[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 5, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3132-H3140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HAITI ECONOMIC LIFT PROGRAM ACT OF 2010

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 5160) to extend the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, to 
provide customs support services to Haiti, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5160

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Haiti Economic Lift Program 
     Act of 2010''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) On January 12, 2010, Haiti was hit by a 7.0 magnitude 
     earthquake, the worst earthquake to affect Haiti in recorded 
     history. Aftershocks from the earthquake, measuring up to 6.0 
     on the Richter scale, continued for days afterwards.
       (2) The earthquake has devastated Haiti's infrastructure, 
     including homes, offices, factories, roads, ports, 
     communications, and other facilities. The loss of life 
     attributable to the earthquake was massive.
       (3) Even before the earthquake, Haiti was the poorest 
     country in the Western Hemisphere, ranking 149 out of 182 
     countries according to the United Nation's Human Development 
     Index.
       (4) In recent years, however, the Government and people of 
     Haiti had taken important steps forward to promote economic 
     growth and development, including making strides towards 
     establishing a competitive apparel sector.
       (5) United States trade preference programs, including the 
     Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (as amended by the 
     United States-Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act, the 
     Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership 
     Encouragement Act of 2006, and the Haitian Hemispheric 
     Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act of 2008), 
     which extend duty-free tariff treatment to certain apparel 
     produced in Haiti, have made an important contribution to 
     Haiti's economic development efforts.
       (6) However, the Haitian apparel sector has been hard hit 
     by the January 12, 2010, earthquake. A number of apparel 
     factories based

[[Page H3133]]

     in and around Port-au-Prince have been heavily damaged, 
     including the collapse of one major apparel factory that had 
     employed nearly 4,000 workers.
       (7) The Port-au-Prince seaport that had served the apparel 
     trade has been badly damaged. And extensive damage to roads 
     has made it difficult to transport apparel to the Dominican 
     Republic for shipment from ports in that country.
       (8) According to estimates by the Department of Commerce, 
     imports of apparel articles from Haiti to the United States 
     in 2010 have decreased by 43 percent as compared to the same 
     period in 2009.
       (9) The earthquake has increased significantly the costs 
     and uncertainty of doing business in Haiti. A strong and 
     unequivocal commitment from the United States is needed to 
     help Haiti offset these costs and preserve the gains made 
     under United States trade preference programs, and to 
     encourage buyers and investors to stand with Haiti through 
     this crisis.

     SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CARIBBEAN BASIN ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT.

       The Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (19 U.S.C. 2701 
     et seq.) is amended--
       (1) in section 213(b)--
       (A) in paragraph (2)(A)--
       (i) in clause (iii)--

       (I) in subclause (II)(cc), by striking ``September 30, 
     2010'' and inserting ``September 30, 2020''; and
       (II) in subclause (IV)(dd), by striking ``September 30, 
     2010'' and inserting ``September 30, 2020''; and

       (ii) in clause (iv)(II), by striking ``8'' and inserting 
     ``18''; and
       (B) in paragraph (5)(D)(i), by striking ``September 30, 
     2010'' and inserting ``September 30, 2020''; and
       (2) in section 213A(h), by striking ``September 30, 2018'' 
     and inserting ``September 30, 2020''.

     SEC. 4. APPAREL AND OTHER ARTICLES SUBJECT TO CERTAIN 
                   ASSEMBLY RULES.

       (a) Certain Other Apparel Articles.--Section 213A(b)(3) of 
     the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (19 U.S.C. 
     2703a(b)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(F) Certain other apparel articles.--
       ``(i) In general.--Any of the apparel articles described in 
     clause (ii) that is wholly assembled, or knit-to-shape, in 
     Haiti from any combination of fabrics, fabric components, 
     components knit-to-shape, or yarns and is imported directly 
     from Haiti or the Dominican Republic shall enter the United 
     States free of duty, without regard to the source of the 
     fabric, fabric components, components knit-to-shape, or yarns 
     from which the article is made.
       ``(ii) Articles described.--Apparel articles described in 
     this clause are apparel articles in the following category 
     numbers that fall within the following statistical reporting 
     numbers of the HTS (as in effect on the day before the date 
     of the enactment of this subparagraph):


------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
``Category Number                              HTS Statistical Reporting
                                                                  Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
334                                                         6101.90.9010
                                                            6112.11.0010
                                                            6103.22.0010
                                                            6113.00.9015
------------------------------------------------------------------------
335                                                         6104.22.0010
                                                            6104.29.2010
                                                            6112.11.0020
------------------------------------------------------------------------
336                                                         6104.49.9010
------------------------------------------------------------------------
338                                                         6103.22.0050
                                                            6105.90.8010
                                                            6112.11.0030
------------------------------------------------------------------------
339                                                         6104.22.0060
                                                            6104.29.2049
                                                            6106.90.2510
                                                            6106.90.3010
                                                            6110.20.1031
                                                            6110.20.1033
                                                            6112.11.0040
------------------------------------------------------------------------
342                                                         6104.22.0030
                                                            6104.29.2022
                                                            6104.52.0010
                                                            6104.52.0020
                                                            6104.59.8010
------------------------------------------------------------------------
350                                                         6107.91.0040
                                                            6107.91.0090
------------------------------------------------------------------------
351                                                         6107.21.0010
                                                            6107.21.0020
                                                            6107.91.0030
                                                            6108.31.0010
                                                            6108.31.0020
------------------------------------------------------------------------
433                                                         6103.23.0007
                                                            6103.29.0520
                                                            6103.31.0000
                                                            6103.33.1000
                                                            6103.39.8020
------------------------------------------------------------------------
434                                                         6101.30.1500
                                                            6101.90.0500
                                                            6101.90.9020
                                                            6103.23.0005
                                                            6103.29.0510
------------------------------------------------------------------------
435                                                         6102.30.1000
                                                            6102.90.9010
                                                            6104.23.0010
                                                            6104.29.0510
                                                            6104.29.2012
                                                            6104.33.1000
                                                            6104.39.2020
------------------------------------------------------------------------
438                                                         6103.23.0025
                                                            6103.29.0550
                                                            6104.23.0020
                                                            6104.29.0560
                                                            6104.29.2051
                                                            6105.90.1000
                                                            6105.90.8020
                                                            6106.20.1020
                                                            6106.90.1010
                                                            6106.90.1020
                                                            6106.90.2520
                                                            6106.90.3020
                                                            6110.11.0070
                                                            6110.12.2070
                                                            6110.12.2080
                                                            6110.19.0070
                                                            6110.19.0080
                                                            6110.30.1550
                                                            6110.30.1560
------------------------------------------------------------------------
633                                                         6103.23.0037
                                                            6103.29.1015
                                                            6103.33.2000
                                                            6103.39.1000
                                                            6103.39.8030
------------------------------------------------------------------------
634                                                         6101.30.1000
                                                            6101.90.9030
                                                            6103.23.0036
                                                            6103.29.1010
                                                            6112.12.0010
                                                            6112.19.1010
                                                            6112.20.1010
                                                            6112.20.1030
                                                            6113.00.9025
------------------------------------------------------------------------
635                                                         6102.30.0500
                                                            6102.90.9015
                                                            6104.23.0026
                                                            6104.29.1010
                                                            6104.29.2014
                                                            6104.39.2030
                                                            6112.12.0020
                                                            6112.19.1020
                                                            6112.20.1020
                                                            6112.20.1040
                                                            6113.00.9030
------------------------------------------------------------------------
636                                                         6104.49.9030
                                                            6104.44.2020
------------------------------------------------------------------------
638                                                         6103.23.0075
                                                            6103.29.1050
                                                            6105.90.8030
                                                            6110.30.1050
                                                            6110.30.2051
                                                            6110.30.2053
                                                            6112.12.0030
                                                            6112.19.1030
------------------------------------------------------------------------
639                                                         6104.23.0036
                                                            6104.29.1050
                                                            6104.29.2055
                                                            6106.90.2530
                                                            6106.90.3030
                                                            6110.30.1060
                                                            6110.30.2061
                                                            6110.30.2063
                                                            6112.12.0040
                                                            6112.19.1040
------------------------------------------------------------------------
651                                                         6107.22.0010
                                                            6107.22.0015
                                                            6107.22.0025
                                                            6107.99.1030
                                                            6108.32.0015
------------------------------------------------------------------------

