Rep. Subramanyam Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Crack Down on Imports Sourced From Uyghur Forced Labor

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) has introduced the bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act.

“The American people deserve to know if the clothes they buy or the technology they use include parts made by forced labor. These products have no place on our store shelves. This bipartisan bill will ensure companies are being transparent about their products so consumers can make informed decisions. This is another step to hold China accountable for their exploitation of Uyghurs and their human rights atrocities,” said Rep. Subramanyam.

The Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act (H.R. 8712) would require publicly traded companies to review and disclose whether any of their products may have been produced with Uyghur forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. It is estimated that over 100,000 Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities are forced to work in this region on goods such as clothing and technology. 

“Forced labor has no place in American supply chains and American consumers deserve to know the truth about where their goods come from. The Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act is a critical step toward holding corporations accountable. The United States will not look the other way while the Chinese government profits from the forced labor and persecution of the Uyghur people,” said Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX). 

“The atrocities being committed against the Uyghur people, including mass detention, forced labor, family separation, and systematic repression, demand a clear response from the international community. The U.S. must ensure that American companies and consumers are not complicit in these human rights abuses. Our bill strengthens transparency and accountability so that corporations cannot profit from exploitation hidden deep within global supply chains,” said Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN).

In addition to Reps. Moran and Carson, the legislation is also co-sponsored by Reps. Espaillat, Krishnamoorthi, McGovern, Moulton, Holmes Norton, Pelosi, Raskin, Suozzi, Titus, and Tokuda. 

“Requiring companies to disclose their full supply chain ties is a crucial element of halting the Chinese Communist Party’s modern-day slavery. A company should not be able to scrub its US-bound imports while continuing to profit from Uyghur forced labor in other parts of its global operations. My sister, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, has been imprisoned for almost eight years simply because I used my right to free speech as an American citizen. The CCP uses transnational repression to silence those who expose its crimes. Every way we can hold corporations accountable for their role in this genocide is a step toward justice, not only for Uyghurs, but for every family targeted by this regime,” said Rushan Abbas, Executive Director of the Campaign for Uyghurs.

“Companies should not be able to hide whether they are benefiting from Uyghur forced labor. This legislation will help consumers, investors, and regulators access necessary information to identify bad actors and eliminate Uyghur forced labor from global supply chains. For Uyghur Americans, this bill is an important step toward holding companies accountable for the exploitation of our family members in our homeland,” said Omer Kanat, Executive Director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project.