[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 8 (Monday, January 12, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H637-H642]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AGOA EXTENSION ACT
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 6500) to extend duty-free treatment provided with
respect to imports from certain countries in Africa under the African
Growth and Opportunity Act, to extend customs user fees, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 6500
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 ``AGOA Extension Act''.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR CERTAIN
COUNTRIES IN AFRICA UNDER AFRICAN GROWTH AND
OPPORTUNITY ACT; RETROACTIVE APPLICATION.
(a) Extension.--
(1) Trade act of 1974.--Section 506B of the Trade Act of
1974 (19 U.S.C. 2466b) is amended by striking ``September 30,
2025'' and inserting ``December 31, 2028''.
(2) African growth and opportunity act.--
(A) In general.--Section 112(g) of the African Growth and
Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3721(g)) is amended by striking
``September 30, 2025'' and inserting ``December 31, 2028''.
(B) Regional apparel article program.--Section 112(b)(3)(A)
of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C.
3721(b)(3)(A)) is amended--
(i) in clause (i), by striking ``21 succeeding'' and
inserting ``24 succeeding''; and
(ii) in clause (ii)(II), by striking ``September 30, 2025''
and inserting ``December 31, 2028''.
(C) Third-country fabric program.--Section 112(c)(1) of the
African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3721(c)(1)) is
amended--
(i) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``september 30,
2025'' and inserting ``december 31, 2028'';
(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``September 30,
2025'' and inserting ``December 31, 2028''; and
(iii) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ``September 30,
2025'' and inserting ``December 31, 2028''.
(b) Retroactive Application.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 514 of the Tariff
Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1514) or any other provision of law,
and subject to paragraph (2), any entry of a covered article
to which duty-free treatment or other preferential treatment
under section 506A of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2466a)
would have applied if the entry had been made on September
30, 2025, that was made--
(A) after September 30, 2025, and
(B) before the date of the enactment of this Act,
shall be liquidated or reliquidated as though such entry
occurred on the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) Requests.--A liquidation or reliquidation may be made
under paragraph (1) with respect to an entry only if a
request therefor is filed with the Commissioner of U.S.
Customs and Border Protection not later than 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act that contains
sufficient information to enable such Commissioner--
(A) to locate the entry; or
(B) to reconstruct the entry if it cannot be located.
(3) Payment of amounts owed.--Any amounts owed by the
United States pursuant to the liquidation or reliquidation of
an entry of a covered article under paragraph (1) shall be
paid, without interest of any kind, not later than 90 days
after the date of the liquidation or reliquidation (as the
case may be).
(4) Definitions.--In this subsection:
(A) Covered article.--The term ``covered article'' means an
article from a country that is designated by the President as
a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country under section 104
of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3703) as
of the day before the date of the enactment of this Act.
(B) Entry.--The term ``entry'' includes a withdrawal from
warehouse for consumption.
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CUSTOMS USER FEES.
(a) In General.--Section 13031(j)(3) of the Consolidated
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (19 U.S.C.
58c(j)(3)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``September 30, 2031''
and inserting ``December 31, 2031''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking ``September 30,
2031'' and inserting ``December 31, 2031''.
(b) Rate for Merchandise Processing Fees.--Section 503 of
the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation
Act (19 U.S.C. 3805 note) is amended by striking ``September
30, 2031'' and inserting ``December 31, 2031''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on this bill under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6500, the AGOA Extension
Act, legislation to reauthorize the African Growth and Opportunity Act
trade preference program.
Our Nation's economic, strategic, and national security interests are
front and center in AGOA. Think about it: This program strengthens our
critical supply chains and helps us counter the harmful global
influence of nations like China and Russia.
Don't just take my word for it. A witness testifying before the Ways
and Means Trade Subcommittee put it bluntly when discussing the
potential for a lapse in AGOA when he said: ``There will be a party in
Moscow. There will be a party in Beijing if we don't reauthorize it.''
To achieve this, however, we aren't going to lower our standards.
This extension maintains the most stringent eligibility criteria of any
trade preference program, with annual reviews to defend IP rights,
human rights, market access, and the rule of law against corruption. To
be eligible, countries must also ensure they are not undermining
America's national security or foreign policy interests.