       ``(iii) Category defined.--In this subparagraph, the term 
     `category' has the meaning given that term in paragraph 
     (2A)(E) of this subsection.''.
       (b) Made-Up Textile Articles.--Section 213A(b)(3) of the 
     Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (19 U.S.C. 
     2703a(b)(3)), as amended by subsection (a), is further 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(G) Made-up textile articles.--
       ``(i) In general.--Any of the made-up textile articles 
     described in clauses (ii) and (iii) that is wholly assembled, 
     or knit-to-shape, in Haiti from any combination of fabrics, 
     fabric components, components knit-to-shape, or yarns and is 
     imported directly from Haiti or the Dominican Republic shall 
     enter the United States free of duty, without regard to the 
     source of the fabric, fabric components, components knit-to-
     shape, or yarns from which the article is made.
       ``(ii) Articles described.--Made-up textile articles 
     described in this clause are articles in the following 
     category numbers that fall within the following statistical 
     reporting numbers of the HTS (as in effect on the day before 
     the date of the enactment of this subparagraph):


[[Page H3134]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
``Category Number                              HTS Statistical Reporting
                                                                  Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
363                                                         6302.60.0020
                                                            6302.91.0015
                                                            6302.91.0035
                                                            6307.90.8940
------------------------------------------------------------------------
369                                                         6304.91.0020
                                                            6304.92.0000
                                                            6302.60.0010
                                                            6302.60.0030
                                                            6302.91.0005
                                                            6302.91.0050
                                                            6307.90.8910
                                                            6307.90.8945
                                                            5701.90.2020
                                                            5702.39.2010
                                                            5702.50.5600
                                                            5702.99.0500
                                                            5702.99.1500
                                                            5705.00.2020
                                                            5807.10.0510
                                                            5807.90.0510
                                                            6307.90.3010
                                                            6301.30.0010
                                                            6305.20.0000
                                                            6307.10.1020
                                                            6307.10.1090
                                                            6406.10.7700
                                                            9404.90.1000
                                                            9404.90.9505
                                                            6301.30.0020
                                                            6302.91.0045
------------------------------------------------------------------------
465                                                         5701.10.9000
                                                            5702.50.2000
                                                            5702.50.4000
                                                            5702.91.3000
                                                            5702.91.4000
                                                            5703.10.2000
                                                            5703.10.8000
                                                            5704.10.0010
                                                            5705.00.2005
                                                            5705.00.2015
                                                            5702.31.1000
                                                            5702.31.2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
469                                                         6304.19.3040
                                                            6304.91.0050
                                                            6304.99.1500
                                                            6304.99.6010
                                                            5601.29.0020
                                                            6302.39.0010
                                                            6406.10.9020
------------------------------------------------------------------------
665                                                         5701.90.1030
                                                            5701.90.2030
                                                            5702.32.1000
                                                            5702.32.2000
                                                            5702.42.2090
                                                            5702.50.5200
                                                            5702.92.1000
                                                            5702.92.9000
                                                            5703.20.1000
                                                            5703.30.2000
                                                            5703.30.8030
                                                            5703.30.8080
                                                            5704.10.0090
                                                            5705.00.2030
                                                            5703.20.2010
                                                            5703.20.2090
------------------------------------------------------------------------
666                                                         6304.11.2000
                                                            6304.91.0040
                                                            6304.93.0000
                                                            6304.99.6020
                                                            6301.40.0010
                                                            6301.40.0020
                                                            6301.90.0010
------------------------------------------------------------------------
669                                                         5601.10.2000
                                                            5601.22.0090
                                                            5807.10.0520
                                                            5807.90.0520
                                                            6307.90.3020
                                                            6305.32.0010
                                                            6305.32.0020
                                                            6305.32.0050
                                                            6305.32.0060
                                                            6305.39.0000
                                                            6406.10.9040
                                                            6308.00.0020
------------------------------------------------------------------------
899                                                         6304.11.3000
                                                            6304.19.3060
                                                            6304.91.0070
                                                            6304.99.3500
                                                            6304.99.6040
                                                            5601.29.0090
                                                            6301.90.0030
                                                            6305.90.0000
                                                            6406.10.9060
------------------------------------------------------------------------
900                                                         5601.29.0010
                                                            5701.90.2010
                                                            6301.90.0020
------------------------------------------------------------------------

       ``(iii) Other articles described.--Made-up textile articles 
     described in this clause are articles that fall within 
     statistical reporting number 6406.10.9090 of the HTS (as in 
     effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this 
     subparagraph).
       ``(iv) Category defined.--In this subparagraph, the term 
     `category' has the meaning given that term in paragraph 
     (2A)(E) of this subsection.''.

     SEC. 5. MODIFICATION OF TARIFF PREFERENCE LEVELS; 
                   VERIFICATION WITH RESPECT TO TRANSSHIPMENT FOR 
                   CERTAIN APPAREL ARTICLES.

