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Read. Follow. Verify.COBALT Supply Chain Act
Last action · December 17, 2024: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.Sponsor: Christopher Smith
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill proposes to ban the import of goods containing cobalt refined in China, based on the presumption that such cobalt is linked to child and forced labor in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It requires importers to provide clear evidence that their products do not contain Chinese-refined cobalt to avoid these import restrictions.
If passed, this bill would restrict the import of electronics and electric vehicle components containing Chinese-refined cobalt, potentially disrupting supply chains for manufacturers and increasing compliance requirements for importers starting 180 days after enactment.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Electronics and EV Manufacturers
These companies must verify their supply chains to ensure no cobalt refined in China is used in their products to avoid import bans.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
The agency is required to enforce the new import presumption, review evidence for exceptions, and publish reports on those exceptions.
Importers of Record
They bear the burden of proof to demonstrate that their goods do not contain Chinese-refined cobalt.
Key Facts
- The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that any goods containing cobalt refined in the PRC are made with forced or child labor.
- Importers must provide clear and convincing evidence that their goods do not contain cobalt refined in the PRC to bypass the import ban.
- The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection must report publicly within 30 days of granting any exception to the ban.
- The import restrictions take effect 180 days after the bill is enacted.
Show all 9 facts
- The Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force must submit an enforcement strategy to Congress within 120 days of enactment.
- The strategy must include methods to trace supply chains, identify third-country routes, and prevent goods denied entry from re-entering via other countries.
- The bill cites that 15 to 30 percent of cobalt in the DRC comes from artisanal mining, involving at least 40,000 children.
- The bill notes that 15 of the 19 cobalt mines in the DRC are owned or financed by PRC companies.
- The bill mandates coordination with Mexico and Canada to enforce USMCA Article 23.6 regarding forced labor imports.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this affect my smartphone or electric vehicle?
How can a company prove their cobalt is safe?
When would these rules start?
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News Coverage
Bias ratings based on AllSides / Media Bias/Fact Check
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Presumption of Guilt in Trade
The bill shifts the burden of proof entirely onto the importer to prove their supply chain is free of Chinese-refined cobalt, rather than the government proving it is tainted.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.congress.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy75Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment20Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz60Current news / social attention level
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