OnPolitics: Congress wants answers on a spike in child labor

Hi OnPolitics readers. Now that the House has a speaker, Congress can turn its attention to the looming government shutdown, the war between Israel and Hamas and other issues facing the nation and the world.  

📈 One group of lawmakers have their eye on a troubling trend: The country has seen a 69% increase in child labor law violations since 2018.

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., is introducing legislation to set harsher penalties for child labor law violations and increase accountability for violators, including contractors and subcontractors that employ children, Paste BN’s Rachel Looker reports.

Violations include children working overnight shifts, physical injuries and even death in some cases.

“Children do not belong in factories or working during hours when they should be studying, spending time with their families, or simply being children," Casey said. "Yet too many bad actors get away with forcing kids to work long hours and under dangerous conditions." 

What it would change: Casey's legislation would authorize the secretary of Labor to label goods that are produced with child labor. It would also multiply some penalties for people who violate child labor provisions from $11,000 to $151,380.

Read more here: Child labor violations are up 69%. Here’s what Congress is doing to address it

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