H.R. 5209

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To modify the special rules for Haiti under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, to extend preferential duty treatment program for Haiti under that Act, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · September 8, 2025 · Sponsor: Ms. Plaskett · Committee: Committee on Ways and Means

H.R. 5209

SEC. 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the or the .

SEC. 2. Modification of special rules for Haiti under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act

(a) Eligibility requirements
- Section 213A(d)(4) of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act () is amended— 19 U.S.C. 2703a(d)(4)
  - by striking and inserting the following:
    - (A) In general
      - Any interested party
  - by striking paragraph (1),and inserting paragraph (1).;
  - by striking and inserting the following:
    - (C) Applicable procedures
      - The President shall provide for the purpose of subparagraph (A) and the purpose of subparagraph (B)
    - (B) Compliance with core labor standards and with the labor laws of haiti
      - Any interested party may file a request to have the status of individual producers reviewed with respect to compliance with core labor standards and with the labor laws of Haiti that directly relate to and are consistent with core labor standards and with the labor laws of Haiti that relate to acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages and hours of work.
  - by inserting after subparagraph (A) (as so designated) the following:
(b) Technical assistance improvement and compliance needs assessment and remediation program
- Section 213A(e)(4)(B) of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act () is amended— 19 U.S.C. 2703a(e)(4)(B)
  - in clause (i)—
    - by striking a biennial basisand inserting an annual basis; and
    - by adding at the end before the period the following: ; or with the labor laws of Haiti that relate to acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages and hours of work
  - in clause (ii)—
    - in the first sentence, by adding at the end before the period the following: ; and and with the labor laws of Haiti that relate to acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages and hours of work
    - by inserting after the first sentence the following new sentence: ; and
  - in clause (iii), by inserting after the following: .

SEC. 3. Extension of preferential duty treatment program for Haiti

Section 213A of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act () is amended— 19 U.S.C. 2703a
- in subsection (a)(3)—
  - in subparagraph (D), by striking and at the end;
  - in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and
    - a safe and healthy working environment.
  - by adding at the end the following:
- in subsection (b)—
  - in paragraph (1)—
    - (i) in subparagraph (B)(v)(I)—
    - by striking meansand all that follows through and inserting 60 percent; and
    - by striking 7 succeeding 1-year periodsand inserting 17 succeeding 1-year periods; and
    - (ii) in subparagraph (C)—
    - in the table, by striking 16 succeeding 1-year periodsand inserting 28 succeeding 1-year periods; and
    - in the matter following the table, by striking and inserting ; and
  - in paragraph (2)—
    - (i) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking 16 succeeding 1-year periodsand inserting 26 succeeding 1-year periods; and
    - (ii) in subparagraph (B)(iii), by striking 16 succeeding 1-year periodsand inserting 26 succeeding 1-year periods;
- in subsection (d)(1)(A)(vi), by striking , hours of work, and occupational safety and healthand inserting and hours of work;
- in subsection (e)(3)—
  - in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking , hours of work, and occupational health and safetyand inserting and hours of work; and
  - in subparagraph (E)(ii), by striking , hours of work, and occupational safety and healthand inserting and hours of work; and
- in subsection (h), by striking and inserting .

SEC. 4. Technical assistance to increase and diversify exports from Haiti to the United States

Section 213A of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (), as amended by this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following: 19 U.S.C. 2703a
- (i) Technical assistance To increase and diversify exports from Haiti to the United States
  - (1) In general
    - The United States Trade Representative shall provide technical assistance to the agencies, entities, and individuals specified in clauses (i) through (v) of paragraph (2)(B), to increase and diversify exports from Haiti to the United States with the objectives of—
      - increasing and diversifying export-oriented value chains in Haiti through measures that enhance the competitiveness of firms in Haiti;
      - reinforcing the capacity of trade support institutions to enhance the business climate in Haiti; and
      - developing utilization strategies for Haiti to further explore export opportunities under United States trade preference programs.
  - (2) Requirements
    - The Trade Representative—
      - shall seek to coordinate with the International Trade Center to develop and provide technical assistance;
      - shall establish a participatory process to develop the technical assistance that includes—
        
        (i) appropriate agencies of the Government of Haiti;
        
        (ii) trade support institutions in Haiti;
        
        (iii) employers in Haiti;
        
        (iv) workers in Haiti; and
        
        (v) labor unions in Haiti; and
      - shall consult with the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate regarding the development and provision of technical assistance.
  - (3) Priority
    - Technical assistance provided pursuant to this subsection shall focus on—
      - developing agricultural processing exports to the United States;
      - improving competitiveness and labor compliance in the apparel sector;
      - improving key services that support the competitiveness of sectors with export potential to the United States; and
      - providing the institutional capacity for government, non-profit, and private sector bodies to increase and diversify exports to the United States.
  - (4) Reports
    - (A) In general
      - The President shall include in each report required to be submitted to Congress under section 163(a) of the Trade Act of 1974 () the following: 19 U.S.C. 2213(a)
        
        (i) A description of the actions taken to provide technical assistance during the preceding calendar year, including metrics related to the outcomes achieved through such assistance.
        
        (ii) A description of the actions taken regarding the participatory process under paragraph (3)(B) during the preceding calendar year, including an identification of the agencies, entities, and individuals specified in clauses (i) through (v) of paragraph (2)(B) that participated.
    - (B) Coordination
      - The President shall seek to coordinate with the International Trade Center in carrying out this paragraph.
  - (5) Definitions
    - In this subsection—
      - the term — International Trade Center
        
        (i) means the joint agency of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the World Trade Organization, originally established by the Contracting Parties of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade on March 19, 1964, and from January 1, 1968, operated jointly with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; and
        
        (ii) includes any subdivision, instrumentality, or designee thereof; and
      - the term means key actors that support the export-oriented business climate, such as— trade support institutions
        
        (i) the Haitian Ministry of Commerce and Industry;
        
        (ii) the Haitian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and
        
        (iii) trade promotion organizations.