Austin News

U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Tim Kaine have introduced the U.S. Legal Gold and Mining Partnership Act, aiming to tackle illicit gold mining in the Western Hemisphere. The proposed legislation seeks a comprehensive strategy from the U.S. Secretary of State to address this issue.

Senator Cornyn stated, "Criminal organizations and authoritarian regimes will do whatever it takes to enrich themselves, and that includes illegally mining and trafficking gold throughout Latin America." He emphasized that the bill aims to unite the private sector with the State Department to assist regional partners in disrupting these illicit practices.

Senator Kaine highlighted the severity of the situation by saying, "Illicit gold mining operations in Latin America and the Caribbean are a hotbed of human rights abuses and a haven for crime and terrorism." As Ranking Member on the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, he considers promoting security and prosperity in the region a priority.

The bill outlines several directives for combating illegal gold mining. It requires a multi-year strategy involving federal agencies to sever connections between artisanal small-scale miners (ASM) and illicit actors. Additionally, it focuses on enhancing anti-money laundering efforts, formalizing ASM miners, improving supply chain due diligence, deterring ASM mining in protected areas, investigating Venezuela's illicit gold trade, and briefing Congress on these findings.

Furthermore, it proposes creating a public-private partnership with democratically-elected governments in the region to promote responsible gold value chains.