H.R. 1724: No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act

This bill, titled the "No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act," seeks to restrict U.S. government funding in relation to activities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. Here are the key points of the proposed legislation:

Prohibition on Funding

The bill stipulates that:

• No funds from the Department of State or the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) can be used for any policies, programs, or contracts that involve goods produced in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, unless explicitly authorized.

Specific Authorization

There is a provision for specific authorization of funding that could otherwise be prohibited under the bill. The Secretary of State may allow such activities provided that:

• The program partner or contractor provides written assurance that they will not use goods from the region and will establish a system for compliance.
• The Secretary must inform relevant congressional committees 15 days before any such authorization.
• The activity must also not violate any other existing prohibitions.

Reporting Requirements

The Secretary of State is required to submit annual reports to Congress for three years. These reports must include:

• A description of activities that violated the funding prohibition in the previous year.
• Challenges faced in enforcing the bill's requirements.
• A plan for improving enforcement of these requirements.

Definitions

Key terms used in the bill are defined as follows:

• Covered entity: Refers to entities listed as part of the strategy developed in a previous law addressing forced labor.
• Forced labor: Defined according to existing federal laws related to forced labor practices.

Objective

The overall objective of the bill is to prevent U.S. government funds from supporting forced labor practices associated with goods produced in the Xinjiang region, making it clear that the U.S. seeks to avoid complicity in such practices.

Relevant Companies

None found.