119 S2958 IS: AGOA Extension and Bilateral Engagement Act of 2025
U.S. Senate
2025-09-30
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EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of contents(a)This Act may be cited as the AGOA Extension and Bilateral Engagement Act of 2025
.(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.TITLE I—Extension of African Growth and Opportunity ActSec. 101. Extension of African Growth and Opportunity Act.Sec. 102. Strategy to develop bilateral trade agreements with AGOA countries.TITLE II—Bilateral relationship with South AfricaSec. 201. Sense of Congress.Sec. 202. Full review of the bilateral relationship.Sec. 203. Report and certification.Sec. 204. Report on sanctionable persons.Sec. 205. Appropriate congressional committees defined.<enum>I</enum><header>Extension of African Growth and Opportunity Act</header><section id="id9d3fa42d37e646d3a48c9d14efbcfe8c" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>101.</enum><header>Extension of African Growth and Opportunity Act</header><subsection id="iddf0839c3d8a54550bda4cf511b3c6223"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 506B of the Trade Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/19/2466b">19 U.S.C. 2466b</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4fcf01bb02084a2eb7a19d2819fd01b0"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>section 506A(c)</quote> and inserting <quote>section 506A(e)</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id23748d11f6fb4871abd93a0b762acc6e"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>2025</quote> and inserting <quote>2027</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ide0d14a43102844dab266880c9e653a56"><enum>(b)</enum><header>African Growth and Opportunity Act</header><paragraph id="idddc541dd7536477c91dfbe5022c05c2e"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 112(g) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/19/3721">19 U.S.C. 3721(g)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>2025</quote> and inserting <quote>2027</quote>.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idf4d136d1c2f947d89ea43dde0528269c"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Extension of regional apparel article program</header><text>Section 112(b)(3)(A) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/19/3721">19 U.S.C. 3721(b)(3)(A)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id15a1ee71efbe4126b1fbf5f83840169d"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in clause (i), by striking <quote>21 succeeding 1-year periods</quote> and inserting <quote>23 succeeding 1-year periods</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idec1d4d8977634e4faf4c62c3cb5fe7a0"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in clause (ii)(II), by striking <quote>2025</quote> and inserting <quote>2027</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id32076aabc82647779910fc754bd3e4fc"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Extension of third-country fabric program</header><text>Section 112(c)(1) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/19/3721">19 U.S.C. 3721(c)(1)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph id="idb086b7e360b24eb6ae937ba59002aa5b"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the paragraph heading, by striking <quote><header-in-text style="OLC" level="paragraph">2025</header-in-text></quote> and inserting <quote><header-in-text style="OLC" level="paragraph">2027</header-in-text></quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc58ce3e7d2b6444aaa7451840812bad1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subparagraph (A), by striking <quote>2025</quote> and inserting <quote>2027</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id11a0a65330b249789c634cba48763454" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking <quote>2025</quote> and inserting <quote>2027</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id47d3157985da4ccb98777935eb52c8fb"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Technical corrections</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 112 of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/19/3721">19 U.S.C. 3721</external-xref>) is amended—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id012513bc27b04129bfbb1cc5f6e2d2c3"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (a), by striking <quote>section 506A(c)</quote> and inserting <quote>section 506A(e)</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7ce3b26ecee34513b2bc2affceec1574" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (f)(2), by striking <quote>section 506A(c)</quote> and inserting <quote>section 506A(e)</quote>.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id50f76b9e7a854fb7a88ef5481da7019f"><enum>102.</enum><header>Strategy to develop bilateral trade agreements with AGOA countries</header><subsection id="id1b7c07e57e3d4fa6bf536d5fe307315b"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the United States Trade Representative shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that outlines a strategy to expand and deepen trade and investment relationships between the United States and AGOA beneficiary countries through bilateral trade agreements.</text></subsection><subsection id="id35c5b73481d34285a27a3081f47c3c2e"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Strategy requirements</header><text>The strategy required by subsection (a) shall include—</text><paragraph id="id5f88ca5f0e08490c8197ae2d23e21b38"><enum>(1)</enum><text>an assessment of trade and investment flows between the United States and AGOA beneficiary countries as of the date of the submission of the report under subsection (a);</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idbc679ac3d4e847249839a53178fc9f11"><enum>(2)</enum><text>an identification of at least 5 AGOA beneficiary countries with which the United States will prioritize negotiations for bilateral trade agreements or trade and investment framework agreements;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id7ceade92c4a04a7e87ca04b908a8ee8d"><enum>(3)</enum><text>an outline of criteria used to determine the readiness of each AGOA beneficiary country for such negotiations, which shall include—</text><subparagraph id="id66af5614b7694f8f9cf14ee508b15b8c"><enum>(A)</enum><text>adherence to the eligibility criteria set forth in section 104 of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/19/3703">19 U.S.C. 3703</external-xref>) and section 506A of the Trade Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/19/2466a">19 U.S.C. 2466a</external-xref>);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idc719e0c6fa28434ca9829f4eeff99282"><enum>(B)</enum><text>capacity to comply with obligations under agreements with the United States; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id35f14f49f3f8485e91d22d23605b306b"><enum>(C)</enum><text>respect for democratic governance, rule of law, and human rights; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idd84c9631d088479d87c3fd0111695cd3"><enum>(4)</enum><text>a timeline and work plan for initiating such negotiations.