Two senators say politics are at play in the State Department’s announcement that the human trafficking situations in Malaysia and Cuba are improving.

On Monday, the State Department released its annual Trafficking in Persons Report, bumping both nations from Tier 3 to Tier 2 Watch List, allowing Malaysia to stay in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., pushed hard throughout the recent fast-track trade debate to strengthen human rights requirements against prospective trade partners, including Malaysia. Trade Promotion Authority, also known as fast track, passed with a provision denying expedited congressional consideration of any trade deal with a country listed in Tier 3.

“The administration has turned its back on the victims of trafficking, turned a blind eye to the facts, and ignored the calls from Congress, leading human rights advocates, and Malaysian government officials to preserve the integrity of this important report,” Menendez said in a statement, who noted his “profound disappointment” that the administration “elevated politics over the most basic principles of human rights.”

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