HR 1724119th CongressIntroduced

No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act

Introduced: Feb 27, 2025

Civil Rights & JusticeLabor & Employment

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act would bar using U.S. government funds (specifically funds appropriated to the Department of State or the United States Agency for International Development) to develop or carry out policies, programs, or contracts that knowingly rely on goods mined, produced, or manufactured in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China, or that are produced by entities defined as “covered entities.” The prohibition can be overridden only if the Secretary of State (1) obtains written assurances from the relevant partner or contractor that Xinjiang-sourced goods will not be used and that the partner will implement a system to ensure compliance, and (2) provides formal notice to key congressional committee leaders at least 15 days before authorizing the activity, and only if the activity is not otherwise prohibited. The bill also requires an annual report for three years detailing any violations, enforcement challenges, and improvements to enforcement. It builds on the framework of listing “covered entities” and uses the existing “forced labor” definition from the Tariff Act of 1930. In short, the bill tightens congressional controls on U.S. aid and development activities that could indirectly support Xinjiang’s supply chains linked to forced labor, while allowing narrowly tailored exceptions with specific assurances and congressional notice. It adds an enforcement and transparency mechanism through regular reporting.

Key Points

1Prohibition on funds: No State Department or USAID funds may be used to develop, design, plan, promulgate, implement, or execute policies, programs, or contracts that knowingly use goods mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or partly in Xinjiang, or produced by a covered entity.
2Narrow carve-out process: The Secretary of State may authorize a prohibited activity only if (a) the partner/contractor provides written assurances that Xinjiang-sourced goods will not be used and will have a system to ensure compliance, and (b) the Secretary gives at least 15 days’ notice to the Chairs and Ranking Members of relevant committees, and (c) the activity is not otherwise prohibited.
3Annual reporting: The Secretary must deliver an annual report for three years detailing (1) prohibited activities carried out in violation without authorization, (2) enforcement challenges, and (3) a plan to improve enforcement.
4Definitions and scope:
5- “Covered entity” is defined by listing in a specific Public Law (the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act framework, Public Law 117-78) as refined by the bill.
6- “Forced labor” follows the definition in Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930.
7Legislative status and timeline: The bill is titled the “No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act,” passed the House on May 5, 2025, and is introduced in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations as of the provided text.
8Relationship to existing law: Builds upon and relies on existing lists of restricted entities and the substantive concept of forced labor already used in U.S. law.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected:- United States government agencies (Department of State and USAID) and their overseas development and aid programs. They must ensure that funded activities do not rely on Xinjiang-sourced goods unless authorized, and must secure assurances and implement compliance systems when seeking waivers.Secondary group/area affected:- Implementing partners, contractors, and program partners who work with State or USAID, as they would need to obtain written assurances and establish compliance processes to be eligible for authorization.- Entities listed as “covered entities” under the referenced Public Law 117-78, since activities involving goods produced by these entities would be scrutinized or prohibited unless authorized.Additional impacts:- Supply chain due diligence: Higher compliance burden for contractors and partners to verify Xinjiang-sourced inputs and to establish traceability and anti-forced-labor controls.- Congressional oversight: Regular reporting creates ongoing visibility into enforcement challenges and effectiveness, potentially shaping future policy and funding decisions.- International and diplomatic implications: The act reinforces U.S. policy stance on Xinjiang and forced labor, which may affect U.S. aid allocations and partnerships with governments or organizations operating in or with ties to Xinjiang-based supply chains.“Covered entity” refers to a specific set of entities identified under a related U.S. law, tying this bill to the broader Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act framework.The prohibition targets both Xinjiang-origin goods and goods produced by these identified entities, aiming to prevent funding of activities that could indirectly support forced labor supply chains.

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