of these problems. the more you look at it, the more you find it. >> if you are on the watch list for 10 years consecutive day, yards -- two years consecutive yearlly, you are demoted? how many have sanctions on tier 3? >> our records that should be able to get to that answer.

is there a number we can say that it has increased by? >> i do not think we can quantify it yet. being able to quantify, there are two problems. given the nature of human trafficking, it is hard to get the data. if it was a government sponsored lender -- labor, they may have had government employees along in the workforce. one of the things we have seen,

the bomb ilo report says it is a $31 billion profit -- the ilo report says is about a $31 billion profit. >> 20? >> to the traffickers in the last year. $50 billion of direct impact. and number of companies looking at the supply chains whether it is in agriculture or wall materials to figure out what needs to be done.

we are trying to have public- private partnerships to work on this. >> is at 173 or 175 countries? >> 175 linked places. some places are not countries. >> [unintelligible] what happened last year in africa? >> one of the things that we see in west africa is -- these are countries that have historical slavery problems. they are trying to confront this over the last 20 years to reman

debate families and people who have been part of a slave system for up to 500 years. those efforts seem to have stalled. they are part of the anti trafficking movement. one of the things that is interesting is that somali has confronted this a bit better than its neighbors. at the end of the day, we are dealing with countries where there is not only modern trafficking problems, but u.s. citizens of those countries who are being taken down to the agriculture reasons father's self. you also have this notion of on going hereditary slavery that is not being addressed but should be.