Sánchez, Neal, Sewell call on Congress to reauthorize AGOA

WASHINGTON— Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.), Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.), and Oversight Subcommittee Ranking Member Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) released the following statement on the importance of reauthorizing the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA): 

“The United States and Africa share a proud history of partnership in international trade and cooperation. Since 2000, the Ways and Means Committee has been the architect, keeper and champion of AGOA, which has rightfully earned its place in the centerpiece of U.S. trade relations. AGOA has expanded trade and investment in sub-Saharan Africa while promoting job creation and strengthening democratic institutions and worker rights throughout the continent. 

“Allowing AGOA to expire is unacceptable. It has always been renewed on time and never lapsed. Letting it expire now, while the Trump Administration is already shrinking away from Africa by dismantling USAID and other development assistance programs, would be a grave mistake, undermining decades of trust, stability, and U.S. leadership. 

“At a time when the Trump administration is fueling an increasingly hostile and unlawful trade war, that is already shaking confidence and killing investment, turning our backs on African partners would be disastrous. We call on House Republicans to work with us to find a bipartisan solution to lift the IEEPA tariffs and reauthorize AGOA. AGOA has stood proudly as a beacon of bipartisan success, and it must remain so for many years to come.” 

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