WASHINGTON While mired in the thick of a war in Israel, electing a speaker and the possibility of a second government shutdown this fall, Congress is facing a harrowing issue impacting America's youngest: A 69% increase in child labor law violations since 2018.
Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., is the latest lawmaker looking to update the nation's antiquated child labor laws after a steep increase in violations over the last several years.
Casey, who chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Children and Families, on Thursday will introduce the Children Harmed in Life-Threatening or Dangerous Labor Act, or CHILD Labor Act. The bill focuses on setting hasher penalties for child labor law violations and increasing accountability for violators, including contractors and subcontractors that employ children.
The Fair Labor Standards Act prohibits children under age 18 from being employed in dangerous jobs and mandates child labor provisions. Casey is looking to enhance the 85-year-old legislation with his bill.
"It is long past time we bring our child labor laws into the 21st century and fight back against the employers, contractors and subcontractors that violate them," Casey told USA TODAY.
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