UHRP Hails House Passage of Legislation Banning Use of Taxpayer Dollars for Goods Made with Uyghur Forced Labor
For immediate release
February 14, 2024, 12:00 p.m. EST
Contact: Omer Kanat, +1 (202) 790-1795, Peter Irwin, +1 (646) 906-7722, Julie Millsap, +1 (830) 822-7289
The Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) applauds passage of the “No Dollars for Uyghur Forced Labor” Act, a bill introduced in the House that would prohibit the US State Department and development agency from funding the purchase of goods made in the Uyghur region.
“This legislation sends a clear signal that the US Congress is committed to ending complicity in China’s genocide,” said UHRP Executive Director Omer Kanat. “Uyghurs are grateful for Representative Moran’s leadership supporting stronger US policies and urge the Senate to act on this bill.”
“We must ensure that the United States is not complicit in the Chinese Communist Party’s genocide and enslavement of Uyghurs,” said Congressman Nathaniel Moran. “The CCP must be held accountable for the human rights abuses against ethnic minorities. I am grateful for the support from the Uyghur Human Rights Project for my legislation, the No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act, that will ensure American taxpayer dollars are not fueling China’s exploitation of the Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang.”
The No Dollars for Uyghur Forced Labor Act (H.R.4039) was introduced by Representative Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) and cosponsored by Representatives Jim Costa (D-CA), Young Kim (R-CA), and Michael Lawler (R-NY). The bill, endorsed by UHRP, would require the Department of State and the Agency for International Development (USAID) to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not used abroad to purchase goods produced in East Turkistan.
Under the leadership of Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and Ranking Member Gregory Meeks, the bill was unanimously approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee in June, 2023, before being brought to the floor on February 13 this week.
Over the past two years, UHRP has partnered with the Uyghur American Association and other allies to provide research and witness testimony to lawmakers as they considered this and other legislation. A full list of bills endorsed by UHRP can be found on the UHRP Bill Tracker.
Read more:
UHRP Hails Creation of China Atrocity Crimes Coordinator by US Congress, December 15, 2023
UHRP Leads Joint Letter Urging Secretary Blinken to Demand an End to China’s Genocidal Policies in Meeting with PRC Foreign Minister Wang Yi, October 25, 2023
UHRP Alerts Commerce Secretary Raimondo to Uyghur Human Rights Risks Regarding “China-US Tourism Summit”, October 24, 2023
Congressional Testimony of Louisa Greve for UHRP, for House Oversight Hearing on Uyghur Forced Labor Enforcement, October 19, 2023
UHRP Urges President Biden to Press Central Asian Presidents to Protect Uyghurs, September 19, 2023
UHRP Applauds Introduction of Bill on Magnitsky Sanctions for Chinese Tech Companies Enabling Genocide: Hikvision, Dahua, Tiandy and BGI, December 19, 2022
UHRP Applauds House Passage of Uyghur Policy Act in the 117th Congress, December 1, 2022
UHRP Praises CECC Findings on the Uyghur Genocide, Calls for Stronger US Policies, November 18, 2022
UHRP Welcomes Secondary Sanctions Bill for Those Doing Business with Genocide Perpetrators, August 3, 2022