Congress extends Haiti trade deal, refunds duties on imports from gap period
H.R. 6504 — Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act · Filed by Gregory Murphy (R-NC) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Dec 9, 2025 · Passed chamber
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What it does
This bill extends duty-free (tariff-free) import treatment for apparel and certain goods from Haiti under a trade program through December 31, 2028, and restores eligibility for articles that lost preferential status due to tariff-schedule changes. It also allows importers to request refunds of duties paid on Haitian goods imported between September 30, 2025, and the bill's enactment, if those goods would have qualified for duty-free treatment under the program.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is extending and restoring duty-free treatment for Haitian imports under an existing trade program, with a retroactive refund mechanism for duties paid during a lapsed period.
What the text implies
- The retroactive duty refund (Section 4) creates a 180-day window for importers to file claims for refunds on entries made between September 30, 2025, and enactment. This may incentivize importers to file claims for marginal or disputed entries, potentially creating administrative burden on U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
- The bill restores eligibility for articles that lost preferential status due to tariff-schedule revisions, but does not specify which articles or categories are affected, delegating the determination to a presidential proclamation. This creates uncertainty about the scope of restored benefits until the proclamation is issued.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
Haitian apparel manufacturers and exporters; U.S. importers of Haitian goods; U.S. retailers and consumers of apparel