While we still need a longer-term AGOA extension, this
reauthorization provides a much-needed level of certainty and stability
in the near term so that Congress can continue its work on future
reforms to address and strengthen U.S. priorities. After all, U.S.
businesses have invested $8 billion annually under AGOA while our
African trading partners have begun to open their markets for U.S.
agriculture.
Protecting market access for America's farmers and ranchers is
incredibly important to the rural communities I represent in Missouri,
a point I have made in my travels to the regions going back to 2015
when I attended the AGOA forum in Gabon.
After we take this step, we can build further. Americans would
benefit if African nations graduated into formal bilateral trade
agreements with the U.S.
[[Page H638]]
Right now, the nation of Mauritius is on track to graduate from AGOA
within the next 5 years. When African nations take steps to expand
their markets to American products, graduating from AGOA should have
clear benefits, not negative consequences.
Africa is home to 30 percent of the world's critical mineral
reserves, and China is quickly moving to corner the market on critical
minerals and exploit Africa's vast resources. Stronger partnerships
with African nations mean we will limit China's ability to make further
gains in the region and protect our national security interests.
{time} 1710
Madam Speaker, for example, last year the Trump administration
announced a strategic partnership agreement with the Democratic
Republic of the Congo to develop critical minerals.
I thank the chairman of our Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee,
Congressman Adrian Smith, for his tremendous work and leadership in
proactively building support for this renewal effort.
I urge my colleagues to support this extension of AGOA, which
received strong bipartisan approval in the Ways and Means Committee. I
look forward to continuing to work across the aisle to further
strengthen this critical program.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. SEWELL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6500, the AGOA
Extension Act.
For over two decades, AGOA, the African Growth and Opportunity Act,
has affirmed America's commitment to expanding economic opportunity,
creating jobs, strengthening strategic partnerships, and forging
mutually beneficial economic bonds between the United States and our
allies in sub-Saharan Africa.
Since its enactment in 2000, AGOA has provided duty-free access to
the U.S. market for a broad range of goods from eligible AGOA sub-
Saharan African countries. AGOA has enjoyed broad bicameral and
bipartisan support from both Democrats and Republicans from both the
House and the Senate.
By lowering barriers for African exports, AGOA expands demand for
U.S. services and inputs--from agricultural equipment to digital and
logistic services to energy and finance--supporting jobs at home and
abroad.
In an era of global economic disruption, AGOA helps U.S. companies
diversify supply sources and build resilient and market-oriented
networks in key sectors, including textiles, agriculture, and renewable
energy.
By providing preferential treatment for developing African countries,
AGOA promotes U.S. strategic influence and democratic values, as well
as economic prosperity. Eligibility under AGOA is directly tied to the
progress by these developing African countries on market reform, rule
of law, labor standards, and human rights.
The conditionality of this trade preference program harnesses trade
as a catalyst for reform, not just revenue. Unfortunately, the AGOA
program expired in September 2025, creating uncertainty for the future
of America's relationship with the region.
The bill we are considering today will extend AGOA for 3 years and
will send a clear message to the African Continent that we are
committed to strengthening our shared prosperity.
Over the last few years, I have met directly with AGOA country
leaders, civil society groups, and business communities about the
importance of maintaining and improving the AGOA program.
I also had an opportunity to travel to Africa with Chairman Smith. To
a person, they all said the same thing. While they wanted a 10-year
reauthorization, and it was preferable, to a person they all said that
we needed certainty in this program.
The fact that the program ended in September 2025 has been a serious
source of concern for many. A clean, 3-year reauthorization is
preferable to allowing AGOA to lapse because businesses require
predictability and certainty.
Investment decisions cannot wait for prolonged negotiations or
uncertainty. A lapse has caused immediate harm to African exporters and
U.S. importers, disrupting supply chains and costing jobs on both
sides.
Reauthorization preserves U.S. credibility. Letting AGOA expire
signals disengagement at a time when competitors like Russia and China
are deepening their presence across the continent.
