Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill Cosponsored by Senators Hassan, Shaheen to Crack Down on the Chinese Government’s Human Rights Violations

WASHINGTON — The Senate passed bipartisan legislation last night that U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan joined in introducing, and was cosponsored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, to help ensure that goods made with Uyghur forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region do not enter the United States.

“The Chinese Communist Party is committing horrific human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other predominately Muslim individuals. The United States must take action in the face of these crimes,” Senator Hassan said. “The bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act is one critical step toward holding the Chinese government accountable by ensuring that products made with forced labor do not end up in American stores, and I urge my colleagues in the House to pass this important bill.”

“The human rights atrocities committed by the Chinese government against Uyghurs Muslims are heinous and demand a fierce international rebuke,” said Senator Shaheen. “The U.S. must condemn and divest from activities that encourage or profit from these human rights abuses, which is why I’m glad the Senate took action to ensure goods produced through Uyghur forced labor do not reach our borders. The world must pressure China to stop this violence.”

Last year, the Senate passed bipartisan legislation introduced by Senator Hassan that would require the U.S. to partner with allies in the Indo-Pacific region, Europe, and elsewhere to develop a unified approach to address the rise of China. In 2019, Senator Hassan participated in a congressional delegation to Japan, South Korea, China, and Taiwan to advance U.S. interests in this critical region and hold China accountable. 

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