NO DOLLARS TO UYGHUR FORCED LABOR ACT

On 2025-05-05, Representative Johnny Olszewski, Jr. (D-MD-2) delivered a floor speech titled "NO DOLLARS TO UYGHUR FORCED LABOR ACT" in the House.

NO DOLLARS TO UYGHUR FORCED LABOR ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 74 (Monday, May 5, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 74 (Monday, May 5, 2025)] [House] [Pages H1833-H1834] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] NO DOLLARS TO UYGHUR FORCED LABOR ACT Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1724) to prohibit the use of funds supporting any activities within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1724 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act''. SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS SUPPORTING ANY ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE XINJIANG UYGHUR AUTONOMOUS REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. (a) In General.--No funds authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State or the United States Agency for International Development may be used to develop, design, plan, promulgate, implement, or execute a policy, program, or contract that knowingly uses goods, wares, articles, or merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China or produced by a covered entity, unless such activity is specifically authorized pursuant to subsection (b). (b) Specific Authorization.--The Secretary of State may specifically authorize an activity otherwise prohibited by subsection (a) if-- (1) the Secretary-- (A) obtains in writing an assurance from the relevant program partner, implementor, or contractor that such partner, implementor, or contractor-- (i) will not use goods, wares, articles, or merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the PRC with respect to the program; and (ii) will develop a system to ensure compliance with the requirements in subsection (a); and (B) provides notice to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate not later than 15 days before authorizing the activity; and (2) the activity is not otherwise prohibited. (c) Report.--The Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on an annual basis for three years that describes-- (1) all activities prohibited by subsection (a) that were carried out in violation of such prohibition and not specifically authorized pursuant to subsection (b) in the previous year; (2) any challenges in enforcing the requirements of this section; and (3) a plan to improve enforcement of the requirements of this section. (e) Definitions.--In this section: (1) The term ``covered entity'' means an entity listed pursuant to clause (i), (ii), (iv), or (v) of section 2(d)(2)(B) of Public Law 117-78 (135 Stat. 1527) under the strategy developed by section 2(c) of such Public Law 117-78. (2) The term ``forced labor'' has the meaning given that term in section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1307). The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Olszewski) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida. General Leave Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Florida? There was no objection. Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act. The Chinese Communist Party is carrying out a campaign of genocide against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. The evidence, documented by human rights organizations, journalists, and survivors, is overwhelming: over a million people detained, families torn apart, entire communities forced into labor in factories that feed global supply chains. Some of those goods end up right here in the United States on our shelves and in our homes. The No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act makes one principle clear: Not a single American taxpayer dollar should be used to purchase goods, raw materials, or services tainted by Uyghur forced labor. It ensures that Federal contracts, programs, and policies only go to companies that can certify their supply chains are free from this abuse. American consumers should not be complicit in human rights violations. American businesses should not profit from forced labor, and our government, our tax dollars, must never enable oppression. Mr. Speaker, I urge strong support, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1724, the No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act. Congress has a history of bipartisan cooperation to call out Beijing's genocide and human rights abuses against Uyghurs and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang. We passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which was signed into law by President Biden in 2021, but our work isn't done because Beijing's repression isn't done. Just as was done in the 118th Congress, today we should pass H.R. 1724. [[Page H1834]] This bill prohibits the State Department and USAID from funding grants or contracts with companies or organizations that import products mined, produced, or manufactured in Xinjiang. The intention of this bill is to make sure that the standards we use at home when it comes to forced labor also apply to American activities abroad. I commend Representative Moran for his sustained focus on forced labor and fully endorse the spirit of his bill. Given that this bill is being taken directly to the floor without the benefit of feedback from the State Department however, I ask that we work with our Senate colleagues and the administration to ensure that it is ultimately implemented in a way that is both workable and does not inadvertently impede critical State Department operations and programming. This bill is especially necessary because the Trump administration's actions have gutted U.S. leadership on these issues. Thus far, the administration has cut funding for programs that support human rights in the China context, even though Congress explicitly authorized and appropriated such funding via statute. We know the administration has cut at least $50 million for projects that focused on addressing Beijing's human rights abuses. This includes programs that were empowering Chinese advocates and diaspora groups to combat transnational repression, monitoring forced labor goods in global supply chains, and promoting religious freedoms. The administration is also trying to shutter Radio Free Asia as we speak, despite the fact that Radio Free Asia helped break the story about the PRC's program of detention, reeducation, and forced labor in Xinjiang. The administration's opposition to Uyghur resettlement in the United States is hypocritical at best and morally reprehensible at worst. This bill is a good step for Congress to take, but President Trump is squandering American leadership and taking us backward. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. MAST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Moran), the sponsor of this legislation and a former committee member. Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation that would prohibit United States State Department contracts with companies tied to forced labor in the Xinjiang region of China. Our bill would ensure that U.S. funds are not used to finance projects in partnership with companies or organizations that import products mined or manufactured in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Many basic goods that we consider to be part of our everyday lives as Americans are produced in Xinjiang, including textiles, bricks, cotton, and polysilicon. As home to the majority of China's cotton, coal, and natural gas reserves, and representing one-sixth of China's land mass, the Xinjiang region is central to China's economy. It is considered to be the core hub for China's Belt and Road Initiative, which is China's primary tool to exert economic influence across the globe. China's economy relies in large part on Xinjiang, yet behind its industries lie a horrifying reality: mass detention, forced labor, and brutal oppression of the people who live there. The CCP is oppressing the Uyghur people and other ethnic minorities by detaining them in what they call reeducation centers for forced labor in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. {time} 1615 Slavery in any form is morally repugnant. America, known on the international stage as a beacon of freedom and liberty, must not be complicit in the Chinese Communist Party's genocide and oppression of the Uyghur people. The United States must push back on China not only in our words but through our actions. Failing to do so enables the CCP to grow in strength and exert its malign influence over the world. It is past time we enforce accountability against our greatest adversary. The U.S. must act decisively against the companies that profit from these abuses and take a firm stand against totalitarian regimes. The CCP asserts its control over the Uyghur people through threats, intimidation, confinement, and physical and emotional abuse. Failing to confront China empower

Referenced legislation: HR1724, HR1724