House Passes AGOA Enhancement Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Late Wednesday, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calf.), ranking Member of the House Africa Subcommittee, applauded the passage of the AGOA Enhancement Act, which passed by a unanimous voice vote on the House Floor. The bill, introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.), to make the African Growth and Opportunity Act more effective by directing the President to establish a website with information regarding AGOA and by encouraging embassies in chosen countries promote export opportunities to the United States.

An additional key element of the AGOA Enhancement Act is the inclusion of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact extension. This portion of the bill, originally drafted by Rep. Bass in her MCORE Act of 2015, was incorporated in Chairman Royce’s AGOA Enhancement Act and enables eligible countries with Millennium Challenge Corporation compacts to simultaneously enter one additional compact if the country is making considerable and demonstrable progress in implementing the terms of the existing Compact. This would promote and develop a stronger economic relationship between the sub-Saharan Africa and the United States.

For well over a decade, AGOA has served as the key foundation to U.S. - Africa trade and investment. The AGOA Enhancement Act hopes to build on and improve this successful law. “For its part, H.R. 2845, the AGOA Enhancement Act, helps to implement a more effective AGOA,” said Rep. Bass during a statement on the House Floor. “Africa is part of our interconnected global economy, and this bill further strengthens legislation that has served as the cornerstone of the U.S. – Africa economic relationship.”

“This is absolutely a step in the right direction,” Rep Bass continued. “AGOA cannot, and will not live up to its full potential or be implemented effectively without complementary legislation such as the AGOA Enhancement Act.”

Rep. Bass has devoted a large portion of her time in Congress to pushing for the extension of AGOA. Working hand-in-hand with Democratic and Republican members of Congress, business and labor officials as well as the AGOA ambassadors and members of the African diaspora and civil society to push for the reauthorization of AGOA, earning its passage in June of last year. 

To watch the full Floor statement given by Rep. Bass, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o18PoDqLZ_s  

For more information on Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact, click here: https://www.mcc.gov/about