A bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would ban the import of "items produced, grown or
manufactured... with the use of forced labor" in China.
This 1995 Bill, Titled the "Chinese Slave Labor Act," the measure's chief sponsor is Rep. Gerald B.H. Solomon (R-N.Y.), who chairs the
powerful House Rules Committee.
It would require the Secretary of the Treasury to determine that importers have taken steps to ensure that imports from
China do not violate the ban, and it would require the U.S. to seek permission from China's government for such groups as
the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the International Red Cross to inspect "all camps, prisons and other facilities
holding detainees" in China for forced labor.
Penalties would range from a maximum $10,000 for a first violation to a maximum $1 million for more than two violations.
