I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4889
To expand certain preferential trade treatment for Haiti. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 21, 2004
Mr. SHAW (for himself, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. FOLEY, Ms. HARRIS, Mr. GOSS, 
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART 
of Florida, and Mr. OBERSTAR) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To expand certain preferential trade treatment for Haiti.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Haiti Economic Recov-
ery Opportunity Act of 2004’’. 
SEC. 2. TRADE BENEFITS TO HAITI. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Caribbean Basin Economic 
Recovery Act (19 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) is amended by in-
serting after section 213 the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 213A. SPECIAL RULE FOR HAITI. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In addition to any other pref-
erential treatment under this Act, beginning on October 
1, 2003, and in each of the 7 succeeding 1-year periods, 
apparel articles described in subsection (b) that are im-
ported directly into the customs territory of the United 
States from Haiti shall enter the United States free of 
duty, subject to the limitations described in subsections 
(b) and (c), if Haiti has satisfied the requirements set 
forth in subsection (d). 
‘‘(b) APPAREL ARTICLES DESCRIBED.—Apparel arti-
cles described in this subsection are apparel articles that 
are wholly assembled or knit-to-shape in Haiti from any 
combination of fabrics, fabric components, components 
knit-to-shape, and yarns without regard to the country of 
origin of the fabrics, components, or yarns. 
‘‘(c) PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT.—The preferential 
treatment described in subsection (a), shall be extended—
‘‘(1) during the 12-month period beginning on 
October 1, 2003, to a quantity of apparel articles 
that is equal to 1.5 percent of the aggregate square 
meter equivalents of all apparel articles imported 
into the United States during the 12-month period 
beginning October 1, 2002; and
‘‘(2) during the 12-month period beginning on 
October 1 of each succeeding year, to a quantity of 
apparel articles that is equal to the product of—
‘‘(A) the percentage applicable during the 
previous 12-month period plus 0.5 percent (but 
not over 3.5 percent); and 
‘‘(B) the aggregate square meter equiva-
lents of all apparel articles imported into the 
United States during the 12-month period that 
ends on September 30 of that year. 
‘‘(d) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—Haiti shall be 
eligible for preferential treatment under this section if the 
President determines and certifies to Congress that 
Haiti—
‘‘(1) has established, or is making continual 
progress toward establishing—
‘‘(A) a market-based economy that protects 
private property rights, incorporates an open 
rules-based trading system, and minimizes gov-
ernment interference in the economy through 
measures such as price controls, subsidies, and 
government ownership of economic assets; 
‘‘(B) the rule of law, political pluralism, 
and the right to due process, a fair trial, and 
equal protection under the law;
‘‘(C) the elimination of barriers to United 
States trade and investment, including by—
‘‘(i) the provision of national treat-
ment and measures to create an environ-
ment conducive to domestic and foreign in-
vestment; 
‘‘(ii) the protection of intellectual 
property; and 
‘‘(iii) the resolution of bilateral trade 
and investment disputes; 
‘‘(D) economic policies to reduce poverty, 
increase the availability of health care and edu-
cational opportunities, expand physical infra-
structure, promote the development of private 
enterprise, and encourage the formation of cap-
ital markets through microcredit or other pro-
grams; 
‘‘(E) a system to combat corruption and 
bribery, such as signing and implementing the 
Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign 
Public Officials in International Business 
Transactions; and 
‘‘(F) protection of internationally recog-
nized worker rights, including the right of asso-
ciation, the right to organize and bargain collec-