       Section 213A(b) of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery 
     Act (19 U.S.C. 2703a(b)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A)(ii)--
       (i) by striking ``The preferential treatment'' and 
     inserting ``Except as provided in paragraph (2A), the 
     preferential treatment''; and
       (ii) by striking ``9'' and inserting ``11''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (B)(iii)--
       (i) by striking ``The preferential treatment'' and 
     inserting ``Except as provided in paragraph (2A), the 
     preferential treatment''; and
       (ii) by striking ``9'' and inserting ``11''; and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(2A) Special rule for certain woven articles and certain 
     knit articles entered during fiscal year 2010 and succeeding 
     1-year periods.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) 
     and (C) and subject to subparagraph (D), if 52,000,000 square 
     meter equivalents of apparel articles described in paragraph 
     (2)(A)(i) or (2)(B)(i) enter the United States during the 1-
     year period beginning October 1, 2009, or any of the 
     succeeding 1-year periods, the President shall extend the 
     preferential treatment described in paragraph (2)(A)(i) or 
     (2)(B)(i) (as the case may be) to not more than 200,000,000 
     square meter equivalents of apparel articles described in 
     paragraph (2)(A)(i) or (2)(B)(i) (as the case may be) during 
     that 1-year period, and shall publish notice of the extension 
     in the Federal Register.
       ``(B) Exception for certain woven articles.--
       ``(i) In general.--In the case of apparel articles 
     described in clause (ii), subparagraph (A) shall be applied 
     by substituting `70,000,000' for `200,000,000'.
       ``(ii) Apparel articles described.--Apparel articles 
     described in this clause are apparel articles described in 
     paragraph (2)(A)(i) that are the following:

       ``(I) Category 347.--Apparel articles in category 347 that 
     fall within the following statistical reporting numbers of 
     the HTS (as in effect on the day before the date of the 
     enactment of this paragraph):


``6203.19.1020....................  6203.42.4011.........  6203.42.4061
 6203.19.9020.....................  6203.42.4016.........  6203.49.8020
 6203.22.3020.....................  6203.42.4026.........  6210.40.9033
 6203.22.3030.....................  6203.42.4036.........  6211.20.1520
 6203.42.4003.....................  6203.42.4046.........  6211.20.3810
 6203.42.4006.....................  6203.42.4051.........  6211.32.0040
 


       ``(II) Category 348.--Apparel articles in category 348 that 
     fall within the following statistical reporting numbers of 
     the HTS (as in effect on the day before the date of the 
     enactment of this paragraph):


``6204.12.0030....................  6204.62.4011.........  6204.69.9010
 6204.19.8030.....................  6204.62.4021.........  6210.50.9060
 6204.22.3040.....................  6204.62.4031.........  6211.20.1550
 6204.22.3050.....................  6204.62.4041.........  6211.20.6810
 6204.29.4034.....................  6204.62.4051.........  6211.42.0030
 6204.62.3000.....................  6204.62.4056.........  6217.90.9050
 6204.62.4003.....................  6204.62.4066.........  .............
  6204.62.4006....................  6204.69.6010.........  .............
 


       ``(III) Category 647.--Apparel articles in category 647 
     that fall within the following statistical reporting numbers 
     of the HTS (as in effect on the day before the date of the 
     enactment of this paragraph):


``6203.23.0060....................  6203.43.4020.........  6203.49.8030
  6203.23.0070....................  6203.43.4030.........  6210.40.5031
  6203.29.2030....................  6203.43.4040.........  6210.40.5039
  6203.29.2035....................  6203.49.1500.........  6211.20.1525
  6203.43.2500....................  6203.49.2015.........  6211.20.3820
  6203.43.3510....................  6203.49.2030.........  6211.33.0030
  6203.43.3590....................  6203.49.2045.........  .............
 6203.43.4010.....................  6203.49.2060.........  .............
 


       ``(IV) Category 648.--Apparel articles in category 648 that 
     fall within the following statistical reporting numbers of 
     the HTS (as in effect on the day before the date of the 
     enactment of this paragraph):


``6204.23.0040....................  6204.63.3510.........  6204.69.6030
 6204.23.0045.....................  6204.63.3530.........  6204.69.9030
 6204.29.2020.....................  6204.63.3532.........  6210.50.5031
 6204.29.2025.....................  6204.63.3540.........  6210.50.5039
 6204.29.4038.....................  6204.69.2510.........  6211.20.1555
 6204.63.2000.....................  6204.69.2530.........  6211.20.6820
 6204.63.3010.....................  6204.69.2540.........  6211.43.0040
 6204.63.3090.....................  6204.69.2560.........  6217.90.9060
 


       ``(C) Exception for certain knit articles.--
       ``(i) In general.--In the case of apparel articles 
     described in clause (ii), subparagraph (A) shall be applied 
     by substituting `85,000,000' for `200,000,000'.
       ``(ii) Apparel articles described.--Apparel articles 
     described in this clause are apparel articles described in 
     paragraph (2)(B)(i) that fall within the following 
     statistical reporting numbers of the HTS (as in effect on the 
     day before the date of the enactment of this paragraph), 
     other than shirts with plackets and pointed collars:


``6105.10.0010....................  6109.10.0040.........  6110.30.3053
 6109.10.0018.....................  6109.10.0045.........  6110.30.3059
 6109.10.0027.....................  6110.20.2079.........  .............
 


       ``(D) Verification with respect to transshipment for 
     certain apparel articles.--
       ``(i) In general.--Not later than April 1, July 1, October 
     1, and January 1 of each year, the Commissioner responsible 
     for U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall verify that 
     apparel articles imported into the United States under this 
     paragraph are not being unlawfully transshipped (within the 
     meaning of subsection (f)) into the United States.
       ``(ii) Report to president.--If the Commissioner determines 
     pursuant to clause (i) that apparel articles imported into 
     the United States under this paragraph are being unlawfully 
     transshipped into the United States, the Commissioner shall 
     report that determination to the President.

[[Page H3135]]

       ``(iii) Authority to reduce quantitative limitation.--If, 
     in any 1-year period with respect to which the President 
     extends preferential treatment as described in this 
     paragraph, the Commissioner reports to the President pursuant 
     to clause (ii) regarding unlawful transshipments, the 
     President--

       ``(I) may modify the quantitative limitation under this 
     paragraph as the President considers appropriate to account 
     for such transshipments; and
       ``(II) if the President modifies the limitation under 
     subclause (I), shall publish notice of the modification in 
     the Federal Register.

       ``(E) Category defined.--In this paragraph, the term 
     `category' means the number assigned under the U.S. Textile 
     and Apparel Category System of the Office of Textiles and 
     Apparel of the Department of Commerce, as listed in the HTS 
     under the applicable heading or subheading (as in effect on 
     the day before the date of the enactment of this 
     paragraph).''.

     SEC. 6. EARNED IMPORT ALLOWANCE RULE.

       Section 213A(b)(4)(B)(ii)(I) of the Caribbean Basin 
     Economic Recovery Act (19 U.S.C. 2703a(b)(4)(B)(ii)(I)) is 
     amended by striking ``three'' and inserting ``two''.

     SEC. 7. EXTENSION OF VALUE-ADDED RULE.

