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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1110 Introduced in House (IH)]

109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1110

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President 
 should express public support for the workers' rights and protection 
   provisions of China's ``Draft Labor Contract Law'' and repudiate 
efforts by some United States corporations and their representatives in 
        China to diminish such rights and protection provisions.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 8, 2006

 Ms. Woolsey (for herself, Ms. Lee, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Owens, 
Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. George Miller of California, Ms. Moore 
of Wisconsin, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Ms. 
    Watson, Mr. McGovern, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota, Ms. Solis, Mr. 
Grijalva, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California, Mr. Kucinich, Ms. Waters, 
 Mr. Michaud, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Payne, 
 Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Farr, Mr. Stark, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Holt, Mr. Brown 
of Ohio, Mr. Pascrell, Mrs. Maloney, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, and Mr. 
 Filner) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President 
 should express public support for the workers' rights and protection 
   provisions of China's ``Draft Labor Contract Law'' and repudiate 
efforts by some United States corporations and their representatives in 
        China to diminish such rights and protection provisions.

Whereas some United States corporations and their representatives in the 
        People's Republic of China are actively opposing the Chinese 
        Government's ``Draft Labor Contract Law,'' which includes workers' 
        rights and protection provisions for Chinese workers;
Whereas corporate opposition to China's ``Draft Labor Contract Law'' is designed 
        to maintain the status quo in Chinese labor relations, including low 
        wages, extreme poverty, denial of basic rights and minimum standards, 
        lack of health and safety protections, and an absence of legal contracts 
        for millions of employees;
Whereas China's ``Draft Labor Contract Law'' could provide minimal protections 
        that are commonplace in many other countries, such as enforceable labor 
        contracts, severance pay regulations, and negotiations over workplace 
        policies and procedures;
Whereas the Chinese Government has begun drafting new labor regulations in 
        partial response to rising labor discontent--in 2005 alone the 
        government reported 300,000 labor disputes, nearly double the number 
        reported in 2001;
Whereas some United States corporations and their representatives in China are 
        trying to block even modest legal gains for Chinese workers by 
        threatening to withdraw from China if the ``Draft Labor Contract Law'' 
        is passed;
Whereas this corporate campaign contradicts the justifications that have been 
        given for United States trade and investment policies which encourage 
        corporations to invest in China, namely that United States corporations 
        are raising human and labor rights standards abroad;
Whereas while wages in the United States stagnate, many Americans worry that low 
        wages and labor standards in China are driving down wages and working 
        conditions in the United States; and
Whereas at a time when China exerts a growing impact on the global economy, 
        efforts to improve the conditions of Chinese workers are profoundly 
        important for workers in the United States and elsewhere: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that the President should--
            (1) instruct the Unites States Ambassador to the People's 
        Republic of China and the United States Trade Representative to 
        send a letter of support for the workers' rights and protection 
        provisions of China's ``Draft Labor Contract Law'' to the 
        Government of People's Republic of China;
            (2) publicly repudiate the efforts of some United States 
        corporations and their representatives in China to weaken or 
        obstruct the workers' rights and protection provisions of 
        China's ``Draft Labor Contract Law''; and
            (3) strongly urge such United States corporations and their 
        representatives in China to reverse their opposition to the 
        workers' rights and protection provisions of China's ``Draft 
        Labor Contract Law'' and make clear their support for increased 
        legal protections for Chinese workers.
                                 <all>
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