COBALT Supply Chain Act

HR 6909 establishes a presumption that cobalt refined in China (PRC) is made with forced or child labor, barring such cobalt imports under U.S. customs law (Section 307 of the Tariff Act). It targets cobalt from China-controlled mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where forced labor and child labor are documented in artisanal mining. Importers must prove cobalt isn’t from China to avoid seizure, and the bill requires U.S. Customs to trace supply chains and report on enforcement. The law also mandates annual certification that federal vehicles contain no cobalt linked to forced labor in the DRC or Xinjiang.