Rep. Subramanyam sponsors House bill to oppose forced labor in international finance projects

U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam has proposed new legislation in the House aimed at bolstering American opposition to forced labor in projects backed by global financial institutions, the U.S. Congress reports.

Filed as H.R.7516 on Feb. 11, 2026, during the 119th Congress regular session, the following overview is provided according to the original bill text, with select clarifications included for comprehension.

This bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to order U.S. officials at international financial organizations to oppose funding for any projects involving forced labor, with explicit reference to those linked to state-operated entities in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Additionally, international financial institutions would be required to present in-depth reports detailing their project screening processes for signs of forced labor and to outline mitigation strategies. For five years, annual reports from the Secretary are mandated, covering guidance implementation, potential forced labor cases in funded projects and U.S. engagement to encourage other countries to object to such projects. The proposed legislation underlines the importance of collaborative global efforts to eradicate forced labor.

Rep. Subramanyam (Democrat-VA-10th District) is listed as the bill’s author, with support from Rep. Donald S. Beyer (Democrat-VA-8th District), Rep. Brian K. Fitzpatrick (Republican-VA-1st District), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (Democrat-VA-5th District), and six others.

Subramanyam has introduced a total of 21 bills since this congressional term began.

A counterpart bill, S.1685, was presented in the Senate on May 8, 2025. Congressional documentation recognizes this as the legislative equivalent of H.R.7516.

Legislation in the U.S. may be introduced in either the House or the Senate, apart from revenue bills, which are required to start in the House. Legislative proposals proceed through committee assignment, hearings, revisions and debate, followed by voting in each chamber. Upon approval of identical texts by both chambers, bills are sent to the president for signing or veto. Congressional terms last for two years, split into two annual sessions. Comprehensive legislative histories and official texts are maintained by the U.S. Congress and published on Congress.gov.

Suhas Subramanyam, a Virginia representative, joined the One Hundred Nineteenth Congress as a Democrat on Jan. 3, 2025. Previously, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2020 through 2024 and currently holds a seat in the Virginia state senate.

Subramanyam holds a B.A. from Tulane University (2008) and a J.D. from Northwestern University (2013). His resume includes staff roles at the office of U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the White House Office of the Chief Technology Officer.