Kamlager-Dove, Mills Introduce the U.S. Legal Gold Mining and Partnership Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 21, 2023

Media Contact: Maya Valentine | maya.valentine@mail.house.gov

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) joined Congressman Cory Mills (FL-07) in introducing the House companion to the United States Legal Gold and Mining Partnership Act, which was introduced in the Senate by Senators Rubio (R-FL) and Menendez (D-NJ), to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of illicit gold mining in the Western Hemisphere. 

“Illicit gold mining in Latin America and the Caribbean - which has the world’s highest illegal gold extraction rates - perpetuates human rights abuses against indigenous communities, causes massive environmental destruction, and provides lucrative financing for transnational criminal organizations that threaten the rule of law and democracy across the region. We know that illegal gold mining has been directly linked to corruption, forced displacement of marginalized groups, biodiversity loss, deforestation, and serious public health issues,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove.

“As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort with Congressman Mills to comprehensively combat illicit gold mining and support our Latin American partners in confronting this insidious practice, which hurts the most vulnerable in the region,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove.

“Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro relies on profits from illicit mining, trafficking, and commercialization of gold, which feeds a cycle of egregious human rights abuses throughout the region” said Congressman Mills. “The Maduro regime’s close alignment with our adversaries, like China and Russia, has continued to propel their ruthless oppression.”

“This significant bipartisan legislation will allow the United States to counter the corrupt financing of illicit actors by establishing an international strategy to investigate, identify, and penalize these criminal linkages. I am proud to lead this effort with my colleague, Rep. Kamlager-Dove, to pave the way towards combating these illegal activities,” said Congressman Mills.

Click HERE to read the full bill.

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