Agoa Extension Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their work on this bill.

Madam Speaker, at this time, I really don't have much to say except that I am fully in support of this legislation. I am so thankful to my colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee for working through this and, of course, the tremendous work of the staff.

We know that, since enactment in 2000 of AGOA, it has been a key element in providing support in sub-Saharan Africa for duty-free access to U.S. markets for almost 6,000 products, which includes over 5,000 products under the Generalized System of Preferences, as well as 1,800 specific AGOA products.

We know that Africa has the youngest and fastest-growing youth population, 60 percent under 25. Madam Speaker, 5 million young people will enter the workforce from Africa in 2035.

We cannot concede, as a nation, this tremendous market that is available not only for American economic growth and innovation but African, as well. Russia and China have engaged in an extraction of resources on the continent through their Belt and Road Initiative, through the use of Wagner, as well as China extracting so many minerals from this continent.

American innovation, economic support, and products are the products that Africa wants to utilize. Unless we have AGOA, they cannot do so.

I thank the gentlewoman for allowing me to speak on this tremendous opportunity.

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