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id48aea2a293644808b40e7161b943951c"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Consultations</header><text>In developing the strategy required by subsection (a), the Trade Representative shall consult with—</text><paragraph id="idba173675f4a143788d148a010a3a0d63"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the Secretary of State;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="id3f490579443a49c8842597c52ac56129"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the Secretary of Commerce; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="idde8acae47ac24254b2cd03a309bc3a43"><enum>(3)</enum><text>stakeholders, including United States businesses, labor organizations, civil society groups, and African regional economic communities.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id874312a4ab6d460c86eb2f5e53fdd5e8"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idae2145cd5fef4b9caced59eef7c5468c"><enum>(1)</enum><header>AGOA beneficiary country</header><text>The term <term>AGOA beneficiary country</term> means a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country (as defined in section 506A(e) of the Trade Act of 1974 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/19/2466a">19 U.S.C. 2466a(e)</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idabd7a248d704430f805a1c90043f4be5"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Appropriate committees of Congress</header><text>The term <term>appropriate committees of Congress</term> means—</text><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc246501669ca430881b680c9b3392f23"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Committee on Finance, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id9a9073b6a769463b8a549a9fe8474a53"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Bilateral relationship with South Africa</header><section id="H6C0D8212F2884875896136B46F1060D1"><enum>201.</enum><header>Sense of Congress</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress that—</text><paragraph id="H6A8EC84AD4504B87952BC36D992E0031"><enum>(1)</enum><text>it is in the national security interest of the United States to deter strategic political and security cooperation and information sharing with the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation, particularly any form of cooperation that may aid or abet the Russian Federation’s illegal war of aggression in Ukraine or its international standing or influence; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H31A7D125359F4324A063849A9AEBB2A0"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the foreign policy actions of the African National Congress have long ceased to reflect its stated stance of nonalignment, and now directly favor the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and Hamas, a known proxy of Iran, and thereby undermine United States national security and foreign policy interests.</text></paragraph></section><section id="H09AB77DA2C494457B1451425545B3588"><enum>202.</enum><header>Full review of the bilateral relationship</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The President, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the United States Ambassador to South Africa, and the heads of other departments and agencies that play a substantial role in United States relations with South Africa, shall conduct a comprehensive review of the bilateral relationship between the United States and South Africa.</text></section><section id="H04D4CC82E2284B419C430428214BEFAE"><enum>203.</enum><header>Report and certification</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes the following:</text><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6a612ef5b8ee4f709dd0f7063a30719a"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The findings of the review required by section 202.</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idb795b4d36ef5491a8f7a72b408bd8970"><enum>(2)</enum><text>A certification, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, explicitly stating whether South Africa has engaged in activities that undermine the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States, together with an unclassified report, including a classified annex as necessary, providing a justification for the determination. The President shall publish the certification in unclassified form.</text></paragraph></section><section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ide621734d9c234e8f96783b75a0f97797"><enum>204.</enum><header>Report on sanctionable persons</header><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id7d20f7df305e41b88bd1076609ac0da9"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text>Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a classified report on senior South African government officials and African National Congress leaders.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idc428a30e18d34557854d768a5de8c0c5"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Elements</header><text>The report required under subsection (a) shall include the following elements:</text><paragraph id="id9b1cbc72a84c4de192c8b5fede4223fe"><enum>(1)</enum><text>A list of senior South African government officials and African National Congress leaders the President determines have engaged in corruption or human rights abuses that would be sufficient, based on credible evidence, to meet the criteria for the imposition of sanctions pursuant to the authorities provided by the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/22/10101">22 U.S.C. 10101 et seq.</external-xref>).</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id6628fdcab8404bab84191dd035a7f172"><enum>(2)</enum><text>With respect to each person included on such list—</text><subparagraph id="id3e11f1d5a9424e7695be39aefc8895c8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a detailed explanation describing the conduct forming the basis of the person’s inclusion on the list; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id709ea9013778464fb8f29513f2b67880"><enum>(B)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="id176473cb6297423cb261361088be5b00"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the expected timeline for sanctions described in paragraph (1) to be imposed with respect to such person; or</text></clause><clause id="id0234b2da225f4375b00f726816a625c0" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>if the President does not intend to impose sanctions with respect to such person, a detailed justification describing the rationale and legal authorities underlying such negative determination.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H69200BBCB2D4437792E2A136CED86AE0"><enum>205.</enum><header>Appropriate congressional committees defined</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title, the term <quote>appropriate congressional committees</quote> means—</text><paragraph id="H97DAC1714F2E4D70A6C2D69AC1BD4F11"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="ide20a7891d9aa4376a0766de52982b12c" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.</text></paragraph></section>