Tom Harkin

About the author: Tom Harkin, a Democratic senator from Iowa, is a member of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources and the Appropriations Committee. He has introduced a congressional bill, the Child Labor Deterrence Act, which would ban imports of goods produced by children.

The United States Congress should pass the proposed Child Labor Deterrence Act to help stop the exploitation of children by industrial and mining companies. This act would prohibit U.S. imports of goods produced by laborers under the age of fifteen; it would also urge world leaders to ensure an international trade ban on merchandise made by young children. Such legislation would help third world countries enforce laws against child labor; ultimately, it would protect the world's youngsters from...