       Section 213A of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act 
     (19 U.S.C. 2703a), as amended by this Act, is further 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (1) and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(1) Initial applicable 1-year period.--The term `initial 
     applicable 1-year period' means the 1-year period beginning 
     on December 20, 2006.''; and
       (2) in subsection (b)(1)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``an applicable 1-year 
     period'' and inserting ``the initial applicable 1-year period 
     and any 1-year period thereafter'';
       (B) in subparagraph (B)--
       (i) in clause (i)--

       (I) by striking ``any applicable 1-year period'' and 
     inserting ``the initial applicable 1-year period and any 1-
     year period thereafter''; and
       (II) by striking ``the applicable 1-year period'' and 
     inserting ``that 1-year period'';

       (ii) in clause (iv)(II)--

       (I) in the subclause heading, by striking `` applicable'';
       (II) by striking ``In each of the second, third, fourth, 
     and fifth applicable 1-year periods'' and inserting ``In any 
     1-year period after the initial applicable 1-year period''; 
     and
       (III) by striking ``applicable 1-year period'' each place 
     it appears and inserting ``1-year period'';

       (iii) in clause (v)(I)--

       (I) in item (aa), by striking ``, the second applicable 1-
     year period, and the third applicable 1-year period'' and 
     inserting ``and the succeeding 8 1-year periods'';
       (II) in item (bb), by striking ``the fourth applicable 1-
     year period'' and inserting ``the 1-year period beginning on 
     December 20, 2015, and the 1-year period beginning on 
     December 20, 2016''; and
       (III) in item (cc), by striking ``the fifth applicable 1-
     year period'' and inserting ``the 1-year period beginning on 
     December 20, 2017''; and

       (iv) in clause (vi)--

       (I) in subclause (II)--

       (aa) by striking ``any applicable 1-year period'' and 
     inserting ``the initial applicable 1-year period or any 1-
     year period thereafter''; and
       (bb) by striking ``applicable 1-year period'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``1-year period''; and

       (II) in subclause (III)--

       (aa) in item (aa), by striking ``an applicable 1-year 
     period'' and inserting ``the initial applicable 1-year period 
     or any 1-year period thereafter''; and
       (bb) by striking ``applicable 1-year period'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``1-year period''; and
       (C) in subparagraph (C)--
       (i) by striking ``applicable 1-year periods'' and inserting 
     ``1-year periods'';
       (ii) by striking the table and inserting the following:


 
                     ``During:                                     the corresponding percentage is:
 
the initial applicable 1-year period...............  1 percent.
each of the succeeding 11 1-year periods...........  1.25 percent.'';
 


     and
       (iii) in the flush text, by striking ``the last day of the 
     fifth applicable 1-year period'' and inserting ``December 19, 
     2018''.

     SEC. 8. WIRE HARNESSES.

       Section 213A(c) of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery 
     Act (19 U.S.C. 2703A(c)) is amended by striking ``5-year 
     period'' and inserting ``10-year period''.

     SEC. 9. CUSTOMS SUPPORT SERVICES.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Rapid response team.--The Commissioner responsible for 
     U.S. Customs and Border Protection (in this section referred 
     to as the ``Commissioner'') shall, in consultation with the 
     United States Coast Guard, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and 
     other Federal agencies, as appropriate, seek to send a rapid 
     response team to Haiti--
       (A) to assess the short-term and long-term technical, 
     capacity-building, and training needs of the authorities of 
     the Government of Haiti responsible for customs services; and
       (B) to provide immediate assistance, as warranted, 
     particularly with respect to--
       (i) reestablishing full capacity for commercial port 
     operations at the seaport at Port-au-Prince;
       (ii) facilitating trade between the United States and Haiti 
     under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, as amended 
     by this Act;
       (iii) preventing unlawful transshipment of goods through 
     Haiti to the United States; and
       (iv) otherwise strengthening cooperation between the 
     customs authorities of the United States, Haiti, and the 
     Dominican Republic with respect to trade facilitation and 
     economic development, customs compliance and law enforcement, 
     and efforts to combat unlawful trafficking in narcotic drugs 
     and psychotropic substances.
       (2) Report.--Not later than 75 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Commissioner shall prepare and 
     submit to the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives a 
     nonconfidential report summarizing the results of the 
     assessment required by paragraph (1)(A), including--
       (A) a description of the short-term and long-term 
     technical, capacity-building, and training needs of the 
     authorities of the Government of Haiti responsible for 
     customs services, including a prioritization of immediate 
     infrastructure needs;
       (B) a multi-year plan for supplying technical, capacity-
     building, and training assistance to those authorities, 
     including specific responsibilities to be undertaken by the 
     support team authorized by subsection (b); and
       (C) a statement of the amount and purpose for which any 
     funds were expended by the rapid response team in Haiti to 
     administer the provisions of this section, including any 
     expenditure of funds authorized to be appropriated pursuant 
     to subsection (c)(1).
       (b) Support Team.--
       (1) In general.--The Commissioner shall, in consultation 
     with other Federal agencies, as appropriate, seek to 
     establish a support team in Haiti for the purpose of helping 
     to meet the short-term and long-term technical, capacity-
     building, and training needs of the authorities of the 
     Government of Haiti responsible for customs services, as 
     described in this section.
       (2) Termination.--The support team authorized by paragraph 
     (1) shall terminate on September 30, 2020.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
     the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency, to remain 
     available until expended--
       (A) $100,000 to help meet the immediate infrastructure 
     needs of the authorities of the Government of Haiti 
     responsible for customs services for the purpose of 
     facilitating trade between the United States and Haiti under 
     the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, as amended by this 
     Act; and
       (B) $750,000 for each of the fiscal years 2011 through 2020 
     for the purpose of maintaining the support team authorized by 
     subsection (b).
       (2) Supplement and not supplant.--The amounts authorized to 
     be appropriated by paragraph (1) shall supplement and not 
     supplant any other funds authorized to be appropriated to the 
     Department of Homeland Security.

     SEC. 10. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       (a) Regional Cooperation.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the United States Trade Representative should seek to enter 
     into consultations with representatives of countries with 
     which the United States has a trading relationship for the 
     purpose of encouraging those countries to establish bilateral 
     trade preference programs with respect to textile and apparel 
     articles produced in Haiti.
       (b) Transshipment.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
     Commissioner responsible for U.S. Customs and Border 
     Protection should, in consultation with the United States 
     Trade Representative and the Secretary of Commerce, seek to 
     enter into consultations with representatives of countries 
     with which the United States has a trading relationship for 
     the purpose of preventing the unlawful transshipment of 
     textile and apparel articles from those countries through 
     Haiti.

     SEC. 11. CUSTOMS USER FEES.

       Section 13031(j)(3) of the Consolidated Omnibus 
     Reconciliation Act of 1985 (19 U.S.C. 58c(j)(3)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``May 14, 2018'' and 
     inserting ``November 10, 2018''; and
       (2) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking ``June 7, 2018'' 
     and inserting ``August 17, 2018''.

     SEC. 12. TIME FOR PAYMENT OF CORPORATE ESTIMATED TAXES.

       (a) Shift From 2015 to 2014.--The percentage under 
     paragraph (1) of section 202(b) of the Corporate Estimated 
     Tax Shift Act of

[[Page H3136]]

     2009 in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act is 
     increased by 0.75 percentage points.
       (b) Shift From 2016 to 2015.--The percentage under 
     paragraph (2) of section 561 of the Hiring Incentives to 
     Restore Employment Act in effect on the date of the enactment 
     of this Act is increased by 0.75 percentage points.

