Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act

This bill aims to reauthorize the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) and the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act. These programs allow certain Haitian-made goods, primarily clothing and textiles, to enter the United States without being subject to standard import taxes or duties. Because the previous authorization for these benefits expired in September 2025, the bill proposes to apply these trade preferences retroactively, allowing businesses to seek refunds for duties paid during the gap in coverage.

If enacted, the legislation would extend these trade preferences through the end of 2028. Proponents argue that the extension would provide critical economic stability for Haiti by protecting thousands of manufacturing jobs and encouraging American companies to maintain supply chains in the region rather than moving them to other countries. For U.S. consumers and businesses, the bill seeks to keep costs lower for imported apparel while supporting a "nearshoring" strategy that favors trade with neighboring countries in the Western Hemisphere.