TRADE Act of 2009

The Tariff Relief Assistance for Developing Economies (TRADE) Act of 2009 was designed to provide duty-free access to U.S. markets for specific goods imported from 15 developing nations, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Cambodia. By removing tariffs on items like textiles and apparel, the bill aimed to encourage economic growth in these countries while lowering the cost of imported clothing and manufactured goods for American consumers. To qualify, participating countries had to meet specific labor and human rights standards, and the President had to ensure that the imports would not unfairly harm domestic U.S. industries.