IV 

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. SA ́NCHEZ 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. 


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•HRES 1110 IH 

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; 


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•HRES 1110 IH 

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 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that the President should— 

3 (1) instruct the Unites States Ambassador to 

4 the People’s Republic of China and the United 

5 States Trade Representative to send a letter of sup6 port for the workers’ rights and protection provi7 sions of China’s ‘‘Draft Labor Contract Law’’ to the 

8 Government of People’s Republic of China; 

9 (2) publicly repudiate the efforts of some 

10 United States corporations and their representatives 

11 in China to weaken or obstruct the workers’ rights 

12 and protection provisions of China’s ‘‘Draft Labor 

13 Contract Law’’; and 

14 (3) strongly urge such United States corpora15 tions and their representatives in China to reverse 

16 their opposition to the workers’ rights and protection 

17 provisions of China’s ‘‘Draft Labor Contract Law’’ 


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•HRES 1110 IH 

1 and make clear their support for increased legal pro2 tections for Chinese workers. 

Æ 


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