Bipartisan House Committee Votes to Renew AGOA Trade Program for Three Years
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a decisive bipartisan move, the House Ways and Means Committee voted 37-3 on Wednesday to advance legislation renewing the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a cornerstone of U.S.-Africa trade relations. The vote followed a meeting between committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) and a delegation of African ambassadors.
The proposed renewal would extend AGOA for an additional three years, seeking to restore the program that expired in September 2025 after a two-decade run. During its initial tenure, AGOA facilitated over $103 billion in non-oil exports from Africa to the United States, supporting economic diversification and job creation across the continent.
While established as a U.S. unilateral trade preference program, advocates emphasize that AGOA has matured into a mutually beneficial partnership. “AGOA is in many ways a two-way street,” noted one observer close to the negotiations, “even if it began and remains America’s primary preferential trade tool with Africa.”
The push for renewal has been bolstered by organizations like the Pan-African Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Economic Development (PACIED), which has worked to open new markets for African goods in major American cities including Detroit, Chicago, and Atlanta. PACIED also actively lobbied during the suspension of Uganda from the program in January 2024, highlighting the complex political and human rights considerations tied to AGOA eligibility.
“I am so pleased to see the work done by all our allies and friends of Africa,” said a PACIED representative in Washington for the vote. Key figures credited with advancing the effort include former U.S. Assistant Trade Representative for Africa Rosa Whitaker, Congressman Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), and numerous members of the Congressional Black Caucus. “I am even more happy it happens while I am here in DC to witness this critical step.”
The strong committee vote, with significant support from both parties, signals robust momentum for the legislation as it moves toward consideration by the full House and Senate. However, advocates caution that the work is not yet complete.
“Let us continue to work hard to get the law returning AGOA through Congress,” the PACIED representative urged, calling for sustained effort to ensure the final passage of the renewal. If enacted, the three-year extension would provide continuity for businesses and investors, allowing a key pillar of transatlantic economic cooperation to continue fostering growth and opportunity.
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