Preventing Child Labor Exploitation in Federal Contracting Act

The Preventing Child Labor Exploitation in Federal Contracting Act seeks to ensure that federal contractors comply with child labor laws by amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation. It requires entities contracting with executive agencies to annually represent whether they have faced any final administrative determinations or judgments for child labor violations within the preceding three years. Offerors must also certify their own compliance and that of their subcontractors regarding these violations. Executive agencies would be prohibited from awarding contracts to entities or offerors with uncorrected child labor violations. Those found in violation would be referred to the Secretary of Labor for negotiation on corrective measures, and failure to implement these measures could lead to inclusion on an ineligible entities list and suspension or debarment for at least four years. Knowingly failing to make the required representations or certifications would be unlawful, incurring penalties under the False Claims Act. Furthermore, the bill significantly increases civil penalties for child labor violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, raising general violation fines from $11,000 to $100,000 and those causing death or serious injury from $50,000 to $500,000. It also directs the Secretary of Labor to establish training programs for relevant federal personnel to identify and prevent child labor law breaches. Finally, the Government Accountability Office is tasked with conducting a study on the prevalence of child labor violations among federal contractors and reporting its findings to Congress within two years of enactment.