Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025
In Committee
Introduced:Sep 18, 2025
Primary Sponsor
Christopher H. Smith
Representative
Republican
NJ-4
Cosponsors
18
Quick Stats
Policy Area
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Summary
This bill aims to address the use of child labor and forced labor in the mining of certain strategic metals and minerals, particularly cobalt and lithium, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It would prohibit the importation of goods containing these materials if they were produced using such labor practices, and require the government to take actions to enforce this and address the issue more broadly.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill aims to address the use of child labor and forced labor in the mining of certain strategic metals and minerals, particularly cobalt and lithium, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It would prohibit the importation of goods containing these materials if they were produced using such labor practices, and require the government to take actions to enforce this and address the issue more broadly.
Last updated: 12/29/2025
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Countering China’s Exploitation of Strategic Metals and Minerals and Child and Forced Labor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Act</strong></p><p>This bill prohibits the importation of goods containing metals or minerals (particularly cobalt, lithium, and their derivatives) that are mined, produced, smelted, or processed by child labor or forced labor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It also requires certain federal actions to address this issue.</p><p>The prohibition does not apply if U.S. Customs and Border Protection (1) determines, based on clear and convincing evidence, that the goods were not made with child labor or forced labor; and (2) submits to Congress a report containing such a determination (and makes this report publicly available).</p><p>The bill requires the President to annually report to Congress on each foreign person determined to have (1) knowingly engaged in child labor or forced labor in DRC's mining industry, and (2) knowingly engaged in efforts to contravene U.S. law regarding the importation of covered DRC goods. The President must impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions against each identified foreign person.</p><p>The bill requires </p><ul><li>the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force to submit to Congress a report containing an enforcement strategy for effectively addressing child labor and forced labor in DRC's mining industry,</li><li>the Department of State to submit to Congress a strategy for addressing child labor and forced labor in DRC's mining industry, and</li><li>the U.S. Agency for International Development to increase efforts to prevent child labor and forced labor in DRC's mining industry. </li></ul>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Prohibits the importation of goods containing certain metals and minerals (like cobalt and lithium) that were mined, produced, smelted, or processed using child labor or forced labor in the DRC
Requires the President to identify and impose sanctions on foreign persons engaged in these labor practices in the DRC mining industry
Directs the government to develop enforcement strategies and increase efforts to prevent child and forced labor in the DRC mining sector
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This bill would primarily impact companies that import goods containing minerals from the DRC, as well as the miners and communities in the DRC involved in the production of these materials. It aims to reduce human rights abuses and exploitation in the DRC's mining industry, which could have downstream impacts on the global supply of certain strategic minerals.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
4443, 119th Congress (2025). "Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-4443
