What This Bill Does
This bill extends a special trade program that allows certain products from Haiti to enter the United States without import taxes (known as duty-free treatment). The bill keeps this benefit available through September 30, 2035, instead of letting it end sooner.
Who It Affects
Businesses that import apparel and other products from Haiti into the United States. Haiti's economy and workers who produce goods for export.
Key Provisions
• The duty-free treatment for Haiti imports stays in effect until September 30, 2035 (Sec. 2(h))
• Products from Haiti must use materials that are at least 60 percent Haitian-made or regionally made during the period from December 20, 2017 through September 30, 2035 (Sec. 2(b)(1)(i))
• Haiti's apparel imports can receive preferential treatment up to 1.25 percent of all apparel articles imported into the United States during the most recent 12-month period (Sec. 2(b)(1)(ii))
What Changes
The bill changes when the special Haiti trade program ends. Instead of ending after a fixed number of years, the program now continues through September 30, 2035. The bill also updates the rules for how much of a product must be made in Haiti or the region to qualify for duty-free treatment.
Important Definitions
"Applicable percentage" means 60 percent or more of product content that originates from Haiti or the Caribbean region (Sec. 2(b)(1)(i))
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 552
To extend duty-free treatment provided with respect to imports from Haiti
under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 28, 2023
Mr. RUBIO (for himself, Mr. WARNOCK, Mr. CASSIDY, and Mr. DURBIN) in-
troduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Com-
mittee on Finance
A BILL
To extend duty-free treatment provided with respect to im-
ports from Haiti under the Caribbean Basin Economic
Recovery Act.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Haiti Economic Lift
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Program Extension Act of 2023’’.
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•S 552 IS
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF SPECIAL RULES FOR HAITI UNDER
1
CARIBBEAN
BASIN
ECONOMIC
RECOVERY
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ACT.
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Section 213A of the Caribbean Basin Economic Re-
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covery Act (19 U.S.C. 2703a) is amended—
5
(1) in subsection (b)—
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(A) in paragraph (1)—
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(i)
by
amending
subparagraph
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(B)(v)(I) to read as follows:
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‘‘(I)
APPLICABLE
PERCENT-
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AGE.—The term ‘applicable percent-
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age’ means 60 percent or more during
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the period beginning on December 20,
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2017, and ending on September 30,
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2035.’’; and
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(ii) by amending subparagraph (C) to
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read as follows:
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‘‘(C) QUANTITATIVE
LIMITATIONS.—The
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preferential treatment described in subpara-
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graph (A) shall be extended, during each period
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after the initial applicable 1-year period, to not
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more than 1.25 percent of the aggregate square
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meter equivalents of all apparel articles im-
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ported into the United States in the most re-
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cent 12-month period for which data are avail-
25
able.’’; and
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•S 552 IS
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘in each
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of the 16 succeeding 1-year periods’’ each place
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it appears and inserting ‘‘in any of the suc-
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ceeding 1-year periods’’; and
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(2) by amending subsection (h) to read as fol-
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lows:
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‘‘(h) TERMINATION.—The duty-free treatment pro-
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vided under this section shall remain in effect until Sep-
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tember 30, 2035.’’.
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Æ
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