Reforms can and should be considered, but holding the program hostage
for a perfect bill is too high of a price to pay. The cost of inaction
is far greater than the cost of moving forward today.
Africa provides an important growth opportunity for U.S. markets.
Economic growth is rapidly accelerating on the African Continent. By
2050, one in four people in the world will be African. As women become
more integrated into the formal economy and the young workforce is
empowered by emerging technologies, the region is poised to be the next
rising economic powerhouse in the 21st century.
Therefore, it is in America's national interest to strengthen our
ties with the region and encourage this growth by deepening our trade
relations. If we don't nurture this important relationship, China and
others will. We can ill afford to allow others to fill the void.
AGOA is more than just about tariffs and duty-free access to markets.
Passing this bill will demonstrate that Congress is committed to our
long-term relationship with Africa. Most importantly, reauthorizing
AGOA sends a very strong message that, even though the President's
rhetoric toward many African countries has been a distraction, we in
Congress do acknowledge the very important role that the continent of
Africa plays.
To be clear, AGOA is not just a priority for the Congressional Black
Caucus, although it is. It has been a decades-long bipartisan priority,
and it stands as a proud example of America's commitment to deepening
trust, stability, and shared prosperity with our AGOA allies.
I strongly support the 3-year reauthorization of the program.
Moreover, during this extension, I hope we can continue our bipartisan
efforts to modernize the program. I believe that we are making real
progress on provisions that would strengthen enforcement, that would
improve congressional oversight, strengthen critical mineral supply
chains, improve utilization, and establish a smooth graduation path
that encourages economic development.
Again, I thank Chairman Jason Smith, as well as Ranking Member Neal,
for making AGOA a bipartisan priority for this committee. I also thank
Ways and Means Chief Trade Counsel Alexandra Whittaker for her tireless
efforts on this issue.
I strongly urge all of my colleagues to vote for this bill and to
send a strong signal to our African allies that leaders in Congress,
both Republicans and Democrats, respect and value our continued
partnership.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith).
Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the diligent work
of the full committee chairman, Chairman Smith, to prioritize this
issue.
Madam Speaker, we have an opportunity to advance the bipartisan
legacy of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a program which has
been a pillar of U.S. trade and economic engagement throughout sub-
Saharan Africa.
As we all know, trade requires consistent engagement. With over
17,000 tariff lines and complex supply chains, trade is a detailed and
dynamic system which values certainty.
AGOA is a unique opportunity to strengthen trading relationships
through market signals and cooperation on our partners' trade and
investment policy, rule of law, as well as worker and human rights. We
cannot sit on the sidelines while our global adversaries, including the
Chinese Communist Party, spread their malign influence across the
continent.
As the Trump administration engages on trade, AGOA can be a
complementary trade policy as we look to build mutually beneficial
reciprocal trade. Though preference programs can be the foundation of
our engagement with developing countries, they should never be the
extent of it.
Take Kenya, for example. It has been a beneficiary of the program
since it
[[Page H639]]
began. When AGOA first went into effect in 2000, Kenya had very limited
trade with the United States. Under AGOA, Kenya's GDP has grown
exponentially, as have their imports from the U.S. As their economy has
succeeded, so has their capacity for trade.
This was why I was so eager to see the first Trump administration
work to advance bilateral negotiations with Kenya, and I hope to see
continued progress with Kenya and other potential partners.
As the world works to avoid overreliance on unreliable single
sources, redundant supply chains for both inputs and markets for our
outbound products are key. Stronger partnerships across Africa can be a
solution for many of these items, from critical minerals to
agriculture.
With the fastest growing population and untapped economic potential,
we must maintain reliable and proactive engagement across the
continent.
Madam Speaker, again, I welcome all my colleagues to join me in
supporting this bipartisan program.
{time} 1720
Ms. SEWELL. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Doggett).
Mr. DOGGETT. Madam Speaker, I support strengthening our relations
with African countries through the African Growth and Opportunity
Extension Act. I think increased trade, economic activity, and
development that respects human rights, labor rights, and the
environment can benefit both Americans and Africans.
