,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cgba ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #h1 #bjag,mr4 ,lewis of ,georgia introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,rules1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,bipartisan ,congressional ,trade ,priorities and ,accountability ,act of #bjae with respect to the protection of human rights and labor standards1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,labor1 ,human1 and ,civil ,rights ,trade ,policy ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states has played a leading role in developing global human rights standards since the inception of the country4 7#b7 ,the first #aj amendments to the ,constitution are among the guiding principles that helped develop the ,universal ,declaration of ,human ,rights4 7#c7 ,first ,lady ,eleanor ,roosevelt led the ,united ,states delegation and the ,united ,nations in drafting the ,universal ,declaration of ,human ,rights4 7#d7 ,december #aj1 #bjaf1 marked the #fhth anniversary of the adoption of the ,universal ,declaration of ,human ,rights4 7#e7 ,the ,general ,assembly of the ,united ,nations adopted the ,international ,covenant on ,economic1 ,social and ,cultural ,rights and the ,international ,covenant on ,civil and ,political ,rights in #aiff4 7#f7 ,the ,united ,kingdom implemented the ,slave ,trade ,act of #ahjg1 setting a global precedent towards the eventual abolishment of slavery in the ,americas that the ,united ,states eventually followed4 7#g7 ,the world celebrated the #bajth anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade on ,may #a1 #bjag4 7#h7 ,on ,january #a1 #bjag1 the ,united ,states recognized the #aedth anniversary of the ,emancipation ,proclamation4 7#i7 ,the ,united ,states has continuously enacted legislation and ratified amendments to the ,constitution to improve the protections of the rights of all persons in the ,united ,states1 including-- 7,a7 the #acth ,amendment to the ,constitution1 ratified in #ahfe2 7,b7 the ,civil ,rights ,act of #ahff 7#ad ,stat4 #bg72 7,c7 the #adth ,amendment to the ,constitution1 ratified in #ahfh2 7,d7 the #aith ,amendment to the ,constitution1 ratified in #aibj2 7,e7 the ,social ,security ,act of #aice 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cja et seq472 7,f7 the ,fair ,labor ,standards ,act of #aich 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #bja et seq472 7,g7 the ,housing ,act of #aidi 7#fc ,stat4 #dac72 7,h7 the ,equal ,pay ,act of #aifc 7,public ,law #hh-ch2 #gg ,stat4 #ef72 7,i7 the ,civil ,rights ,act of #aifd 7,public ,law #hh-ceb2 #gh ,stat4 #bda72 7,j7 the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 7,public ,law #hi-aaj2 #gi ,stat4 #dcg72 7,k7 the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #fcja et seq472 7,l7 the ,age ,discrimination in ,employment ,act of #aifg 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #fba et seq472 7,m7 the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,homeless ,assistance ,act of #aihg 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aacja et seq472 7,n7 the ,civil ,rights ,restoration ,act of #aihh 7,public ,law #ajj-bei2 #ajb ,stat4 #bh72 7,o7 the ,americans with ,disabilities ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abaja et seq472 7,p7 the ,civil ,rights ,act of #aiia 7,public ,law #ajb-aff2 #aje ,stat4 #ajga72 7,q7 the ,fannie ,lou ,hamer1 ,rosa ,parks1 ,coretta ,scott ,king1 ,csar ,e4 ,chvez1 ,barbara ,c4 ,jordan1 ,william ,c4 ,velsquez1 and ,dr4 ,hector ,p4 ,garcia ,voting ,rights ,act ,reauthorization and ,amendments ,act of #bjjf 7,public ,law #aji-bdf2 #abj ,stat4 #egg72 and 7,r7 the ,matthew ,shepard and ,james ,byrd1 ,jr4 ,hate ,crimes ,prevention ,act of #bjji 7,public ,law #aaa-hd2 #abc ,stat4 #bhce74 7#aj7 ,labor1 human1 and civil rights standards and protections require constant review and attention4 7#aa7 ,the ,millennium ,development ,goals of the ,united ,nations set forth a #ae-year plan to combat poverty1 hunger1 disease1 illiteracy1 environmental degradation1 and discrimination4 7#ab7 ,the #dcrd ,general ,assembly of the ,organization of ,american ,states adopted the ,inter-,american ,convention against ,racism1 ,racial ,discrimination and ,related ,forms of ,intolerance on ,june #e1 #bjac4 7#ac7 ,the ,global ,slavery ,index estimates that as many as #de1hjj1jjj people around the world were in some form of modern slavery in #bjaf4 7#ad7 ,the ,united ,states supported the adoption of the ,universal ,declaration of ,human ,rights in the ,united ,nations ,general ,assembly and has ratified significant international human rights treaties1 including the ,international ,convention on the ,elimination of ,racism and ,discrimination 7,november #bj1 #aiid71 the ,international ,convention on the ,prevention and ,punishment of the ,crime of ,genocide 7,february #bc1 #aihi71 the ,international ,convention against ,torture and other ,cruel1 ,inhuman or ,degrading ,treatment or ,punishment 7,november #bj1 #aiid71 and the ,international ,covenant on ,civil and ,political ,rights 7,september #h1 #aiib74 7#ae7 ,the ,united ,states has ratified two of the eight fundamental conventions outlined by the ,international ,labor ,organization1 including the ,convention 7,,ilo #aje7 concerning the abolition of forced labor 7,september #be1 #aiib7 and the ,convention 7,,ilo #ahb7 concerning the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor 7,december #b1 #bjjj74 7#af7 ,the ,united ,states has also ratified the ,optional ,protocol to the ,convention on the ,rights of the ,child on the ,sale of ,children1 ,child ,prostitution and ,child ,pornography 7,january #bc1 #bjjc7 and the ,optional ,protocol to the ,convention on the ,rights of the ,child on the ,involvement of ,children in ,armed ,conflicts 7,january #bc1 #bjjc74 7#ag7 ,the ,united ,states signed the ,convention on the ,rights of ,persons with ,disabilities on ,july #cj1 #bjji4 7#ah7 ,the ,united ,states is expected to be a regional and global leader in the international civil and human rights movement1 including