H.R. 1625 — Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act of 2025

This section revises and extends preferential duty-free treatment for certain apparel articles imported directly from Haiti under sec. 213A of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (i.e., HOPE/HELP provisions, which promote economic development in Haiti by allowing duty-free entry for qualifying woven apparel and limited knit apparel assembled from U.S. or regional yarns and fabrics, subject to value-added and quantitative restrictions) as follows: (1) in subsection (b)(1), sets the applicable percentage (i.e., Haitian value-added content) at 60% or more on and after December 20, 2017, and limits such treatment after the initial one-year period (beginning December 20, 2006) to not more than 1.25% of aggregate square meter equivalents of all U.S. apparel imports in the most recent 12-month period for which data are available; (2) in subsection (b)(2), applies provisions allowing carryover of unused quantities to any succeeding one-year period (from only the 16 succeeding one-year periods); and (3) delays termination of the duty-free treatment to September 30, 2035.

This section directs the President to proclaim modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States restoring eligibility for preferential tariff treatment under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act (19 U.S.C. 2703a)—which provides duty-free access for certain apparel and other articles imported directly from Haiti or the Dominican Republic—for articles eligible for such treatment on December 20, 2006, but ineligible after that date and before enactment due to HTS revisions. The proclamation takes effect no earlier than two business days after the President submits a report to the Senate Committee on Finance and House Committee on Ways and Means explaining the modifications and reasons therefor.