Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Yvette Clarke Lead CBC Letter to Congressional Leadership on Reauthorization of Haiti Trade Preferences Programs

WASHINGTON. D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) and Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) led a letter on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus to Congressional Leadership, emphasizing support for the early renewal of the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Acts, commonly known as HOPE/HELP. Reps. Cherfilus-McCormick and Clarke both serve as Co-Chairs of the Haiti Caucus alongside Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA).
“The HOPE/HELP trade preference program has been a fundamental source of continued economic growth for Haiti, boosting the apparel sector and spurring job creation across the country,” said Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick. “At a time when Haiti finds itself plagued by uncertainty, this program must continue uninterrupted.”
“While the Republic of Haiti remains in the midst of this challenging and transitional period in its history, it’s pivotal the United States supports all necessary mechanisms to alleviate needless turmoil and prevent further difficulties from falling upon our beloved ally and its people. The HOPE/HELP Acts has long served as an invaluable source of economic stimulation and stability within its apparel industry. As First Vice-Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, I’m proud to stand with Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick and my CBC colleagues urging the immediate need for the reauthorization of these vital programs,” said Rep. Yvette Clarke.
HOPE/HELP are preference programs that benefit the Republic of Haiti by granting preferential treatment for certain apparel, supporting Haiti’s largest industrial sector and the foundation for economic development. As a result of the HOPE and HELP programs, employment in the garment sector recently reached a peak of almost 60,000 workers. Haiti’s apparel exports have grown to over $1 billion, representing over 90% of the country’s total exports.
The signatories of the letter are urging Congressional Leadership to support the immediate reauthorization of the HOPE/HELP legislation until 2035, as current authorization is set to expire in two years. On June 8, Vice President Kamala Harris announced that the Biden Administration strongly supports the extension of the HOPE/HELP trade preferences program for Haiti.
Additional signatories of the letter include Reps. Joyce Beatty (D-OH); André Carson (D-IN), Troy Carter (D-LA), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), David Scott (D-GA), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Nikema Williams (D-GA), and Jonathan Jackson (D-IL).
The text of the letter can be accessed here.