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“INTRODUCTION OF THE ``BUSINESS SUPPLY CHAIN TRANSPARENCY ON TRAFFICKING AND SLAVERY ACT OF 2014''” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E960 on June 11, 2014.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
INTRODUCTION OF THE ``BUSINESS SUPPLY CHAIN TRANSPARENCY ON TRAFFICKING
AND SLAVERY ACT OF 2014''
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HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY
of new york
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce bipartisan legislation along with my colleagues on the Human Trafficking Caucus, Rep. Chris Smith.
Very few Americans are aware that many of the goods they use everyday are tainted by human trafficking or the worst forms of child labor. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's 2012 List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor, 134 goods from 74 countries were made by forced and child labor. This bill will increase transparency in supply chains in order to remove slavery from business operations and products.
The Business Supply Chain Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act doesn't tell businesses what to do, but rather to tell consumers what they are doing to end human slavery.
This bill will give consumers the tools they need to know where and how their goods are being made. While there are good actors, there are businesses operating in parts of the world that rely on enslaved humans to produce their products. We believe American consumers have a right to know who these companies are.
This legislation creates a market-based solution rather than relying on prescriptive action by the federal government. Large global companies already reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) simply need to include what they are doing to rid their supply chains of human slavery. This information will then be posted on the company, SEC, and Department of Labor (DOL) websites for easy public access. Consumers will be able to research a company and determine their purchasing decisions based on the information provided. Very simply, this bill creates competition to improve practices to end slavery by providing the public with information about what companies are doing to address slavery.
Human trafficking is the 21st century slavery. It is estimated that over 20 million people are working in some form of forced labor worldwide. We must use every tool available to help men, women, and children around the world who fall victim to the scourge of human trafficking, forced labor, and the worst forms of child labor.
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