I 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6517 

To amend the Act of March 4, 1913, to establish the Bureau of International 

Labor Affairs within the Department of Labor, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 28, 2022 

Mr. DESAULNIER (for himself and Mr. WALBERG) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the Act of March 4, 1913, to establish the Bureau 

of International Labor Affairs within the Department 

of Labor, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Bureau of Inter5 national Labor Affairs Authorization Act of 2022’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 

2 The Act of March 4, 1913 (37 Stat. 736, chapter 

3 141; 29 U.S.C. 551 et seq.), is amended by adding at the 

4 end the following: 

5 ‘‘SEC. 12. BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL LABOR AFFAIRS. 

6 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BUREAU OF INTER7 NATIONAL LABOR AFFAIRS.— 

8 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established within 

9 the Department of Labor a Bureau of International 

10 Labor Affairs (referred to in this section as the ‘Bu11 reau’). The Bureau shall include offices to carry out 

12 functions related to— 

13 ‘‘(A) trade and labor affairs; 

14 ‘‘(B) child labor, forced labor, and human 

15 trafficking; 

16 ‘‘(C) international relations and economic 

17 affairs; and 

18 ‘‘(D) other functions and activities as des19 ignated by the Secretary of Labor. 

20 ‘‘(2) DEPUTY UNDERSECRETARY.—The Sec21 retary of Labor shall appoint a Deputy Undersecre22 tary for International Affairs to head the Bureau. 

23 The Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs 

24 shall continue to carry out all duties assigned to the 

25 Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs as 

26 of the day before the date of enactment of the BuVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:31 Jan 28, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6517.IH H6517

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1 reau of International Labor Affairs Authorization 

2 Act of 2022 and other duties and functions, as ap3 propriate, to fulfill the mission of the Bureau. 

4 ‘‘(3) FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the Bureau 

5 on and after the date of enactment of the Bureau 

6 of International Labor Affairs Authorization Act of 

7 2022 shall include the responsibilities and functions 

8 of the Bureau on the day before the date of enact9 ment of the Bureau of International Labor Affairs 

10 Authorization Act of 2022, and include all of its per11 sonnel, assets, authorities, liabilities, and other re12 sources, including representational funds, required 

13 to support such functions. 

14 ‘‘(4) MISSION.—The mission of the Bureau 

15 shall be to— 

16 ‘‘(A) promote labor rights and a fair global 

17 playing field for workers and businesses in the 

18 United States and around the world by 

19 strengthening international labor standards, 

20 supporting enforcement of trade commitments, 

21 empowering workers, and combating inter22 national child labor, forced labor, and human 

23 trafficking; 

24 ‘‘(B) assist trading partners, through tech25 nical assistance and capacity building, in imVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:31 Jan 28, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6517.IH H6517

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1 proving working conditions, combating child 

2 labor, forced labor, and human trafficking, rais3 ing living standards, and protecting the ability 

4 of workers to exercise their internationally rec5 ognized labor rights; 

6 ‘‘(C) support negotiations and enforce7 ment, and conduct monitoring and administra8 tion, of labor commitments in trade agreements 

9 and preference programs; 

10 ‘‘(D) hire and designate labor attache ́s to 

11 serve at United States diplomatic and consular 

12 posts to assess working conditions, advance 

13 worker rights, support trade enforcement, ad14 dress the workplace exploitation of children and 

15 other vulnerable populations, and serve as au16 thoritative experts on labor policies and prac17 tices; 

18 ‘‘(E) carry out representational activities, 

19 research, and other functions as designated by 

20 the Secretary of Labor; and 

21 ‘‘(F) implement the duties and responsibil22 ities assigned to the Department of Labor 

23 under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 

24 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), the Trade and 

25 Development Act of 2000 (19 U.S.C. 3701 et 


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1 seq.), the United States-Mexico-Canada Agree2 ment Implementation Act (Public Law 116– 

3 113), and other Acts, and executive orders, as 

4 appropriate. 

5 ‘‘(b) GRANTS, CONTRACTS, AND COOPERATIVE

6 AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary of Labor may utilize funds 

7 made available to the Bureau to administer international 

8 labor programs and provide bilateral and multilateral 

9 technical assistance by or through contracts, grants, coop10 erative agreements, and other arrangements to carry out 

11 the mission and functions set forth in this section. 

12 ‘‘(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary shall 

13 submit to Congress on an annual basis a report on the 

14 activities of the Bureau during the previous year, includ15 ing— 

16 ‘‘(1) activities to prevent forced and child labor; 

17 ‘‘(2) support for trade agreement monitoring 

18 and enforcement activities; 

19 ‘‘(3) the location and activities of labor 

20 attache ́s; and 

21 ‘‘(4) the use of funds for contracts, grants, co22 operative agreements and other funding arrange23 ments.’’. 

Æ 


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