I think that trade is especially important at this time after the
profound damage done by the consistent disrespect by President Trump of
Africans, unless they happen to be White Afrikaners, and, more
importantly, by his abrupt and unjustified termination of the Agency
for International Development, which has cost tens of thousands of
lives in Africa and other places, and thousands of American jobs. AGOA
cannot undo all of that harm, but it can be part of responsible
engagement, if it is done right.
It is important, however, to understand that this reauthorization
does not guarantee a single African country the benefits of this bill
if they fall out of favor with President Trump. The role of Congress is
constrained. The bill continues to empower the President to include or
exclude countries entirely at his whim, and we know how unpredictable,
vengeful, and punitive he can be.
While I support AGOA, I do not support extending it to countries with
serious human rights abuses, nor to those engaging in serious
environmental destruction, such as the devastation of Africa's
rainforests.
In Tanzania, bodies filled morgues as more than 700 people last fall
were reportedly killed in connection with the recent election. Peaceful
protesters in Mozambique, Angola, and Madagascar were shot by security
forces. Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are involved in
multiple war crimes, despite President Trump's failed attempts to
achieve a peace agreement.
I have particular concern about Kenya from a business standpoint. A
longtime, well-respected Austin resident, an engineer and law-abiding
citizen, serves as co-president of LightPulse, a respected Kenyan
healthcare and educational institution. Kenyan authorities cooperated
in the abduction of one of his employees, who was taken to Turkiye and
tortured. The next thing that we knew, up on a website in Turkiye was a
declaration that my constituent was being labeled as a terrorist.
Another incident of this type occurred only last month, and the Kenyans
have been unable to provide a suitable explanation for their conduct.
Finally, American workers should not be forced to compete on an
uneven playing field, where China sends manufactured products to
Africa, there are minor changes made there, and then this product is
sent here as an AGOA trade preference product. Our trade laws should be
clear and not put our workers at a disadvantage by forcing them to
compete with these kinds of practices.
AGOA cannot undo the immense harm that President Trump has already
inflicted, but if properly structured, it can strengthen democratic
rights and environmental protection.
I would support a short-term extension paired with meaningful
reforms. We have had no shortage of time in order to get these reforms;
only a lack of will. We do not have that reform bill before us.
Madam Speaker, for all of those reasons, I respectfully urge my
colleagues to reject this bill and instead work toward a more
responsible, accountable reauthorization of AGOA.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Madam Speaker, we have no additional speakers
and are prepared to close.
Ms. SEWELL. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman
from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).
Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from
Alabama for yielding me time.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote in support
of renewing the African Growth and Opportunity Extension Act.
AGOA is a critical program to advance prosperity for the people of
sub-Saharan Africa and to maintain United States' leadership in the
region. It is a program that has bipartisan support.
AGOA is far from perfect, and so I understand concerns raised by a
wide range of stakeholders, including labor, environmental, and other
trade groups, about proposed changes to make this program better,
stronger, and more effective moving forward.
This is a straight reauthorization for 3 years, providing a runway
for all stakeholders to weigh in on needed improvements. To appropriate
the sage words of Frederick Douglass: ``Power concedes nothing without
a demand. It never did and it never will.''
The U.S. must not cede power to China or any other world power by not
curing the lapse of this vital, soft power tool.
Madam Speaker, I urge support of the bill.
Ms. SEWELL. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman
from the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett).
Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their work on
this bill.
Madam Speaker, at this time, I really don't have much to say except
that I am fully in support of this legislation. I am so thankful to my
colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee for working through this
and, of course, the tremendous work of the staff.
We know that, since enactment in 2000 of AGOA, it has been a key
element in providing support in sub-Saharan Africa for duty-free access
to U.S. markets for almost 6,000 products, which includes over 5,000
products under the Generalized System of Preferences, as well as 1,800
specific AGOA products.
We know that Africa has the youngest and fastest-growing youth
population, 60 percent under 25. Madam Speaker, 5 million young people
will enter the workforce from Africa in 2035.
We cannot concede, as a nation, this tremendous market that is
available not only for American economic growth and innovation but
African, as well. Russia and China have engaged in an extraction of
resources on the continent through their Belt and Road Initiative,
through the use of Wagner, as well as China extracting so many minerals
from this continent.
