Haitian apparel and footwear manufacturers may be getting some good news from Congress, thanks to bipartisan efforts by South Florida lawmakers.
The Haitian Economic Lift Program, which would allow duty-free access for Haitian apparel and textile imports to the U.S., is included in a mammoth stopgap spending bill that will keep the federal government funded through March 14.
The program, first approved by Congress following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, expanded the range of goods eligible for duty-free treatment to include over 5,000 varieties of apparel and footwear. Supporters say it boosted Haiti’s manufacturing sector, but it is set to end next year.
The big spending bill in Congress would prevent a partial government shutdown set to begin after midnight Friday. It would kick final decisions on this budget year's spending levels to a new Republican-led Congress and President-elect Donald Trump. The continuing resolution, or CR, generally continues current spending levels for agencies.
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Passage of the measure is one of the final actions that lawmakers will consider this week before adjourning for the holidays and making way for the next Congress. It's the second short-term funding measure the lawmakers have taken up this fall as they struggled to pass the dozen annual appropriations bills before the new fiscal year began Oct. 1, as they typically do.
“By extending these trade benefits until 2030, we are not only supporting a vital sector of Haiti's economy but also providing hope and stability to thousands of hardworking Haitians,” said U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami Gardens, in a statement. “This bipartisan effort underscores our commitment to fostering economic resilience in Haiti, reducing unemployment, and discouraging paths to violence.”
Wilson credited Miami Republican U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar, Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, among others, for championing the legislation to be included in the massive stopgap spending bill.
Said Salazar. “This bill will promote critical regional stability by ensuring the survival of the clothing and textile industry in Haiti, the backbone of their economy. This is very important for the futures of Miami, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the rest of the Caribbean.”
The Haitian Economic Lift Program, if it gets approved by Congress, would be extended for another five years to 2030. The eligible manufactured goods represent 93% of Haiti’s exports, according to Congresswoman Wilson.