U.S. Congress - H.R.4128 Conflict Minerals Trade Act
H.R.4128 - Conflict Minerals Trade Act
To improve transparency and reduce trade in conflict minerals, and for other purposes. view all titles (2)
All Bill Titles
- Official: To improve transparency and reduce trade in conflict minerals, and for other purposes. as introduced.
- Short: Conflict Minerals Trade Act as introduced.
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OpenCongress Summary
This legislation is designed to help stop the deadly conflict over minerals in eastern Congo by regulating the importation and trade of tin, tungsten and tantalum – minerals commonly used in cell phones, laptop computers and other popular electronic devices. Under the bill, U.S. Commerce Department-sanctioned auditors would audit mineral mines declaring them conflict free or not. These mines would be mapped to show which ones fund conflict. Furthermore, importers would have to certify whether they were importing conflict minerals – companies that do import conflict minerals will be reported to Congress by the United States Trade Representative.
OpenCongress bill summaries are written by OpenCongress editors and are entirely independent of Congress and the federal government. For the summary provided by Congress itself, via the Congressional Research Service, see the "Official Summary" below.
Official Summary
11/19/2009--Introduced.Conflict Minerals Trade Act - States that it is U.S. policy to promote peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo by supporting efforts of the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, other governments in the Great Lakes Region of Africa, and thOfficial Summary
11/19/2009--Introduced.Conflict Minerals Trade Act - States that it is U.S. policy to promote peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo by supporting efforts of the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, other governments in the Great Lakes Region of Africa, and the international community to:(1) stop commercial activities involving the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo that contribute to armed groups and human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and
(2) develop stronger governance and economic institutions to improve transparency in the cross-border trade of natural resources in order to reduce exploitation by armed groups and promote local and regional development. Directs the Secretary of State to:
(1) produce a Congo Conflict Minerals Map of mineral-rich zones and areas under the control of armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and
(2) submit a related report to the appropriate congressional committees. Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Commerce to provide guidance to commercial entities seeking to exercise due diligence to ensure that conflict minerals used in their products do not finance armed conflict, result in labor or human rights violations, or damage the environment. Directs the Secretary to:
(1) submit a strategy to the appropriate congressional committees addressing linkages between human rights abuses, armed groups, and the mining of conflict minerals;
(2) ensure that the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices relating to the Democratic Republic of the Congo or countries that share a border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo include a description of instances where the extraction and cross-border trade in conflict minerals has negatively affected human rights conditions; and
(3) include in the annual report to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Investment Committee a description of efforts to ensure that enterprises under U.S. jurisdiction are exercising diligence to ensure that their purchases of minerals or metals are not originating from mines and trading routes that are used to finance armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Expresses the sense of Congress that the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) should expand programs to assist communities in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo whose livelihoods depend on the mineral trade. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to annually publish in the Federal Register a list of articles specified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States that should be identified as likely containing conflict minerals. Requires importers of articles specified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States that are included on the potential conflict goods list to certify on the importer's Customs declaration that such articles contain conflict minerals or are conflict mineral free. Sets forth:
(1) penalties relating to the introduction of goods that contain conflict minerals into the United States; and
(2) events that must prior to the expiration of this Act's provisions.
...Read the Rest
Organizations Supporting H.R.4128
- Center for American Progress
- Human Rights Watch
- Hewlett Packard
- International Labor Rights Forum
- Information Technology Industry Council
Organizations Opposing H.R.4128
- None via MapLight at this time.
See the money trail behind this bill for more info on how campaign contributions may be influencing senators' and representatives' votes.
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Recent News Coverage
11/22/09
Financing a calamity with a vibrating cell phone
Jim McDermott, D-Wash., introduced the Conflict Minerals Trade Act (HR 4128), which was co-sponsored by Congressmen Frank Wolf, R-Va., and Barney Frank, ...
Source:
Web Devil
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Recent Blog Coverage
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06/05/11
Kräv rättvis elektronik! « Hela Pingsten
[9] Make IT Fair 2007: Connecting Components, Dividing Communities, Make IT Fair 2007: Powering the Mobile World. [10] Make IT Fair 2008: Unga tjejer bakom din mobil ... [15] Open Congress 2010: H.R. 4128, www.opencongress.org/bill/111 -h4128/show. [16] T
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micael
11/16/10
Dr. Denis Mukwege « Freewheel Burning
To this end, bill HR 4128, a bill to “To improve transparency and reduce trade in conflict minerals” was introduced in Congress in 2009, but has yet to see a vote. Please go here and write to members of Congress to call for a vote on ...
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Freewheel Burning
11/07/10
Investegate |Noventa Limited Announcements | Noventa Limited: 3rd ...
US legislation which would make it illegal to buy or sell conflict minerals anywhere in the supply chain is advancing and gaining support (H.R. 4128 & S. 891). In this context, the market is characterised by supply shortage from ethical ...
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