Bureau of International Labor Affairs Authorization Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-8706
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-11]
Introduced: 2020-10-30
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Department of Labor

Employment discrimination and employee rights

Executive agency funding and structure

Human rights

Human trafficking

International organizations and cooperation

Labor standards

Labor-management relations

Trade agreements and negotiations

Worker safety and health

Youth employment and child labor
Latest action: action_date: 2020-10-30
text: 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.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-10-30
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Bureau of International Labor Affairs Authorization Act of 2020</strong></p> <p>This bill establishes the Bureau of International Labor Affairs within the Department of Labor to support trade and labor affairs, including combating international child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8706 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 30, 2020 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. Short title This Act may be cited as the Bureau of International Labor Affairs Authorization Act of 2020 . 2. Establishment The Act of March 4, 1913 (37 Stat. 736, chapter 141; 29 U.S.C. 551 et seq.), is amended by adding at the end the following: 12. Bureau of International Labor Affairs (a) Establishment of the bureau of international labor affairs (1) In general There is established within the Department of Labor a Bureau of International Labor Affairs (referred to in this section as the Bureau ). The Bureau shall include offices to carry out functions related to— (A) trade and labor affairs; (B) child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking; (C) international relations and economic affairs; and (D) other functions and activities as designated by the Secretary of Labor. (2) Deputy undersecretary The Secretary of Labor shall appoint a Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs to head the Bureau. The Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs shall continue to carry out all duties assigned to the Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs as of the day before the date of enactment of the Bureau of International Labor Affairs Authorization Act of 2020 and other duties and functions, as appropriate, to fulfill the mission of the Bureau. (3) Functions The functions of the Bureau on and after the date of enactment of the Bureau of International Labor Affairs Authorization Act of 2020 shall include the responsibilities and functions of the Bureau on the day before the date of enactment of the Bureau of International Labor Affairs Authorization Act of 2020, and include all of its personnel, assets, authorities, liabilities, and other resources, including representational funds, required to support such functions. (4) Mission The mission of the Bureau shall be to— (A) promote a fair global playing field for workers and businesses in the United States and around the world by enforcing trade commitments, strengthening international labor standards, and combating international child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking; (B) assist trading partners, through technical assistance and capacity building, in improving working conditions, combating child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking, raising living standards, and protecting the ability of workers to exercise their internationally recognized labor rights to promote a fair global playing field for workers and businesses in the United States and trade partner countries; (C) support negotiations, conduct monitoring, and administer, and engage in enforcement of, labor commitments in trade agreements and preference programs; (D) hire and designate labor attaches to serve at United States diplomatic and consular posts to assess working conditions, advance worker rights, address the workplace exploitation of children and other vulnerable populations, and serve as authoritative experts on labor policies and practices; (E) carry out representational activities, research, and other functions as designated by the Secretary of Labor; and (F) implement the duties and responsibilities assigned to the Department of Labor under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 ( 22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), the Trade and Development Act of 2000 ( 19 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.), the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act ( Public Law 116–113 ), and other Acts, and Executive orders, as appropriate. (b) Grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements The Secretary of Labor may utilize funds made available to the Bureau to administer or operate international labor activities and provide bilateral and multilateral technical assistance by or through contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and other arrangements to carry out the mission and functions set forth in this section. (c) Report to congress The Secretary shall submit to Congress on an annual basis a report on the activities of the Bureau during the previous year, including— (1) activities to prevent forced and child labor; (2) support for trade agreement monitoring and enforcement activities; (3) the location and activities of labor attaches; and (4) the use of funds for contracts, grants, cooperative agreements and other funding arrangements. .