Retail groups, including the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and the National Retail Federation (NRF), issued a joint statement encouraging Congress to pass the Uyghur law on the prevention of forced labor, HR 6256, which prohibits the importation of goods from parts of China. use of forced labor.
The statement was also signed by the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones (NAFTZ), the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA).
The statement reads: “The passage by Congress today of the Uyghur Prevention of Forced Labor Law, HR 6256, is a key element of a broad global strategy and of our common goal of ending the forced labor. We thank Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) for their leadership on this legislation.
“Our members are persistent and adamant in their efforts to identify, uproot and eliminate traces of forced labor in their supply chains, and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a critical partner in complementing our members’ due diligence. This legislation will amplify this partnership by ensuring that CBP can effectively and robustly enforce not only the Uyghur Law on the Prevention of Forced Labor, but also the broader Forced Labor Law, using a transparent and evidence-based process. evidence based on US case law to target the wrong actors. These efforts are essential to effectively prevent products made with forced labor from entering the United States.
“We look forward to President Biden quickly signing this bill and working with CBP to develop a smart, comprehensive, effective and enforceable strategy to implement it.”
Photo courtesy of The New York Times
