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2d ago

House Approves Two-Year Extension of AGOA and Haiti HOPE/HELP in Funding Bill

Preserving duty-free U.S. market access, the short extension gives lawmakers a defined window to negotiate program updates and seek longer-term certainty.

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Overview

  • The House voted 370-48 on Tuesday to pass a Continuing Resolution that includes a reported extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act and Haiti’s HOPE/HELP programs through the end of 2028.
  • The measure, previously approved by the Senate in August, now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature and extends federal funding through Dec. 11, 2026 to avert a government shutdown.
  • Supporters led by Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith framed the reauthorizations as tools to diversify supply chains away from China and to protect U.S. access to roughly 30 percent of the world’s critical mineral resources located in Africa.
  • Industry groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Apparel and Footwear Association praised the two-year window but urged Congress to modernize the programs and approve a longer-term renewal to give businesses investment certainty.
  • The programs have real economic impact for workers and firms: AGOA coincided with a 22.5 percent rise in U.S. apparel import volume from beneficiary countries in 2025, and HOPE/HELP supports Haiti’s textile sector and regional nearshoring ties to the U.S.