( CNN ) -- At a time when partisan politics are bitter , midterm election races are tight and almost every legislative effort is stalled , who would you expect to take the boldest step in years to address the deadliest war in the world , in the heart of Central Africa ? Congress , of course . Quietly , over the past four presidential administrations , a powerful and deep bipartisan consensus has developed in Congress in support of a stronger U.S. policy toward Africa . The latest manifestation of this cooperation is a small but potent provision addressing Congo 's `` conflict minerals , '' folded into the recently passed Wall Street reform bill . The trade in four conflict minerals -- tin , tantalum , tungsten ( the 3Ts ) , as well as gold -- fuels the war in eastern Congo today . It 's been the deadliest war in the world since World War II . We regularly travel to eastern Congo , and on our last trip , we traced the minerals from the mines . At the mines , we saw militiamen armed with AK-47 machine guns standing over miners and forcing them to work and pay bribes , including child miners as young as 11 . We then crossed through army and rebel checkpoints , where smugglers paid off the commanders in U.S. dollars , and then witnessed how these same minerals were packed into barrels with Congolese flags on them and loaded onto planes and flown out of the country . We 've seen how armed groups on all sides of the conflict are reaping hundreds of millions of dollars per year by controlling mines and trading routes , selling minerals to international traders and smelters , which in turn sell them to electronics and jewelry companies . By requiring that publicly listed manufacturers who use these minerals conduct independent audits of their supply chains , this legislation will help curb the conflict minerals trade . Courageous members of Congress from both parties fought hard together with a coalition of faith-based organizations , women 's rights advocates and student groups for the past two years to enact this law , standing up for what is right and bravely battling against special-interest lobbyists . But some companies would have you believe otherwise and are using negative tactics to stall reform . Some critics in the corporate world have accused those campaigning for an end to the conflict minerals trade of advocating for a boycott of electronics companies . Some minerals trading companies have also argued that Congress and the conflict minerals movement will force them to pull out of Congo , creating an embargo and hurting miners . These statements significantly distort what human rights advocates in Congo and the U.S. are pressing for . Let 's first be clear : The statements originate with many of the same companies that have been knowingly purchasing conflict minerals for the past decade , according to the United Nations , and did nothing for years to avoid them . The bill and our campaign aim to develop a peaceful , legal minerals trade in Congo that will be the real benefit to war-torn communities on the ground . We oppose a boycott and , on the contrary , are asking consumers to urge their own cell phone , laptop and jewelry companies to ensure their products are conflict-free . Companies now have an opportunity to achieve this goal and help Congolese communities through three key steps : . -- Tracing : Determining the precise sources of their minerals . -- Auditing : Independently verifying these sources and trading routes . -- Certifying : Working with the Congolese , Rwandan , U.S. and other governments to develop a certification process that improves upon systems already created for other exports such as blood diamonds . These steps are complex , but they are achievable . The reality is that the bill will accelerate this supply chain reform , and Intel and Motorola are already starting a forward-looking audit process to purchase tantalum from legitimate mines , including those in Congo . Companies have at least 18 months from now to report to Congress on their audits , and during that time they will have ample opportunity to trace , audit and certify their supply chains . Some companies may choose to temporarily stop buying minerals from Congo while they reform their supply chains . In order to cushion the blow for those mining communities affected by such a decision , a miners ' livelihood fund should be created to offer them real opportunities and help the Congolese economy through small business , microfinance and agriculture . Electronics , jewelry and minerals companies should partner with donors to set up this program as soon as possible . Congress has taken the first step , but we still have a long way to go in ending the conflict minerals trade and the war in Congo . Now the Obama administration must come through and partner with the Congolese government to help create a process for conflict minerals that builds on the lessons of the process that excluded blood diamonds from the marketplace , as well as addressing wider issues of army and governance reform . And electronics and jewelry companies should support these processes with a fraction of the profits they 've earned from these conflict minerals over the past dozen years . Consumers , companies and governments can all play a part in ending this deadly trade and cutting off the fuel for the deadliest war in the world . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sasha Lezhnev and John Prendergast .
Congo 's `` conflict minerals '' used in cell phones , other products , co-authors say . Comment: Co-authors : Consumers should urge companies to make products conflict-free . They say Obama administration should work with the Congo to develop legitimate mining .