H.R. 8681

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8681 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8681

To impose sanctions with respect to any foreign person employing forced 
labor or child labor in the cobalt mining sector of a foreign country.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 7, 2026

Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, 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 impose sanctions with respect to any foreign person employing forced 
labor or child labor in the cobalt mining sector of a foreign country.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Sanctioning Harmful Illicit 
Exploitation of Labor and Dependents Act'' or ``SHIELD Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) forced labor and illegal exploitation of child labor in 
some of the most dangerous work in the world is a grievous 
human rights abuse;
(2) reports by journalists, the Department of Labor, and 
nongovernmental organizations overwhelmingly indicate that 
there is widespread forced labor and child labor in the cobalt 
mining sectors of foreign countries; and
(3) the United States should impose economic costs on 
foreign entities that utilize forced labor and child labor in 
the cobalt mining sectors of foreign countries.

SEC. 3. SANCTIONS.

(a) Authorization.--The President shall impose the sanctions 
described in subsection (b) with respect to any foreign person 
employing forced labor or child labor in the cobalt mining sector of a 
foreign country.
(b) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this 
subsection are the following:
(1) Asset blocking.--Notwithstanding the requirements of 
section 202 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act 
(50 U.S.C. 1701), the President may exercise of all powers 
granted to the President by that Act to the extent necessary to 
block and prohibit all transactions in all property and 
interests in property of the foreign person if such property 
and interests in property are in the United States, come within 
the United States, or are or come within the possession or 
control of a United States person.
(2) Aliens inadmissible for visas, admission, or parole.--
(A) Visas, admission, or parole.--In the case of an 
alien subject to sanctions pursuant to subsection (a), 
the alien is--
(i) inadmissible to the United States;
(ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other 
documentation to enter the United States; and
(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted 
or paroled into the United States or to receive 
any other benefit under the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
(B) Current visas revoked.--
(i) In general.--The visa or other entry 
documentation of an alien described in 
subparagraph (A) shall be revoked, regardless 
of when such visa or other entry documentation 
was issued.
(ii) Immediate effect.--A revocation under 
clause (i) shall--
(I) take effect in accordance with 
section 221(i) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)); and
(II) cancel any other valid visa or 
entry documentation that is in the 
alien's possession.
(c) Exceptions.--
(1) Exception to comply with international obligations.--
Sanctions under subsection (b)(2) shall not apply with respect 
to the admission of an alien if admitting or paroling the alien 
into the United States is necessary to permit the United States 
to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the 
United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and 
entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United 
Nations and the United States, or other applicable 
international obligations.
(2) Exception relating to the provision of humanitarian 
assistance.--Sanctions under this section may not be imposed 
with respect to transactions or the facilitation of 
transactions for--
(A) the sale of agricultural commodities, food, 
medicine, or medical devices;
(B) the provision of humanitarian assistance;
(C) financial transactions relating to humanitarian 
assistance; or
(D) transporting goods or services that are 
necessary to carry out operations relating to 
humanitarian assistance.
(d) Implementation; Penalties.--
(1) Implementation.--The President may exercise all 
authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 
205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out this section.
(2) Penalties.--The penalties provided for in subsections 
(b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency 
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person 
that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or 
causes a violation of regulations promulgated to carry out this 
section to the same extent that such penalties apply to a 
person who commits an unlawful act described in section 206(a) 
of that Act.
(e) Waiver.--The President may waive the application of sanctions 
imposed with respect to a foreign person under this section if the 
President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees not 
later than 15 days before such waiver is to take effect that the waiver 
is important to the national security interests of the United States.
(f) Sunset.--The authority to impose sanctions under this section 
shall terminate on the date that is seven years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
(g) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate;
(2) the term ``foreign person'' means an individual or 
entity that is not a United States person; and
(3) the term ``United States person'' means--
(A) a United States citizen;
(B) a permanent resident alien of the United 
States;
(C) an entity organized under the laws of the 
United States or of any jurisdiction within the United 
States, including a foreign branch of such an entity; 
or
(D) a person in the United States.
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