Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) has indicated that he will introduce a bill that would exclude companies employing child labor from supplying products under federal contract.  The Bill will be co-sponsored by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO). It is understood that Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairperson of the Senate Agricultural Committee, is in favor of the provision.

This action follows the rejection of an amendment to the House version of the Bill introduced by Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) that would have barred USDA from contracting with any supplier violating child labor laws either directly or through contractors. 

Although the amendment suggested by Rep. Casar was not included in the markup of the House Bill, the Government Accountability Office was instructed to study child labor.  Observers have considered that the deferral of the child labor issue to the GAO was simply a delaying tactic and represented a disinclination to address a contentious issue.