[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12763]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE ``BUSINESS TRANSPARENCY ON TRAFFICKING AND SLAVERY 
                                 ACT''

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, August 1, 2011

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce bipartisan 
legislation along with my colleagues on the Human Trafficking Caucus, 
Reps. Chris Smith and Jackie Speier.
  Most Americans are unaware that many of the goods they use each and 
every day have passed through the hands of a slave at some point. In 
2010, the U.S. Department of Labor identified 128 goods from 70 
countries that were made by forced and child labor. We write to invite 
you to join us in becoming an original cosponsor of the Business 
Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act, which will increase 
transparency in supply chains in order to remove slavery from business 
operations and products.
  The Business Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act doesn't tell 
businesses what to do, but rather to tell consumers what they are doing 
to end human slavery.
  This bill will help raise awareness for consumers who want to know 
where and how their goods are being made. While there are good actors, 
there are businesses operating in parts of the world that rely on 
enslaved humans to produce their products. We believe American 
consumers have a right to know who these companies are.
  This legislation creates a market-based solution rather than relying 
on prescriptive action by the federal government. Companies simply have 
to report to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) what they are 
doing to rid their supply chains of human slavery and post this 
information on their company Web sites. Consumers will be able to 
research a company and determine their purchasing decisions based on 
the information provided. Very simply, this bill creates competition to 
improve practices to end slavery by providing the public with 
information about what companies are doing to address slavery.
  Human trafficking is the slavery of the 21st century. It is estimated 
that nearly 12.3 million people are working in some form of forced 
labor worldwide. The International Labor Organization estimates that 
for every person trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation, nine 
people are forced primarily into labor exploitation. We must use every 
tool available to help these men, women, and children around the world 
who are enslaved.
  I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important legislation.

                          ____________________