AAFA Applauds House Passage of Three Year Extension of AGOA and Haiti HOPE HELP Programs

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) celebrated the passage of the Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act and the AGOA Extension Act by the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. The vote provides for a three-year retroactive extension of each program, which will restore critical trade preference programs that lapsed on September 30, 2025, if they are ultimately enacted into law.

Allowing these programs to lapse created immediate uncertainty and risk for sourcing operations across the fashion industry and for trading partners who rely on stable, long-term access to U.S. markets. Long-term retroactive renewal helps reset the partnerships and support the U.S. jobs anchored by these programs.

For 25 years, AGOA has provided eligible Sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access, strengthening American exports in textiles and agriculture and fostering a wide array of U.S.-Africa commercial partnerships. Likewise, for more than 15 years, the Haiti HOPE/HELP programs have supported both U.S. and Haitian textile industries by granting Haiti duty-free access for apparel and textile products, building strong business ties between the two neighboring nations.

"Yesterday's vote reflects bipartisan recognition that protecting the African and Haitian apparel and footwear industries strengthens the U.S. apparel and footwear industry, and its 3.6 million American workers, by opening markets for U.S. cotton and textile exports and advancing diversified sourcing goals," said Beth Hughes, AAFA's Vice President of Trade and Customs Policy. "These programs promote stable, transparent supply chains while expanding economic opportunity. We urge swift action as the bill now moves to the Senate."

For regular updates on key trade and customs dates and deadlines, visit AAFA's Fashion Tariffs 101 page.