,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bieb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #bg 
7legislative day1 ,september #bb71      
#bjbc,mr4 ,kennedy introduced the       
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,finance 
,a ,,bill  ,to extend the ,african      
,growth and ,opportunity ,act4  #a4     
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,,agoa ,extension ,act of #bjbc4    
#b4 ,findings2 sense of ,congress  7a7  
,findings ,congress makes the following 
findings3 7#a7 ,since its enactment in  
#bjjj1 the ,african ,growth and         
,opportunity ,act 7#ai ,u4,s4,c4 #cgja  
et seq47 has been the centerpiece of    
trade relations between the ,united     
,states and sub-,saharan ,africa and has
 enhanced trade1 investment1 job        
creation1 and democratic institutions   
throughout ,africa4  7#b7 ,trade and    
investment1 as facilitated by the       
,african ,growth and ,opportunity ,act1 
promote economic growth1 development1   

poverty reduction1 democracy1 the rule  
of law1 and stability in sub-,saharan   
,africa4  7#c7 ,since its initial       
enactment1 the trade preference program 
under the ,african ,growth and          
,opportunity ,act1 which has bipartisan 
support1 has played an integral role in 
creating economic opportunity in        
sub-,saharan ,africa1 as well as        
supporting nearly #abj1jjj jobs in the  
,united ,states4  7b7 ,sense of         
,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress 
that-- 7#a7 it is in the interest of the
 ,united ,states to engage and compete  
in emerging markets in sub-,saharan     
,african countries1 to boost trade and  
investment between the ,united ,states  
and sub-,saharan ,african countries1 and
 to renew the ,african ,growth and      
,opportunity ,act2  7#b7 the long-term  
economic security of the ,united ,states
 is enhanced by strong economic and     
political ties with the fastest-growing 
economies in the world1 many of which   
are in sub-,saharan ,africa2  7#c7 it is

 a goal of the ,united ,states to       
further integrate sub-,saharan ,african 
countries into the global economy1      
stimulate economic development in       
,africa1 and diversify sources of growth
 in sub-,saharan ,africa2  7#d7 the     
elimination of barriers to trade and    
investment in sub-,saharan ,africa1     
including high tariffs1 forced          
localization requirements1 restrictions 
on investment1 and customs barriers1    
will create opportunities for workers1  
businesses1 farmers1 and ranchers in the
 ,united ,states and sub-,saharan       
,african countries2 and  7#e7 extending 
the ,african ,growth and ,opportunity   
,act for #bj years provides stability   
for all parties involved and creates    
more time before ,congress must again   
address its expiration4  #c4 ,extension 
of ,african ,growth and ,opportunity    
,act  7a7 ,in general ,section #ejf;,b  
of the ,trade ,act of #aigd 7#ai        
,u4,s4,c4 #bdff;b7 is amended-- 7#a7 by 
striking section #ejf;,a7c7 and         

inserting section #ejf;,a7e72 and  7#b7 
by striking ,september #cj1 #bjbe and   
inserting ,september #cj1 #bjde4  7b7   
,african ,growth and ,opportunity ,act  
7#a7 ,in general ,section #aab7;g7 of   
the ,african ,growth and ,opportunity   
,act 7#ai ,u4,s4,c4 #cgba7;g77 is       
amended by striking ,september #cj1     
#bjbe and inserting ,september #cj1     
#bjde4  7#b7 ,extension of regional     
apparel article program ,section        
#aab7;b77#c77;,a7 of the ,african       
,growth and ,opportunity ,act 7#ai      
,u4,s4,c4 #cgba7;b77#c77;,a77 is        
amended-- 7,a7 in clause 7i71 by        
striking #ba succeeding and inserting   
#da succeeding2 and  7,b7 in clause     
7ii77,,ii71 by striking ,september #cj1 
#bjbe and inserting ,september #cj1     
#bjde4  7#c7 ,extension of third-country
 fabric program ,section #aab7;c77#a7 of
 the ,african ,growth and ,opportunity  
,act 7#ai ,u4,s4,c4 #cgba7;c77#a77 is   
amended-- 7,a7 in the paragraph heading1
 by striking ,september #cj1 #bjbe and  

inserting ,september #cj1 #bjde2  7,b7  
in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking       
,september #cj1 #bjbe and inserting     
,september #cj1 #bjde2 and  7,c7 in     
subparagraph 7,b77ii71 by striking      
,september #cj1 #bjbe and inserting     
,september #cj1 #bjde4