House Advances America’s Strategic Interests in Africa and Haiti, Eliminates Payments to Dead People

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House of Representatives has voted to continue bipartisan trade programs, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and HOPE/HELP for Haiti, that protect and strengthen America's strategic, economic, and national security interests - including access to critical minerals found outside the United States. AGOA is a key element of U.S. strategy to challenge Chinese and Russian economic coercion and exploitation of African nations. HOPE/HELP advances stability in the Western Hemisphere by providing economic opportunity for the people of Haiti, a nation less than 700 miles from the United States that has a history of humanitarian crises.

The House also approved legislation making permanent the Department of Treasury's access to Social Security data to curb federal payments to deceased people. In its first year alone, this fraud prevention measure saved $108 million. The Social Security Administration's (SSA) current authority to share its complete death data with the Treasury will expire at the end of this year. The Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act grants the SSA permanent authority to share its data with the Treasury's Do Not Pay system. The bill will now go to the President's desk to become law.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) released the following statement celebrating House passage of these bipartisan Ways and Means legislation:

"AGOA and HOPE/HELP for Haiti are long-standing trade programs that serve America's economic and national security interests. With today's vote, I'm glad that these programs continue their history of bipartisan support. These programs are key for countering the threats to America's strategic and economic security posed by China and Russia in Africa and by turmoil inside Haiti. This is particularly important when it comes to securing our nation's supply chains and access to critical minerals. A swift reauthorization will ensure the United States can support reliable trading partners and deny nations that seek to exploit resources and spread harmful influence around the world more room to advance their interests."

"Taxpayers expect Congress to safeguard their money from waste, fraud, and abuse. It is imperative that we make proven fraud prevention measures permanent, and, in this instance, do all we can to eliminate improper federal payments to the dead. I'm excited to have another Ways and Means bill go to President Trump's desk for his signature to become law."

AGOA Extension Act (H.R. 6500)

• The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is the cornerstone of economic relations between the U.S. and sub-Saharan African nations.
• AGOA has the most stringent eligibility criteria of any trade preference program; countries must meet strict standards related to rule of law and political pluralism, anti-corruption, intellectual property rights, human rights, and market access. Further, the program ensures beneficiaries do not undermine U.S. national security or foreign policy interests.
• An extended lapse in AGOA would create a void that malign actors like China and Russia will seek to fill.
• Africa is home to approximately 30 percent of the world's critical mineral resources and China has invested $8 to $10 billion in Africa to try to monopolize these essential supply chains.
• The Trump Administration has focused on stability in Africa, most recently evidenced by President Trump's work to secure peace between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Administration's announcement of a Strategic Partnership Agreement with the DRC to develop critical minerals.
• This bill renews AGOA for 3 years.

Read a fact sheet on the bill here.

Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act (H.R. 6504)

• Haiti receives U.S. trade preferences for textile and apparel products through several trade programs, including the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE) and Haiti Economic Lift Program Act (HELP).
• An extended lapse in these programs could jeopardize Haiti's apparel manufacturing industry, exacerbating the current political instability in the country, and increasing security concerns in the U.S.
• The bill renews the HOPE/HELP program for 3 years.
• Renewal of these programs supports nearshoring and onshoring goals for American trade that will benefit American workers and businesses.

Read a fact sheet on the bill here.

Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act (S. 269)

• This bill permanently authorizes the Social Security Administration (SSA) to share its full Death Master File with the Treasury Department's Do Not Pay (DNP) service.
• In 2021, the SSA received authority to share its full death data with Treasury's DNP service to curb improper payments made to deceased individuals for a three-year period beginning in December 2023. That authority expires in December 2026.
• By the end of 2026 when the current authority expires, this data exchange is projected to save $330 million across the federal government.

Read a fact sheet on the bill here.