American innovation, economic support, and products are the products
that Africa wants to utilize. Unless we have AGOA, they cannot do so.
I thank the gentlewoman for allowing me to speak on this tremendous
opportunity.
Ms. SEWELL. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Meeks), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee.
Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, as a longtime proponent of the African
Growth and Opportunity Extension Act, I rise today in support of this
bipartisan bill, H.R. 6500, the AGOA Extension Act.
Let me first thank Ways and Means Committee Chairman Smith, Chairman
Smith of the Trade Subcommittee, Ranking Member Neal, and Ranking
Member Linda Sanchez for working on this in a bipartisan way and
getting it over the hurdle.
Madam Speaker, I also have to think about an individual who mentored
me. I cannot think about AGOA without thinking about the former
chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, the
[[Page H640]]
Honorable late Charles B. Rangel. He always spoke and thought of doing
what he could for the continent of Africa.
The African Growth and Opportunity Extension Act delivers significant
economic benefit to the United States. In removing barriers to trade
between the United States and Africa, AGOA has enabled approximately
$1.8 billion in salaries for American workers each year.
AGOA also provides approximately $1 billion in annual benefits to
American consumers. The program has resulted in millions of American
households enjoying lower prices for cocoa, coffee, and other goods
that the United States cannot produce at home.
American businesses understand the value of supporting robust U.S.-
Africa trade, which supports more than 450,000 jobs across the United
States.
For this reason, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Apparel &
Footwear Association, and countless other business associations are
calling for AGOA's reauthorization by Congress.
Put simply, this bill offers clear advantages for millions of
American workers. AGOA is essential to also protecting U.S. foreign
policy interests in Africa.
As we speak, China and other U.S. adversaries are trying to undermine
the African Continent to do this kind of work. In fact, Chinese
officials seek to deepen China's commercial ties with African
countries, prevent American businesses from competing in local markets,
and redirect trade away from the United States.
{time} 1730
Africa is the continent with the world's fastest growing population.
China recognizes the critical role that Africa will play in the future
and its economy and wants to exploit that, particularly as global
demand for critical minerals and rare earth elements increases. China
understands its own economy will benefit by making trade with Africa
easier, not harder, and that is why China is rooting for AGOA's demise
while offering zero-trade deals that mimic this vital U.S. program.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Ms. SEWELL. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the
gentleman from New York.
Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, there are certainly improvements we can
make in terms of encouraging countries to better utilize the trade
preferences offered under AGOA and to maximize their government
strategies to take full advantage of those benefits. I look forward to
working with my colleagues to improve AGOA over the next 3 years, but
extending the legislation is a first critical step.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to vote for this program.
Ms. SEWELL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
May I inquire as to how much time I have remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Alabama has 4 minutes
remaining.
Ms. SEWELL. Madam Speaker, in closing, I again thank Chairman Smith
and Ranking Member Neal, as well as Chairman Smith and Ranking Member
Sanchez of the Subcommittee on Trade for working so hard to make sure
that we reauthorize AGOA.
Last year alone, AGOA imports totaled $8 billion. Moreover, since
2002, AGOA has spurred more than $500 billion in exports to the United
States.
However, this year, the impact of the reciprocal tariffs, coupled
with the expiration of AGOA on September 30, threaten to erode 25 years
of economic cooperation.
If we fail to act, we will likely see weakening supply chains and
increased poverty across the continent. Moreover, many industries could
shift investments away from Africa and toward Asia. Sub-Saharan African
exports to China have overtaken exports to the United States. We should
not allow this trend to continue.
AGOA remains a centerpiece of United States trade in that region, and
turning our backs on Africa at this critical time would be disastrous.
Africa is diversifying their economy. It is expanding past textiles and
agriculture. The service sector is growing rapidly, and women are
beginning to get opportunities to enter the formal workforce.
During my visits to several African countries over the years, and
most recently with Chairman Smith, I witnessed personally the benefit
of AGOA, and I witnessed the entrepreneurial spirit of the people. As
internet access becomes broadly available, rapid economic growth and
opportunity will follow.
