{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://kind.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-ron-kind-leads-ways-and-means-democrats-calling-gao-investigation", "Rep. Ron Kind Leads Ways and Means Democrats in Calling for GAO Investigation Into How the Administration\u2019s Border Policies Detract from Forced Labor Enforcement", "2018-10-10", "2018", "2018-10", "Democrat", "House", "WI", "Ron Kind", "K000188", "kind.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Ron Kind Leads Ways and Means Democrats in Calling for GAO Investigation IntoHow the Administration's Border Policies Detract from Forced Labor Enforcement\nLa CrosseToday,U.S. Reps. Ron KindandJohn Lewisled all Ways and Means Democrats incalling for aGovernment Accountability Office (GAO) investigation intowhether or not the Administration's aggressive immigration policy is detracting from its ability to adequately enforce laws prohibiting the importation of goods produced with forced labor.\nIf the President is serious about a level playing field for American workers, ending the importation of goods made by forced labor should be a clear first step, saidRep. Ron Kind. I am calling on the GAO to investigate if the President's \"zero-tolerance\" immigration policy is causing the U.S. to lose focus on banning imports produced with forced labor, and expect a full report so we can take immediate corrective action.\nThe U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) is the largest federal law enforcement agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and is responsible for enforcing both international trade regulations and U.S. immigration policy.Rep. Kind specifically requested that the GAO compare the CBP resources dedicated to immigration policy enforcement with the resources dedicated to the enforcement of the prohibition of goods produced with forced labor.\nRead the letter here.\nRep. Kindand Lewis, along with formerWays and MeansChairmenSandy LevinandCharlie Rangel, introduced legislation to close a 75-year-old loophole which allowed products made by forced labor to enter the United States. President Obama signed the legislation into law as part of theTrade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Actin late 2015.In his final year in office, President Obama used this new authority four times, the first such action since the Clinton Administration. In the first 19 months of the Trump Administration, it has been used just twice.\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://kind.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-ron-kind-leads-ways-and-means-democrats-calling-gao-investigation"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.1577593870460987, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}