     SEC. 13. BUDGET COMPLIANCE.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Levin) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Camp) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, first, I want to yield myself 30 seconds and 
then yield more time if I might.
  I first want to yield to the lead sponsor of this bill, Mr. Rangel. 
Our colleague, Charles Rangel, has devoted his life to fighting for 
underdogs wherever they are in this country and beyond, and he has 
devoted so much time to the people of Haiti.
  He is the lead sponsor, and it is my privilege--and I think all of us 
join in this--to yield such time as he shall consume to the gentleman 
from New York, Charles Rangel.
  Mr. RANGEL. Thank you, Chairman Levin, and it is good to be here with 
my friend Dave Camp.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a good day for Americans, especially for those 
of us in the United States Congress.
  As we listen to the partisanship as it relates to the capture of 
terrorists, as we listen to the partisanship as it relates to oil 
spills, and as we listen to the partisanship as it relates to trying to 
repair our economic work on Wall Street, it just seems to me, if we all 
took a deep breath, we would recognize that, as a people, we are more 
than Republicans and Democrats--we are Americans. We do recognize that. 
When there is a crisis, the whole world looks to us, not just for goods 
and services, but for leadership and compassion.
  There is an unlimited number of people whom we could thank for coming 
to the floor today. One has to be Dave Camp. You don't have to say what 
the problem is. When you ask, ``What can we do to help?'' it is just a 
question of Members and staff coming together, seeing what they can do 
to be of some assistance to the people who have tried so hard to 
rebuild their country, their families, and, indeed, their government.

                              {time}  1045

  When we had initially the HOPE legislation, there was some opposition 
because what did it mean? It meant that a country that had a very bad 
infrastructure, poor education, lack of opportunities in employment was 
able to get their act together, to hope, to dream, to bring their 
families together, and to produce textiles. And America said, Hey, we 
will work with you on tariffs. We will open up our doors to your goods 
and services. And further than that, we think it's such a good deal 
that our President, our Secretary of State, our Secretary of Commerce, 
our Ambassador of Trade will encourage other people to invest in Haiti 
so that one day she can share a prominent spot in terms of democratic 
countries that believe in hard work.
  And then what happened? Just when production was doubling, she was 
struck by an earthquake. Haitians still went to the factories hoping 
and dreaming. Many were killed. And, of course, people made economic 
decisions that Haiti wasn't the place to invest a lot of money.
  But again the world responded, former President Clinton, investors, 
in saying what little can we do? What small thing can we do? And we got 
to work, and staff I want to publicly thank found out ways. All we said 
is we've got to do more. We have to do more. And more was done by this 
bill in our committee. Under the leadership of Sandy Levin, 
Republicans, Democrats got together to do what? To do more to give hope 
to these people who had more than their share of economic despair.
  This is the poorest country that we have in the hemisphere, but with 
our help, our leadership, our encouragement to investors, have Haitians 
know that, sure, this has been a tremendous setback with the 
earthquake, but America will once again provide the leadership to make 
certain that people don't give up, don't give in, and certainly don't 
give out.
  So I thank once again Sandy Levin, who is always there when people, 
no matter what country is in trouble, you can depend on his leadership, 
and I personally and politically appreciate it.
  Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I thank the distinguished gentleman from New York for his comments 
and also for his effort and leadership on this legislation, as well as 
my colleague from Michigan.
  I want to echo these comments and also place in the Record a letter 
that we each received from both President Clinton and President Bush 
supporting this effort today.
  I rise in support of this legislation. The images of the devastation 
caused by the January earthquake that ravaged Haiti and its people were 
difficult for all of us to watch. And while those stories may no longer 
be splashed across the evening news, we know the Haitians continue to 
need help in rebuilding.
  The legislation before us today is the example of how the process 
should work. Bipartisan, bicameral cooperation, and working closely 
with all stakeholders has allowed us to craft a bill that provides 
meaningful assistance to Haiti. These benefits will encourage the long-
term investment in Haiti that Haiti desperately needs for its economic 
recovery and future stability. I am convinced that the bill will 
promote trade and investment in the region and create a strong 
hemispheric partnership with U.S. interests.
  This legislation builds on the short-term assistance that Congress 
provided earlier this year to accelerate the tax benefits for 
charitable donations to the Haiti relief effort. And I am pleased to 
have participated in both of these bipartisan efforts.
  This legislation also supports U.S. textile manufacturers and their 
workers by providing a long-term extension of the Caribbean Basin Trade 
Partnership Act. The CBTPA program provides strong incentives to our 
trading partners throughout the region to use fabric and inputs 
produced in the United States, supporting American exports and American 
jobs. That is why this legislation is supported by the American textile 
industry. And I have a letter from the American Manufacturing Trade 
Action Coalition that I will insert into the Record supporting this 
legislation.
  The success of this bill also demonstrates the benefits of tailoring 
our preference programs to the needs of a specific country or region. 
Congress is able to provide these expanded benefits to Haiti because 
they are customized to its specific needs and limit any negative impact 
on the U.S. textile industry. The careful balance of interests this 
legislation represents is unique to Haiti and wouldn't be possible if 
we tried to expand it to all of our preference programs in a one-size-
fits-all approach.
  I hope we can build on this bipartisan success and continue this 
policy of economic integration by working together to find a path that 
will enable Congress to bring pending trade agreements with Colombia 
and Panama to the floor for a successful vote. Like the legislation 
before us today, these agreements will promote economic development 
both here at home and for our trading partners as well.


[[Page H3137]]


         American Manufacturing


                              Trade Action Coalition, National

                             Council of Textile Organizations,

                                                   April 26, 2010.
     Hon. Sander M. Levin,
     Acting Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Dave Camp,
     Ranking Member, Committee on Ways and Means, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Acting Chairman Levin and Ranking Member Camp: As 
     representatives of the United States textile industry, we are 
     writing in regard to the Haiti Economic Lift Program Act of 
     2010, a bill to provide enhanced market access for apparel 
     products manufactured in Haiti.
       After lengthy negotiations with your staffs, we are pleased 
     that we were able to reach an acceptable compromise on this 
     important legislation. While the bill provides Haiti with a 
     path forward for long-term economic recovery in the wake of 
     its devastating earthquake, it also takes into account 
     various sensitivities from the perspective of the U.S. 
     textile industry.
       For example, the bill grants significant increases in duty 
     free treatment through a system of Tariff Preference Levels 
     (TPLs) but also institutes sub-limits on highly sensitive 
     products that can be exported under the TPLs. The sub-limits 
     were a key priority for the domestic industry and will 
     prevent over concentration of exports in one or two key areas 
     that could be particularly damaging to U.S. producers. In 
     addition, the bill extends the current Caribbean Basin Trade 
     Partnership Act (CBTPA) through 2020. This extension will 
     help to provide long-term certainty for a program that is of 
     significant value for U.S. and Western Hemispheric trading 
     partners.
       Obviously, we take very seriously the impact that 
     additional duty free imports may have on U.S. producers and 
     workers as well as our Western Hemispheric customers. Noting 
     those concerns, we also recognize that the devastating 
     circumstances in Haiti produced an exceptional case that 
     motivated Congress to develop a quick response and have 
     worked with the Committee to develop a package that strikes 
     an acceptable balance. We must stress, however, that this 
     package does not set a precedent for any future trade 
     preference legislation.
       For all these reasons, we are encouraging our Congressional 
     members that represent the nearly 500,000 U.S. textile and 
     apparel workers to approve this legislation in an expeditious 
     manner under suspension of the rules in the House and by 
     unanimous consent in the Senate.
           Sincerely,
     Augustine D. Tantillo,
       Executive Director, American Manufacturing Trade Coalition 
     (AMTAC).
     Cass M. Johnson,
       President, National Council of Textile Organizations 
     (NCTO).
                                  ____