We have the ability to benefit from this inevitable growth in Sub-
Saharan Africa, and we should do something about it.
Madam Speaker, I am honored to be a part of this committee and a part
of this bipartisan effort to make sure we do just that.
In closing, I quote the first African-American chair of the Committee
on Ways and Means, Charlie Rangel, and what he said about AGOA. He is
often known as the father of AGOA. Charlie said: ``Since it was enacted
in 2000, AGOA has been the cornerstone of the U.S. trade policy with
Sub-Saharan Africa and has been a true success.''
AGOA has further contributed to diversification and competitiveness
of Sub-Saharan Africa's economies and supports hundreds of thousands of
jobs across the continent and the United States. I can think of no
better way for America to continue to expand its trade relationships
with Africa than reauthorizing this very important piece of
legislation.
Madam Speaker, I again ask my colleagues to vote in favor of this
reauthorization and extend a warm and hearty thank you to Chairman
Smith for making sure that this remains a bipartisan effort and we are
getting it across the finish line.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of
my time.
Madam Speaker, first, I say thank you to Ms. Sewell, and Mr. Neal for
their help in order to get this across the finish line. This is an
important piece of legislation that I know my staff, Josh Snead and
Hilary Pinegar, have worked tirelessly on for a long time to make sure
that this program does not die. I thank both the Democrat and
Republican staff. I thank Jorge Rueda and Alexandra Whittaker, as well.
I appreciate the hard work. This is super important.
Reauthorization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act will
advance the economic, strategic, and national security interests of the
United States today and pave the way for future reforms to strengthen
this critical program.
AGOA has a proven track record of holding our trading partners
accountable to the strictest standards, while opening markets to
American producers, particularly our farming community.
It is a vital tool to combat the harmful influence of nations like
China and protect America's supply chains, including access to critical
minerals.
Madam Speaker, I include in the Record an article discussing the
strategic importance of critical minerals.
[Sept. 3, 2025]
Why Is Renewing AGOA Strategic for U.S.-Africa Minerals Diplomacy?
(Critical Questions by Gracelin Baskaran)
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), first signed
into law by President Bill Clinton in 2000, is a unilateral
U.S. trade preference program set to expire in September
2025. Its pending reauthorization has sparked debate over
whether--and how--it should be extended and reformed. A
failure to extend AGOA could have larger ramifications at a
time when the United States is doubling down on its
commercial diplomacy--and more specifically, its mineral
diplomacy efforts--with Africa.
Q1: What is the strategic role of AGOA nations in reshaping
critical mineral supply chains?
A1: There are 33 African countries eligible to participate
in AGOA. Many of these countries--such as the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC), Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania,
Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia--are
among the world's most well endowed with critical minerals.
In fact, five of the world's top fifteen destinations for
rare earths exploration in the past year were AGOA
beneficiaries: South Africa, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, and
Angola. Together, they have roughly 50 high-grade rare earths
deposits. Moreover, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Tanzania
cumulatively hold graphite reserves on par with China's, even
though China accounted for 77 percent of global graphite
output in 2023. According to internal calculations, AGOA
beneficiary countries also hold 70 percent of the
[[Page H641]]
world's manganese, 89 percent of the world's platinum group
metals, 54 percent of cobalt, 23 percent of graphite, and 10
percent of copper. Much of this resource wealth remains
untapped, underscoring the vast potential for deepening U.S.-
Africa supply chain partnerships in critical minerals. The
U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has
financed--or is preparing to finance--mineral projects in a
number of AGOA countries, including Angola, Mozambique,
Tanzania, and Zambia.
Q2: What is AGOA's impact on critical minerals supply
chains?
A2: AGOA offers limited tariff advantages to the mining
sector, since most minerals already face relatively low
tariffs. Its real value lies in the realm of soft power. In
June 2025, China announced that it would expand market access
by removing tariffs on all imports from 53 African nations.
If the United States were to let AGOA expire and reimpose
tariffs on African exports, it would send a damaging signal
about the future of U.S. commercial diplomacy on the
continent. When African governments see comparable
opportunities from both the United States and China in the
mining sector, they will be more likely to lean toward
Beijing.
