Vermont Business Magazine: Welch Introduces Bill to Hold Corporations Accountable for Child Labor Violations
This article features Government Accountability Project and was originally published here.
Today, US Senators Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), both members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, introduced the bicameral Child Labor Exploitation Accountability Act, legislation aimed at holding corporations accountable for the exploitation of children and workers in the food industry. The bill prohibits the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from contracting with companies that have committed egregious labor law violations and/or have contracted with vendors that have incurred, and failed to rectify, serious worker or labor infractions. U.S. Representative Greg Casar (D-TX) introduced companion legislation in the House.
“No child should be made to do hazardous work—but as recent reporting has shown, that remains all too common in the United States,” said Senator Welch. “We must use every tool at our disposal to end child labor, and that’s why I am proud to join Sen. Booker to introduce the Child Labor Exploitation Accountability Act and leverage the power of federal contracts to hold corporations accountable for these shameful practices.”
“We must hold companies accountable if they violate labor laws and exploit workers, including vulnerable children,” said Senator Booker. “Companies that benefit from federal contracts have a responsibility to ensure that...
Over the last year, beyond traditional healthcare and federal procurement matters, the government has pursued federal False Claims Act (FCA) investigations and enforcement across high-risk areas, i...