by fighting discrimination1 xenophobia1 human1 labor1 and civil rights abuses as a part of both domestic and foreign policy4 7#ai7 ,throughout ,united ,states history1 ,congress has addressed1 debated1 and advanced the protection of human rights through legislation relating to taxes and international trade4 7#bj7 ,on ,may #aj1 #bjjg1 ,president ,george ,w4 ,bush negotiated an agreement with the leadership of the #aajth ,congress1 which intended to strengthen labor1 environmental1 intellectual property1 access to medicines1 health1 investment1 government procurement1 and port security standards in ,united ,states trade agreements4 7#ba7 ,this bipartisan deal1 referred to as the ,may #ajth ,agreement1 made significant progress in recognizing that human1 labor1 and civil rights must be an integral component of ,united ,states trade policy4 7#bb7 ,united ,states trade policy cannot be static in a changing global economy1 and it is critical that ,united ,states trade policy proactively advance domestic and global efforts to improve human1 civil1 and labor rights and conditions4 7#bc7 ,the trade negotiating objectives of the ,united ,states should also address current1 emerging1 and future attempts to undermine or fail to enhance the living1 labor1 civil1 and human rights standards of the ,united ,states or its trading partners4 #c4 ,strengthening trade1 labor1 and human rights ,the ,bipartisan ,congressional ,trade ,priorities and ,accountability ,act of #bjae 7#ai ,u4,s4,c4 #dbja et seq47 is amended as follows3 7#a7 ,in section #ajc7;b77#c7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,b77ii71 by striking strictly2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 ,for purposes of subparagraph 7,b77ii71 a provision may be necessary or appropriate1 with respect to a trade agreement1 if the provision addresses issues relating to a party to the agreement1 such as human rights4 7,d7 ,notwithstanding subparagraph 7,a71 the provisions of section #aea of the ,trade ,act of #aigd shall only apply to an implementing bill submitted for an agreement that-- 7i7 achieves the principle negotiating objectives with respect to labor described in section #ajb7;b77#aj72 7ii7 explicitly provides that1 with respect to any country that is a party to the agreement-- 7,i7 any union in such country shall not be required to affiliate with any confederation and shall be free to form and affiliate with any vertical or horizontal workers organization1 including any confederation1 sector-wide1 or industry-wide union of its own choosing2 7,,ii7 workers in such country shall have the right to freely form and join an autonomous and independent union of their choosing2 7,,iii7 any union in such country engaged in collective bargaining with an employer shall be required to demonstrate majority support of that employer's workers1 on behalf of whom it is negotiating1 prior to registration of any collective bargaining agreement2 7,,iv7 for purposes of the labor obligations in the agreement relating to procedural guarantees for labor law enforcement1 any administrative1 quasi-judicial1 judicial1 or labor tribunals or boards composed of members with direct or indirect interest in matters before them shall not be considered impartial and independent2 7,v7 for purposes of evaluating any measures taken by a country to substantially reform its laws or institutions to comply with the core labor standards of the trade agreement1 an independent panel of experts must regularly examine and publicly report on the implementation of such reforms1 provide recommendations1 and identify concerns relating to the compliance of such country with its labor obligations under the agreement1 based on input from the parties to the trade agreement1 interested stakeholders1 and any other relevant information and reporting2 and 7,,vi7 if such independent panel determines that such country is not in compliance with its obligations1 the determination shall be treated as an initial report of an arbitration panel under the trade agreement1 and the matter shall be addressed in accordance with the normal procedures laid out for such cases1 including through an agreement to eliminate the nonconformity in the first instance or1 as a last resort1 to suspend benefits under the trade agreement2 and 7iii7 implements a trade agreement between parties that consistently demonstrate respect for internationally recognized human rights1 as indicated through assessments such as the annual ,country ,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices or the ,trafficking in ,persons ,report1 over a period of at least ten years4 4 7#b7 ,in section #aaa-- 7,a7 by amending paragraph 7#g77;,e7 to read as follows3 7,e7 the elimination of discrimination1 including discrimination on the basis of race1 color1 sex1 sexual orientation1 gender identity1 religion1 political opinion1 national extraction1 social origin1 age1 disability1 ,,hiv_/,,aids status1 engagement in organizing activities1 or union membership1 with respect to employment and occupation4 2 7,b7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#ah7 through 7#bc7 as paragraphs 7#ai7 through 7#bd71 respectively2 and 7,c7 by inserting after paragraph 7#ag7 the following3 7#ah7 ,internationally recognized human rights ,the term internationally recognized human rights means the rights stated in the following3 7,a7 ,the ,universal ,declaration of ,human ,rights4 7,b7 ,the ,international ,covenant on ,economic1 ,social and ,cultural ,rights4 7,c7 ,the ,convention on the ,elimination of ,all ,forms of ,discrimination ,against ,women and its ,optional ,protocol4 7,d7 ,the ,convention on the ,rights of the ,child4 7,e7 ,the ,convention on the ,rights of ,persons with ,disabilities and its ,optional ,protocol4 7,f7 ,the ,convention for the ,protection of ,all ,persons from ,enforced ,disappearance4 7,g7 ,the ,first ,optional ,protocol to the ,covenant on ,civil and ,political ,rights4 7,h7 ,the ,optional ,protocol to the ,convention ,against ,torture and other ,cruel1 ,inhuman or ,degrading ,treatment or ,punishment4 4