§4646 Petition Process

Summary

Creates a public process for people to send information about possible failures by a USMCA country to follow its labor rules. The Interagency Labor Committee must set the rules for how to submit that information. If the petition is about a specific workplace ("covered facility"), the Committee will look at the information within 30 days and decide if there is enough credible evidence to justify enforcement steps. If not, the Committee will tell the petitioner and the relevant congressional committees. If yes, the U.S. Trade Representative will ask for a review under Annex 31–A and tell the petitioner and Congress. Within 60 days after finding enough evidence, the Trade Representative must decide whether to request a rapid response labor panel. If the Trade Representative decides not to, they must tell Congress why and share any agreed fix plan. For other labor complaints, the Committee will review the submitted information within 20 days to see if more review is needed. If so, it must decide within 60 days whether there is enough credible evidence of a violation to start enforcement under chapter 23 or 31. If the Committee finds enough evidence, the Trade Representative must, within 60 days, either start enforcement or notify Congress explaining why enforcement was not started. Definitions (one line each): covered facility — a specific workplace covered under Annex 31–A; denial of rights — as defined for Annex 31–A.