Q3: Why is renewing AGOA crucial for building long-term
minerals diplomacy?
A3: AGOA is important for building commercial diplomacy.
While mining generates significant revenue, it is not a major
source of employment. Compared to sectors like manufacturing,
agriculture, or services, mining has a much lower labor
multiplier. Modern operations are highly mechanized, relying
more on advanced technology and machinery than on large
workforces. The jobs that are created are typically
specialized--geologists, engineers, and metallurgists--
limiting wider employment opportunities. Yet Africa urgently
needs large-scale job creation, as its population of 1.4
billion is expected to grow to 2.5 billion by 2050. Mining
alone is not positioned to meet this demand.
By contrast, AGOA has supported the expansion of more
labor-intensive industries, such as textile manufacturing and
agriculture. Namibia illustrates this potential. With more
than 7.7 million cattle, sheep, and goats, its livestock
sector is substantial. After spending 15 years working to
meet stringent safety and logistical standards, Namibia
became the first African nation to export beef to the United
States in 2019. Exports reached 860 tons in 2020 and are
projected to grow to 5,000 tons by 2025. Namibia's Meatco has
significantly benefIted from duty-free access to the U.S.
market through AGOA. Given the infancy of the beef export
relationship with the United States, a disruption to AGOA
could risk its sustainability and undermine capital
investments within the sector.
Sustaining a positive economic relationship with Namibia is
key to advancing minerals diplomacy, particularly given its
significant mineral wealth. The country is home to the
world's fourth-largest uranium reserves--resources that could
support the U.S. nuclear renaissance. Today, Namibia hosts
three active uranium mines--Rossing, Husab, and Langer
Heinrich--all of which have significant Chinese ownership
through entities such as the China National Uranium
Corporation, China General Nuclear Power Group, and the China
Africa Development Fund. The Lofdal heavy rare earths
project, partly owned by Japanese investors, produces around
2,000 tons of rare earth oxides annually and contains some of
the world's most valuable heavy rare earth metals. In
addition, Namibia is on track to become Africa's third-
largest lithium producer by 2026.
Namibia's vast resource base, combined with its reputation
as one of Africa's most politically stable and well-governed
nations, positions it well to develop a growing industrial
processing ecosystem. But allowing AGOA to lapse would deal a
serious blow to Namibia's labor-intensive beef industry and
could undermine future U.S. minerals diplomacy in this
resource-rich nation, further ceding ground to China.
Zambia is another important jurisdiction for minerals
diplomacy. In the last few years, the U.S. government opened
its first-ever Commercial Service Office at the U.S. Embassy
in Lusaka and launched a Tripartite Alliance with Zambia and
the DRC to advance raw material extraction, processing, and
battery manufacturing. The DFC has also provided support to a
U.S. company developing one of Zambia's largest copper
projects.
Deepening minerals diplomacy will depend on strengthening
the bilateral economic relationship. Interviews with Zambian
stakeholders reveal mounting frustration among voters that
the mining sector is failing to deliver meaningful benefits
to the population. Zambia's heavy reliance on copper as its
dominant export, coupled with limited economic
diversification, has left the country highly exposed to
commodity price swings. Expanding U.S. investment into other
industries, such as agriculture, textiles, and manufacturing,
could ease pressure on the mining industry while
simultaneously strengthening Zambia's broader economy and
employment generation efforts. Such diversification would
generate shared benefits, improve public perceptions of
mining, and lessen the risk of abrupt policy shifts that
complicate operations for U.S. firms. The tax benefIts
derived from AGOA are an important investment incentive. In
2022, 55.3 percent of Zambia's exports to the United States
went through AGOA, making its renewal vital to sustaining
U.S.-Zambia commercial diplomacy.
More broadly, the expiration of AGOA would likely prompt
many African countries to reassess their economic diplomacy
strategies. Without preferential access to the U.S. market,
governments may find it more attractive--or even necessary--
to expand commercial and strategic partnerships with China,
which has already established itself as the dominant player
in Africa's trade, infrastructure, and minerals sectors. In
the critical minerals space in particular, Beijing's
willingness to provide financing, infrastructure, and
guaranteed offtake agreements could accelerate African
alignment with Chinese interests, potentially sidelining U.S.
efforts to build resilient, diversified supply chains.
