COBALT Supply Chain Act

HR 2310, the COBALT Supply Chain Act, prohibits the import of cobalt-containing goods refined in China due to documented child labor and forced labor in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) cobalt supply chain. It creates a legal presumption that such goods are made with forced labor unless importers provide clear evidence they are not derived from Chinese-refined cobalt. The bill requires federal agencies to develop an enforcement strategy within 120 days to trace supply chains and block imports, and mandates annual certification that all U.S. government-vehicle parts are free of cobalt mined or refined using forced labor in the DRC or China’s Xinjiang region. This directly affects U.S. importers of cobalt-based products (like electric vehicle batteries), Chinese firms operating in DRC mines, and federal procurement practices.