Xinjiang Update: US House Passes Import Ban

September 23, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

In an overwhelming bipartisan vote, the US House of Representatives yesterday passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which effectively bans the import of apparel and other products with content from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). The bill was a focus of last week’s hearing on forced labor in the XUAR, at which the WRC provided expert testimony. The bill now heads to the Senate.

The House’s action reflects the growing consensus that banning imports from the XUAR is the only viable means to keep forced labor out of the global apparel supply chain. In a sobering measure of the deterioration of human rights in the region, US Customs recently seized large shipments of hair weaves from the XUAR because of evidence they were made with the hair of labor camp inmates.

The guidance the WRC has provided to licensees on the steps needed to exclude XUAR content from university apparel is consistent with the approach taken by the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. We are committed to working with licensees to ensure their expeditious implementation of the guidance.

You can see media coverage of the House vote here and here. We will continue to keep you apprised of developments on this issue.

Best,

Scott

Scott Nova
Worker Rights Consortium
5 Thomas Circle NW
Washington DC 20005
ph  202 387 4884
[email protected]
www.workersrights.org