Congress moves to block World Bank funding for forced labor projects
H.R. 7516 — No Funds for Forced Labor Act · Filed by Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) · 12 cosponsors · Introduced Feb 11, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill directs the U.S. Treasury Secretary to instruct American representatives at international financial institutions (like the World Bank) to oppose loans to projects that use forced labor or are controlled by the Chinese government in Xinjiang. It requires these institutions to publicly explain how they vet projects for forced labor risks and what steps they take to prevent it. The bill also mandates annual public reports on implementation for six years.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to leverage U.S. voting power at international financial institutions to block funding for forced-labor projects, particularly in Xinjiang. It is a human rights and labor-standards enforcement tool, not a trade measure or sanctions regime.
What the text implies
- May create diplomatic friction with countries whose state-owned enterprises operate in Xinjiang or rely on World Bank financing, potentially affecting broader U.S.-China relations.
- Reporting requirements may expose gaps in due diligence practices at international financial institutions, potentially triggering broader governance reforms.
- The definition of 'forced labor' incorporates existing tariff law (Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930) plus convict and indentured labor, creating a broad standard that may affect projects beyond Xinjiang.
Who it affects
Ordinary citizens benefit from a policy that uses U.S. leverage to prevent international financial institutions from funding projects involving forced labor and human rights abuses. This strengthens global labor standards and aligns U.S. foreign policy with anti-slavery principles, with no direct cost to the public.
Named in the bill
U.S. Treasury Secretary, International Financial Institutions, World Bank, International Finance Corporation, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China, Congressional-Executive Commission on China, House Committee on Financial Services, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Where it stands
12 cosponsors: 8 Democrats, 4 Republicans.
- Feb 11, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Feb 11, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on Financial Services · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the full bill text on Jun 8, 2026; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
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