Ocean County Leader

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chair of the House Global Human Rights Subcommittee, has introduced legislation aimed at preventing cobalt mined by child exploitation and forced labor in the Democratic Republic of Congo from entering the US market. The bill targets China's dominance in processing cobalt, which often involves child or forced labor in the DRC.

Smith's bill, named the Stop China’s Exploitation of Congolese Children and Adult Forced Labor through Cobalt Mining Act, aims to investigate and block cobalt mined by forced labor from entering the US market. The legislation has garnered support from Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), who highlighted the unethical practices involved in mining cobalt under Chinese control.

According to Fr. Rigobert Minani Bihuzo, who has been active in exposing human rights abuses, thousands of children and pregnant women are involved in artisanal and small-scale cobalt mining in the DRC. Rep. Chris Smith emphasized the dangerous conditions in which these individuals work, stating that children are often recruited or forced to extract cobalt without proper protection.

In a statement, Rep. Chris Smith called out the entire cobalt supply chain, noting the violence, cruelty, and corruption that fuel the system. The bill is scheduled for review by the House Ways and Means Committee, with Rep. Jason Smith emphasizing the importance of blocking materials tainted by inhumane labor practices from entering the US.

The proposed legislation reflects ongoing efforts to address the exploitation of children and forced labor in cobalt mining, particularly in the context of China's significant role in processing the mineral.