                                          Clinton Bush Haiti Fund,
                                                   April 13, 2010.
     Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
     Speaker, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Steny Hoyer,
     Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Sander Levin,
     Acting Chairman, House Committee on Ways and Means, 
         Washington, DC.
     Hon. John Boehner,
     Republican Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Dave Camp,
     Ranking Member, House Committee on Ways and Means, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Madam Speaker, Leader Hoyer, Leader Boehner, Mr. 
     Levin, and Mr. Camp: We write to you today about Haiti: As we 
     build upon our shared commitment to provide more Haitians 
     with the tools they seek to lift themselves from poverty and 
     reduce their dependence on international aid, we believe the 
     Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership 
     Encouragement (HOPE) Act can be amended in two specific ways 
     to encourage greater growth in Haiti, with positive impacts 
     for the United States.
       On March 22, we visited Haiti and met with citizens from 
     all sectors of society. While there remains an urgent need 
     for food, water, shelter, and sanitation, Haitian leaders and 
     communities are looking to the future in hopes of developing 
     the modem nation they have long imagined and deserved. We 
     know that Haitian households are eager to return to work, and 
     we are confident that the textile industry can offer 
     significant opportunities for future job creation.
       As you know, the existing HOPE program has had a 
     significant impact on this industry. From 2006-2009, HOPE 
     enabled the expansion of apparel manufacturing and the growth 
     of the sector's employment from 12,000 to more than 25,000 
     workers. HOPE II subsequently assisted the apparel industry 
     in attracting business and in reopening dormant manufacturing 
     operations. These results have been encouraging, but there is 
     much more we can do. The nation's apparel sector once 
     employed more than 100,000 workers, and we should work toward 
     stabilizing and further empowering this industry.
       We suggest two immediate modifications to HOPE that have 
     the potential to help create tens of thousands more jobs in 
     Haiti. First, we recommend increasing the HOPE trade 
     preference level (TPL) quotas for knit and woven fabrics to 
     250 million square meter equivalents each. Second, we suggest 
     extending the duration of the legislation from 8 to 15 years.
       These amendments can generate tangible results. During our 
     recent visit, we learned that three major Korean apparel 
     manufacturers are exploring investments in Haiti, each 
     capable of employing 10,000-30,000 Haitian workers. This 
     investment could double the employment levels in the Haitian 
     apparel sector. Furthermore, because the project would also 
     require new industrial space and infrastructure, it would 
     create thousands of construction jobs in Haiti. Ultimately, 
     countless more jobs would be produced by the small- and 
     medium-sized enterprises necessary for supporting the needs 
     of these new workforces.
       Unfortunately, the Korean manufacturers are reluctant to 
     invest in Haiti. A single Korean firm could consume the 
     current TPL of 70 million. In effect, none of the firms will 
     commit if they believe their investment could be jeopardized 
     by potential competition for TPL allocations in the future. 
     Furthermore, the firms will not consider working in Haiti if 
     their investments could be jeopardized by the expiration of 
     the HOPE program before they are able to recover their 
     investment.
       These amendments would not increase the total amount of 
     clothing imported by the United States. Instead, the 
     modifications would shift the composition of the imports and 
     increase the proportion coming from Haiti. In fact, over 
     time, greater production capacity in Haiti would likely 
     provide a new and nearby market for American cotton farmers, 
     thereby uplifting incomes in the United States.
       We firmly believe that amendments to the HOPE program would 
     offer a win-win situation for both the Haitians and the U.S. 
     community. We encourage you to build on the hemispheric 
     leadership of the United States since the earthquake. With 
     your support, we can expand economic opportunity both in 
     Haiti and here in America.
       We would be pleased to provide any additional information.
           Sincerely,
     Bill Clinton.
     George W. Bush.

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, it is now my privilege to yield 2 minutes to 
my colleague on Ways and Means, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
Neal).
  Mr. NEAL. I want to thank the chairman for yielding this time.
  Mr. Speaker, we have had an opportunity over the course of the last 
many months to witness the unprecedented goodness and kindness of the 
American people. Time and again in rising above the petty differences 
that frequently keep us in dispute within this institution, we have 
asked no question of political party or affiliation. We have watched 
former Presidents of the United States who sharply might disagree on a 
host of issues to lead an effort to help the people of Haiti to get 
through this difficult time caused by the consequences of this 
devastating earthquake.
  But throughout all of these measures, you're struck by de 
Tocqueville's notion of what set America apart from the rest of the 
world. And de Tocqueville, as you know, in finding it challenging to 
describe what it was that differentiated America from the rest of the 
world, he simply described it as a ``habit of the heart.'' And today I 
think this institution with this proposal that's in front of us 
embraces again that American notion of the decency of habits of our 
heart.
  This Haiti-HELP Act provides crucial additional trade preferences to 
help out our Haitian friends to rebuild their economy and lives in the 
wake of this devastating earthquake.
  I want to particularly commend the trade staff and industry for 
quickly collaborating on this legislation, which also provides 
important protections for sensitive domestic products while improving 
existing preference provisions. It also provides a long-term extension 
for the Caribbean Basin and HOPE programs that are key boosters to the 
Caribbean-U.S. relationship.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation deserves our full support, and I look 
forward to improving the economic and cultural ties with Haiti in the 
years ahead.

[[Page H3138]]

  Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry).
  Mr. McHENRY. I want to thank the ranking member, Mr. Camp, for his 
leadership on the Ways and Means Committee and for yielding time this 
morning.
  Well, as we well know, we've seen the devastation of the earthquake 
in Haiti, the loss of life, the suffering. It's tragic, and certainly 
the American people rally to the Haitian people.
  But what we have before us today is not just about Haiti; it's about 
jobs in the United States. And, unfortunately, there's a provision here 
within the bill that will hurt jobs here in the United States. This 
legislation will allow for duty-free access to yarns and fabrics 
produced in other Third World countries, and Haiti will simply be more 
of a location for transshipment than other nations.
  Bad trade deals like this one have devastated my district in western 
North Carolina and devastated manufacturing in the United States. 
Counties in my district have unemployment rates of up to 16 percent, 
some that my colleagues here can relate to in their regions of the 
country, but certainly devastating in western North Carolina. And it's 
a time when our people need jobs. Our families are hurting. And this 
bill is simply giving away some of those jobs. In a time when we should 
help small businesses, this is hurting them, specifically in my 
district.
  In the past, Haiti has had tremendous success producing apparel using 
U.S. yarns and fabrics. We should be strengthening that partnership, 
not turning Haiti into a stopping-off point for more transshipment of 
goods from Asia and around the globe. Our government should represent 
its people and the best interests of its people. Unfortunately, this 
Congress is not, this leadership is not, and unfortunately, this bill 
with this provision is not. Charity is one thing, but giving away our 
jobs is a completely different matter.
  With that, I would oppose this bill.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 2 minutes to the very 
distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), who has been so 
actively involved in this legislation and related efforts.
  Ms. LEE of California. Let me first thank Chairman Levin for your 
support for Haiti and for your leadership on this issue and so many 
issues.
  The Haiti Economic Lift Program, or HELP, Act of 2010 is critical in 
Haiti's recovery and reconstruction. And let me thank Chairman Rangel, 
as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, for your vision in crafting 
this legislation. As one of the founders of the Congressional Black 
Caucus, you have been a longtime leader on issues related to Haiti. 
Chairman Rangel has been a strong ally of the Haitian people throughout 
his career, and we want to once again thank you for your consistent 
work on behalf of the CBC and on behalf of the entire Congress.
  The CBC does have a very long history of working with Haiti, the 
Haitian people, and the Haitian American communities. And many of us 
have traveled to the country several times. I was there just over a 
month ago and saw firsthand the extent of the devastation and the 
challenges of moving forward. And many people asked about this bill.
  During the current crisis, the CBC has and will continue to work 
closely with the Obama administration, our Speaker, Chairman Levin, and 
our NGOs to provide whatever assistance we can to provide for support, 
relief, reconstruction, and recovery efforts.
  I would also like to thank Chairman Levin and also Ranking Member 
Camp for their bipartisan work in bringing this bill to the floor today 
and for their commitment to supporting the people of Haiti as they 
rebuild their lives and their nation. This is not a partisan issue, and 
I am glad to see the commitment to the Haitian people within this 
Congress.
  That commitment, as many of us know, cannot and it should not be 
limited to foreign aid. Emergency assistance is vital to any 
humanitarian operation. However, it cannot form the sole backbone of a 
long-term recovery strategy for promoting reconstruction and 
development. It is about many, many initiatives, including debt relief, 
which another member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman 
Maxine Waters so valiantly----
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. LEVIN. I yield the gentlewoman 1 additional minute.
  Ms. LEE of California. Thank you.
  Such strategies must take a whole-of-government approach to foster 
homegrown economic growth. That is exactly what the HELP Act aims to 
do. It expands upon the successes of existing trade preferences to spur 
investment and empower the private sector to take the mantle of 
rebuilding along with the government. The trade preferences provided in 
this legislation are certainly not a cure-all, but they offer powerful 
incentives to spur significant job creation, one of the surest ways to 
promote development and to reduce poverty.
  So I call on all of my colleagues to join Chairman Levin, Chairman 
Rangel, and Ranking Member Camp to support this measure and to express 
our steadfast solidarity once again and our continued partnership with 
the resilient people of Haiti.
  Thank you again. Thanks for the time.
  Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to say a few words about the nature of this legislation.
  I want to start off by saluting the bipartisanship in this House. I 
want to salute the work of our staffs, working with USTR.

                              {time}  1100

  I would like also--and I think others would join me--in saluting 
Presidents Clinton and Bush, who have devoted their energy and their 
time to the needs of the people of Haiti, expressing on behalf of all 
of us that there is a mutuality in terms of the response to the 
horrible, horrible events in the earthquake. I also want to salute 
industry and the labor movement.
  We have tried in these last months with our leadership to begin to 
craft a new trade policy--a trade policy that takes into account the 
needs of this country to try to make sure that trade is two-way; to try 
to make sure that it is mutually beneficial; and to be very sensitive 
to the impact of trade agreements on American industry and American 
workers. We very much took that into account as we designed this 
legislation--and it succeeded. It has that mutuality. That's why the 
two main textile organizations in this country who have a deep stake in 
the continued health of this industry in this country sent, as Mr. Camp 
indicated, a letter to him and to me in support of this legislation. I 
just want to read a few lines so it's clear, and I quote from this 
letter from AMTAC and NCTO: ``After lengthy negotiations with your 
staffs, we are pleased that we were able to reach an acceptable 
compromise on this legislation. While the bill provides Haiti with a 
path forward for long-term economic recovery in the wake of its 
devastating earthquake, it also takes into account various 
sensitivities from the perspective of the U.S. textile industry. For 
these reasons, we are encouraging our congressional members that 
represent the nearly 500,000 U.S. textile and apparel workers to 
approve this legislation in an expeditious manner under suspension of 
the rules in the House and by unanimous consent in the Senate.''
  I would also like to salute the workers and also the American labor 
movement. In the original legislation--and it's very much continued in 
this legislation--we have been very sensitive to the needs for Haiti to 
abide by the international rights of workers. In 2009, the ILO 
established a monitoring program required under the HOPE II 
legislation. It was certified by USTR. Under the program, the ILO has a 
country director and staff in Haiti committed to conducting unannounced 
factory level inspections as to whether factories are meeting core 
labor standards--these are international basic standards--issuing 
biannual public reports naming factories that are not in compliance, 
and helping the factories remedy any problems. The ILO has conducted 
its first round of factory inspections. It had already done so at the 
time of the January 12 earthquake and was set to issue its first report 
on April 21. However, the collapse of the U.N. headquarters in which 
the ILO was located

[[Page H3139]]

