Bill > HR1724

This bill prohibits the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from using funds to support activities involving goods or services from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China, where there are serious concerns about forced labor of Uyghur people. Specifically, the bill bars funding for any policies, programs, or contracts that knowingly use goods or merchandise produced in this region, with a narrow exception process. To obtain an exception, the Secretary of State must get written assurances from program partners that they will not use goods from Xinjiang and will develop a compliance system, and must notify congressional foreign affairs committees at least 15 days before authorizing the activity. The bill also requires the Secretary of State to submit annual reports for three years detailing any violations of the prohibition, challenges in enforcement, and plans to improve enforcement. The legislation defines "forced labor" according to existing U.S. tariff law and references "covered entities" as those identified in a related previous law about preventing forced labor in the Xinjiang region. The overall goal is to prevent U.S. government funding from indirectly supporting human rights abuses against Uyghur populations in China.

Government Affairs, Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1724/all-info