AGOA Extension Act

H.R. 6500 would extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade program that provides duty-free access to the U.S. market for most exports from eligible sub-Saharan African countries. The bill would renew these trade preferences through December 31, 2028, and would also extend customs user fees and merchandise processing fees through December 31, 2031. These fees are collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to help cover inspection costs for people and cargo entering the country.

The bill includes provisions allowing certain apparel products from African countries to enter the U.S. market duty-free, even if some materials come from non-AGOA countries. It also provides for refunds of duties paid by importers on African goods that entered the U.S. between October 1, 2025, and the date the bill becomes law, since AGOA temporarily lapsed on September 30, 2025.

For everyday citizens, this bill would affect prices and availability of goods imported from Africa, including textiles and apparel. It would provide certainty to American companies that source products from African countries, potentially stabilizing supply chains and prices for consumers. The bill passed the House and is now being considered by the Senate. According to the Congressional Budget Office, extending AGOA would reduce federal revenues by approximately $578 million over ten years, though it would also generate $1.1 billion in customs fee collections.