SB 742, the Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act of 2025, would extend and modify the special duty-free treatment Haiti receives under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA). The bill updates the statutory criteria for Haiti’s apparel benefits, including the applicable percentage requirement and the quantitative cap on eligible apparel imports, and it extends the duty-free treatment period through September 30, 2035. It also directs the President to proclaim tariff schedule changes needed to restore preferential treatment for certain articles that were eligible on December 20, 2006 but later lost eligibility because of revisions to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
The bill would amend 19 U.S.C. 2703a, the section of CBERA that governs Haiti-specific trade preferences, and would require a presidential proclamation to implement tariff schedule modifications. Any such proclamation could not take effect until at least two business days after the President submits a report to the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee explaining the changes. In practical terms, the bill would preserve and potentially broaden Haiti’s access to the U.S. market for qualifying goods, especially apparel, by keeping duty-free treatment in place for a longer period and restoring eligibility for certain excluded products.
Impact
SB 742 would change federal tariff law by amending the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act’s Haiti provisions, extending duty-free treatment for qualifying Haitian imports until 2035, and adjusting the rules governing apparel preferences and product eligibility. It would affect importers, Haitian producers, and U.S. customs administration by maintaining preferential tariff access and requiring executive action to restore eligibility for certain goods through the Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broadly supportive, bipartisan backing based on its sponsors, who include Senators Cassidy, Warnock, Durbin, and Scott of Florida. The available record shows no committee transcript, vote tally, or recorded opposition, but the cross-party sponsorship suggests the measure is framed as a trade and development extension with humanitarian and economic support for Haiti rather than a partisan issue.
Contention
The main policy issues likely concern the scope and duration of the trade preference, especially the extension of duty-free treatment through 2035 and the restoration of eligibility for articles that lost preferential status after tariff schedule revisions. Potential points of contention include the impact on U.S. textile and apparel interests, the appropriateness of extending special trade treatment for such a long period, and whether the eligibility and quantitative limits are set at the right level to support Haiti without creating unintended market distortions. No specific objections are recorded in the provided materials.
Related
District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2026 Judiciary Appropriations Act, 2026 Executive Office of the President Appropriations Act, 2026 Department of the Treasury Appropriations Act, 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2026 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026 Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2026 Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 2026 Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2026 Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2026 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026 Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2026 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026