U.S. House passes bill restricting imports from China’s Xinjiang region, response to reports of forced labor

The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed the “Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act” (H.R. 1155) by a vote of 428 to 1.

H.R. 1155 [PDF 300 KB] (December 8, 2021) would impose restrictions related to China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region, such as prohibiting certain imports from Xinjiang and imposing sanctions on those responsible for human rights violations there.

Revised text [PDF 55 KB] of the bill was released on December 14, 2021.

Goods manufactured or produced in Xinjiang would not be allowed entry into the United States unless U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP):

• Determines that the goods were not manufactured by convict labor, forced labor or indentured labor under penal sanctions
• Reports such a determination to Congress and to the public

The Senate on July 14, 2021, passed by unanimous consent, S. 65, the “Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act,” a bill addressing similar matters. 

Additionally, a similar bill (H.R. 6210) concerning the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region was passed by the House in September 2020, but not considered by the Senate. Read TradeNewsFlash

With House passage of the bill, H.R. 1155 would be forwarded to the Senate for its consideration. If the Senate were to take up and approve H.R. 1155 without changes, the bill would then be sent to the White House for action by the president.
 

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