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“INTERNATIONAL CHILD LABOR RELIEF ACT OF 1998” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E2075 on Oct. 11, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
INTERNATIONAL CHILD LABOR RELIEF ACT OF 1998
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speech of
HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE
of texas
in the house of representatives
Thursday, October 8, 1998
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of the International Child Labor Relief Act today.
This bill authorizes the payment of $30 million for FY 1999, 2000 and 2001 for the U.S. Labor Department, to be used as the U.S. contribution to the International Labor Organization for the activities of the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor.
According to UNICEF statistics, between 200,000 and 250,000 child laborers exist worldwide, 95% of whom are in underdeveloped countries. The total includes children working on family farms and other argibusinesses, in factories and perhaps most tragically in the sex industries.
Countries including India, Nepal, Pakistan, parts of Central American and Burma many young girls and young women are forced into prostitution. In Sudan and Mauritania, thousands of ethnic minority children have been kidnaped and sold into slavery. We are all aware of the problems worldwide of child labor and child abuse.
Last year, I supported Representative Lantos' legislation, H.R. 1870, The Young American Worker's Bill of Rights, in order to set minimum standards for protecting children in the workplace. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. We must do whatever we can to keep children safe.
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