Crapo, Wyden Applaud Extension of Africa and Haiti Trade Programs

Washington, D.C.-U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) applauded the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE) and the Haiti Economic Lift Program Act (HELP), signed into law as part of H.R. 6500, a continuing resolution to prevent a government shutdown.

"AGOA and Haiti HOPE/HELP strengthen America's strategic and economic interests, including by facilitating U.S. access to important commodities like critical minerals," said Crapo and Wyden. "By supporting the economic development of Haiti and our partners in sub-Saharan Africa, these bipartisan trade programs ensure the United States does not lose economic ground to China and help to promote supply chain resiliency. Extending them for two years gives businesses the certainty they need to continue investing in these economic relationships, benefiting U.S. consumers and industry alike, while the Finance Committee works on a bipartisan basis to modernize and strengthen the programs with an eye toward longer-term renewal."

Background

Created in 2000, AGOA allows eligible nations in sub-Saharan Africa duty-free access to the U.S. market for qualifying products, if they meet criteria including moving toward a market-based economy, establishing the rule of law and reducing barriers to U.S. trade. Haiti HOPE/HELP offers duty-free access to the U.S. market to certain Haitian textile and apparel products. H.R. 6500 reauthorizes the programs through the end of 2028; they were previously set to expire at the end of this year.

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