Obama Signs Bill Boosting Trade With Africa, Central America

President Obama signed into law HR-5986, which has provisions that involve trade with sub-Saharan Africa and Central America, and contains provisions to renew authorities under the Burma Freedom and Democracy Act. Congress passed the bill with overwhelming bipartisan support, the White House said. It addresses sub-Saharan Africa’s top trade priority with the U.S. by extending a key provision under the African Growth and Opportunity Act trade preference program until September 2015, the White House spokesman said. This provision, which was set to expire in the fall, will continue to allow duty-free access to the U.S. market for certain AGOA apparel exports. AGOA continues to be critical to expanding and diversifying our trade and investment relationship with Africa. The bill also includes technical amendments to textile and apparel provisions under the Central America--Dominican Republic--U.S. Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). The technical changes will have real job-supporting economic benefits for thousands of American workers in our textile and apparel industry, and will help boost economic growth in these developing regions, the White House said.