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“INTRODUCTION OF THE ``BUSINESS TRANSPARENCY ON TRAFFICKING AND SLAVERY ACT''” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1466-E1467 on Aug. 1, 2011.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
INTRODUCTION OF THE ``BUSINESS TRANSPARENCY ON TRAFFICKING AND SLAVERY
ACT''
______
HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY
of new york
in the house of representatives
Monday, August 1, 2011
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce bipartisan legislation along with my colleagues on the Human Trafficking Caucus, Reps. Chris Smith and Jackie Speier.
Most Americans are unaware that many of the goods they use each and every day have passed through the hands of a slave at some point. In 2010, the U.S. Department of Labor identified 128 goods from 70 countries that were made by forced and child labor. We write to invite you to join us in becoming an original cosponsor of the Business Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act, which will increase transparency in supply chains in order to remove slavery from business operations and products.
The Business 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 help raise awareness for consumers who want 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. Companies simply have to report to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) what they are doing to rid their supply chains of human slavery and post this information on their company Web sites. 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 slavery of the 21st century. It is estimated that nearly 12.3 million people are working in some form of forced labor worldwide. The International Labor Organization estimates that for every person trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation, nine people are forced primarily into labor exploitation. We must use every tool available to help these men, women, and children around the world who are enslaved.
I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important legislation.
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