Q4: Is AGOA congruent with the Trump administration's
Africa approach?
A4: It is. Since 2016, U.S. policy toward Africa under the
Trump administration has placed a strong emphasis on
commercial diplomacy, with critical minerals at the
forefront. A major step came in 2018 with the creation of the
DFC, which made its first equity investment in the critical
minerals sector the following year. In 2023, a review was
undertaken of the effectiveness of the President's Advisory
Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), an initiative
launched during the Obama administration with the mandate to
advise the U.S. president, through the commerce secretary, on
strategies to expand the United States' commercial engagement
across Africa. The review found that the Trump administration
convened more PAC-DBIA meetings than either Obama or Biden.
Since returning to office, Trump's Africa policy has been
characterized by senior officials emphasizing business and
trade over aid. U.S.-Africa engagement has increasingly
focused on critical minerals. One major initiative has been a
``minerals-for-security'' proposal in which President Felix
Tshisekedi offered the United States access to the Democratic
Republic of the Congo's resources in exchange for security
support. Following negotiations in Washington and Doha, the
DRC and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in Washington, D.C.,
on June 27, 2025. Attention is now turning to advancing
mineral cooperation and broader regional economic
integration. In July 2025, the DFC approved financing for two
critical minerals projects in sub-Saharan Africa. According
to its announcement, these investments are intended both to
spur regional development and to strengthen U.S. critical
mineral supply chains vital for energy, defense, and advanced
technologies.
The challenge for the Trump administration is balancing
AGOA, which is a unilateral trade preference program, with
its strong preference for more bilaterally beneficial
economic statecraft instruments.
Q5: What could AGOA 2.O look like?
A5: AGOA can become more bilaterally beneficial. Linking a
unilateral trade preference program with a mining investment
incentive could significantly boost capital flows into
Africa's mining sector. Such a framework could unlock greater
capital flows into Africa's mining sector, while ensuring
that off-take agreements from new projects are secured with
the United States and its allies.
A useful precedent for an investment incentive came from
the Inflation Reduction Act's Section 30D tax credit, which
offered up to $7,500 for the purchase of a new electric
vehicle if its batteries met specific sourcing requirements
for critical minerals and manufacturing. To qualify for the
minerals portion of the credit, a portion of the battery's
mineral content had to be extracted or processed in the
United States or a country with a U.S. free trade agreement
(FTA). This enabled graphite mined in Mozambique to qualify,
since it was processed in Louisiana--yielding benefits to
Mozambique's economy while strengthening graphite security
for the United States.
Although the 30D provision was recently eliminated, future
tax incentives of this kind could be powerful tools to
attract mineral investment in AGOA-eligible countries, with
the extracted resources routed to the United States or allied
partners for processing. The incentive should be industry
agnostic, so minerals sourced for defense, semiconductors,
and energy would be eligible for the incentive. However, in
the meantime, ensuring AGOA's renewal without interruption is
essential to signal the strength and continuity of the U.S.-
Africa economic relationship.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote
``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6500,
the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Extension Act, introduced
by Chairman Jason Smith.
This bill reauthorizes the AGOA program--first established by
Congress in 2000. AGOA is a nonreciprocal U.S. trade preference program
that encourages trade and investment with sub-Saharan African
countries.
Economic benefits of AGOA include:
The bolstering of economic growth.
Promoted economic and political reform.
Improved U.S. economic relations in the sub-Saharan Africa region.
Diversified supply chains.
New markets for American goods and services.
[[Page H642]]
Stronger and diversified American investments.
National security benefits of AGOA include:
Peace and stability in a region that our adversaries, such as China,
are trying to exploit.
An American presence in a region rich in critical minerals.
American values are being promoted abroad, resulting in governance
improvements that align sub-Saharan African nations with American
foreign policy.
AGOA greatly benefits our national security and economy. For those
reasons, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6500.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 6500, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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