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To ensure that goods made using or containing cobalt refined in the People's Republic of China do not enter the United States market under the presumption that the cobalt is extracted or processed with the use of child and forced labor in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
4/4/2025, 8:06 AM
Summary of Bill HR 2310
The bill specifically targets cobalt, a mineral commonly used in electronics and other products, as the DRC is a major producer of this mineral and has been known for using child and forced labor in its mining operations. By prohibiting the importation of goods containing cobalt refined in China under these circumstances, the bill seeks to hold companies accountable for their supply chains and prevent the exploitation of vulnerable populations.
If passed, the Cobalt Refinement Transparency Act would require companies to provide documentation proving that the cobalt used in their products was not sourced from the DRC and was not refined in China. This transparency measure aims to ensure that companies are sourcing their cobalt ethically and not contributing to human rights abuses in the DRC. Overall, the bill seeks to address the issue of child and forced labor in the cobalt supply chain and promote ethical sourcing practices among companies importing goods into the United States.
Congressional Summary of HR 2310
China’s Odious and Brutally Atrocious Labor Trafficking Supply Chain Act or the COBALT Supply Chain Act
This bill prohibits the importation of covered goods that contain cobalt refined in China under the presumption that the goods are made wholly or in part with forced labor or child labor. It also establishes certain reporting requirements, and requires presidential certification that federal vehicle purchases are free of parts made or mined with child labor or forced labor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).
Specifically, covered goods shall not be entitled to entry into the United States unless U.S. Customs and Border Protection (1) determines that the importer of record has demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that the goods do not contain cobalt refined in China, and (2) submits to Congress a report containing such a determination (and makes this report publicly available).
The Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force must (1) report to Congress a strategy for preventing the importation of covered goods, and (2) provide quarterly briefings to Congress.
The President must annually certify to Congress whether all vehicles purchased in the prior year by the U.S. government are completely free of parts made or mined wholly or in part with child labor or forced labor in the DRC or the XUAR. This certification must be published in the Federal Register and shall not apply with respect to vehicles purchased in the prior year by the Department of Defense.