and the subsequent evacuation of ILO personnel in Haiti disrupted the 
process. All ILO personnel are now back in Haiti and expect to produce 
the first public report regarding factory conditions shortly. So we 
have taken into account the needs here and tried to find ways to 
respond to the needs in Haiti--and I think we have succeeded.
  And so I close with this. I think all of us want to salute the people 
of Haiti. The earthquake was unprecedented. The damage was hard to 
imagine. The sacrifices being made by the people of Haiti under these 
circumstances are really hard to describe. This is an effort in a 
mutual way for us to respond. We did this carefully. We did it also 
with a sense of purpose. I urge all of us to unite to support this 
important legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that there is and has been 
strong, bipartisan support for this legislation. This legislation 
certainly deserves that support. I do want to note that I think it's 
important as we move forward that we not seek to establish a trade 
framework or a trade policy framework that requires standards for other 
countries that could exceed our own U.S. law and that this legislation 
in that respect not be a precedent for other preferences as we move 
forward.
  This legislation, I think, is important. It will help a devastated 
country through investment and begin to create more economic activity. 
I urge my colleagues to build on this success from this legislation; to 
work together in a bipartisan fashion; to take the steps necessary to 
further the economic benefits that come from increasing U.S. exports to 
our partners not only in this hemisphere but other hemispheres as well 
by bringing the pending trade agreements with Colombia and Panama to 
the floor for a successful vote.
  With that, I urge a ``yes'' on this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I will close very, very briefly.
  There needs to be a general framework for trade policy, and we have 
been working to spell that out. A trade policy, as we expand trade, as 
we must, does so in ways that are mutually beneficial; that expand the 
benefits of trade. Within that framework, each trade agreement must 
stand on its own feet--and this trade bill does exactly that. It 
responds to needs. It does so in a way that takes into account the very 
crucial needs within Haiti and also the needs of American industry and 
workers. It achieves not a compromise, really, but a balance--the kind 
of balance that should be a hallmark of our approach to trade. I very 
much urge that we support this bill. It's excellent both in its letter 
and in its spirit.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, on January 12, 2010, Haiti experienced one 
of the worst earthquakes in their history. I believe that our trade 
policy can play a key role in rehabilitating the Haitian economy. As 
such, I rise in support of my friend Congressman Charles Rangel's 
timely legislation, The Haiti Economic Lift Program, HELP, Act of 2010, 
which will extend trade preference programs, expand market access for 
Haitian goods, and ensure fundamental worker labor rights for Haitian 
workers.
  Expanding trade with Haiti is an important step in creating economic 
stability and sustainability. The HELP Act will enhance and strengthen 
our trading relationship, where 78.2 percent of Haitian exports are 
directed to the United States, by extending trade preference programs 
such as the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act and the Haitian 
Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act through 
September 30, 2020. Both laws are credited with increasing Haitian 
apparel exports to the United States from $420 million to over $512 
million and creating impressive economic growth from 2007 to 2009.
  It is imperative we help foster burgeoning industries within Haiti 
that will ultimately attract investment and provide jobs during and 
after their reconstruction efforts. The HELP Act expands the list of 
products that can be shipped duty-free. It has been noted that new jobs 
in Haiti creates multiplier effects which supports families and others 
who are in need.
  Mr. Speaker, as a long supporter of worker rights, I am pleased that 
today's legislation will continue the International Labor 
Organization's labor monitoring program to ensure that fundamental core 
labor rights of their workers are followed by factories benefiting from 
the HELP Act.
  The United States and its citizens, which have had a long tradition 
of helping allies in their time of need, have given unprecedented 
amounts of foreign aid and donations to the people of Haiti in the 
weeks after the earthquake. Today's legislation extends the reach of 
this aid by increasing trade between the countries, which will 
ultimately provide jobs and a better future for Haitians. I urge my 
colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
5160 introduced in the House of Representatives by my friend and 
colleague, Representative Rangel. H.R. 5160 is an important piece of 
legislation to extend the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act to 
provide custom support for the Haitian apparel sector.
  On January 12, 2010, Haiti, one of the poorest country's in the world 
and the poorest in the western hemisphere, was hit by a 7.0 magnitude 
earthquake. The earthquake killed thousands of people leaving Haiti's 
capital partially destroyed. Homes, offices, factories, roads, ports, 
communications, and other facilities were reduced to ruins. As a 
result, millions of people have lost their livelihood.
  Prior to the earthquake, the Haitian government was implementing a 
number of measures to promote economic growth and the growing apparel 
sector was a promising success story. According to the U.S. Department 
of Commerce, however, this sector was devastated by the earthquake.
  Through its preference trade programs, including those under the 
Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act and the Haitian Hemispheric 
Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act of 2008, ``HOPE II 
Act'', the United States has been an important contributor to Haiti's 
economic development initiatives by providing duty-free tariff 
treatment to certain apparel produced in Haiti.
  In this time of great need for Haiti, I am proud to support H.R. 5160 
which would extend duty free treatment to any apparel entering the 
United States directly imported from Haiti and the Dominican Republic. 
This measure would dramatically assist Haiti in rebuilding their 
economy.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation 
to show Haitians' the United States' strong commitment to their 
recovery, development and prosperity.
  Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5160, the 
Haitian Economic Lift Program Act. This bill will provide real economic 
benefits to Haiti to help it recover from the devastating earthquake on 
January 12 that claimed so many lives and shattered the already 
struggling Haitian economy.
  The bill also provides trade benefits to Haiti and other Caribbean 
nations though a long-term extension of the Caribbean Basin Trade 
Partnership Act, a program that also supports the American textile 
industry.
  I am firm believer that expanded trade can produce sustainable 
economic development and create jobs.
  By providing increased duty-free access to the U.S. market, the bill 
creates the investment incentives desperately needed in Haiti to keep 
existing apparel production in the country and encourage even more 
development in the future. These investments will create badly needed 
jobs and encourage stability in local communities.
  The long-term extension of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act 
will continue important incentives that have attracted apparel 
producers to Haiti and throughout the region to use fabric and other 
inputs produced in the United States. The U.S. exports generated by 
these incentives will support American jobs. This is why the long-term 
extension of the Caribbean Basin Act has been such a priority for the 
U.S. textile industry.
  In addition to these important economic benefits, this legislation 
demonstrates America's commitment to the region. It has long been 
America's policy to strengthen economic ties through trade and 
investment with other countries in the Western Hemisphere.
  President Reagan followed that policy by starting the Caribbean Basin 
Initiative, which forms the foundation of the programs we are extending 
today.
  Presidents and Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle 
continued this policy by enacting NAFTA, the Andean Trade Partnership 
Act, the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act, CAFTA, HOPE, the Peru 
Trade Agreement, and now the legislation before us today. I hope we can 
add to this progress and create the means to bring the pending 
agreements with Colombia and Panama to a successful vote.
  In addition, this legislation shows again that Congress can and will 
adjust and expand U.S. trade preference programs as necessary to ensure 
that they are working properly and providing the maximum benefits 
possible.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill really does get it right: it provides real 
economic development assistance to Haiti; it supports U.S. jobs; and it 
demonstrates that carefully balanced, regionally focused U.S. trade 
preference programs can bring our trading partners, development

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experts, and U.S. manufacturers together to support pro-trade 
legislation. For these reasons, I urge all my colleagues to support 
this bill.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of H.R. 5160, I 
rise in support of this bipartisan legislation and urge its immediate 
enactment to support the ongoing recovery efforts in Haiti.
  In January, a massive earthquake struck the country of Haiti, killing 
hundreds of thousands of people and displacing millions more. The quake 
devastated the country's infrastructure which continues to make the 
delivery of humanitarian assistance difficult. It is well known that 
Haiti is the poorest, least developed country in the Western Hemisphere 
and that the vast majority of Haitians earn less than $2 a day. Helping 
Haiti permanently recover from this crisis while also strengthening an 
already struggling Haitian economy will require more than humanitarian 
assistance--the Haitian people will need jobs. The bill we consider 
today is an effort to aid job promotion in the country's important 
textile industry.
  This measure extends the trade benefits Haiti enjoys under the 
Caribbean Basin Trade Promotion Act and increases Haitian admission 
quotas on apparel destined for U.S. markets. This effort, when combined 
with the Haiti Debt Relief Act which passed in March, should help 
relieve some of the economic burden on the Haitian people and give them 
the freedom and the tools they need to begin rebuilding their nation.
  Mr. LEVIN. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 5160, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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