Title: Reaffirming the economic partnership between the United States and the Caribbean nations and recognizing the need to strengthen trade and investment between the United States and the Caribbean nations, our Third Border.
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance

Summary:
This resolution recognizes the importance of enhancing trade programs between the Caribbean and the United States. It also urges the President to prioritize and implement trade programs with the Caribbean region that promote sustainable and resilient economic development.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1168 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1168

Reaffirming the economic partnership between the United States and the 
  Caribbean nations and recognizing the need to strengthen trade and 
  investment between the United States and the Caribbean nations, our 
                           ``Third Border''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 9, 2022

     Ms. Plaskett (for herself, Mr. Wenstrup, Ms. Sewell, and Mr. 
 Blumenauer) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Reaffirming the economic partnership between the United States and the 
  Caribbean nations and recognizing the need to strengthen trade and 
  investment between the United States and the Caribbean nations, our 
                           ``Third Border''.

Whereas Congress commits to strengthening economic ties and cooperation with the 
        Caribbean people to promote equitable economic growth and development 
        across the region;
Whereas the Caribbean region has a population of approximately 44,000,000 
        people, millions of people have emigrated between the Caribbean and the 
        United States, and approximately 13,000,000 people in the United States, 
        or 4 percent of the United States population, share Caribbean ancestry;
Whereas it is in the national interest of the United States to support the 
        economic development of sovereign Caribbean nations and territories;
Whereas greater opportunities for mutually beneficial trade and investments 
        promote economic growth, development, poverty reduction, democracy, the 
        rule of law, civil rights, and overall stability;
Whereas regional and global integration with our Caribbean neighbors should be 
        strengthened to create decent jobs, boost economic growth in the 
        Caribbean and the United States, and eliminate barriers to trade and 
        investment in the Caribbean;
Whereas it remains the goal of the United States to support diversification of 
        Caribbean exports to the United States;
Whereas, in 1983, Congress launched the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) through 
        the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and expanded it in 
        2000 with the United States-Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act 
        (CBTPA);
Whereas the United States shares a history of struggle with Caribbean neighbor 
        countries, including with our courageous sister nation of Haiti;
Whereas Haiti suffered destabilizing events in 2021, including severe 
        insecurity, a deadly earthquake, widespread democratic protests, 
        continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the assassination of 
        President Jovenel Moise, all of which have contributed to a governance 
        and humanitarian crisis that requires immediate further attention and 
        support from the United States and the global community;
Whereas specialized United States trade preferences with Haiti, including the 
        Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) and Hemispheric Opportunity through 
        Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE II) programs, aid Haiti's growing 
        textile and apparel manufacturing industry and are a critical source of 
        steady jobs for many Haitian people to support their families;
Whereas trade preference programs for the Caribbean and Caribbean Community 
        (CARICOM) countries, such as the Generalized System of Preferences, CBI, 
        and CBTPA have provided important economic benefits for Caribbean Basin 
        country economies, including by facilitating niche production and more 
        diversified exports, while also benefitting United States businesses and 
        workers, including by helping to add value for customers and supporting 
        United States jobs;
Whereas Caribbean people and their island nation economies have led globally by 
        exploring innovative economic strategies to produce collective benefits 
        for their communities, such as through the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk 
        Insurance Facility, to reduce the economic impact of major disasters;
Whereas the United States seeks to prioritize and promote a worker-centered 
        trade agenda that facilitates trade and protects freedom of association, 
        fosters a sustainable environment and climate path, advances racial 
        equity and supports underserved communities, addresses unfair economic 
        trade practices, supports domestic producers, and promotes growth and 
        development around the world;
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the public health and 
        economies of the Caribbean and the United States, which has also 
        contributed to inequality within and between nations, and further 
        excluded vulnerable groups from the benefits of trade and economic 
        development;
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen supply 
        chain resilience and increase near-shoring in global trade;
Whereas the United States believes that free and fair trade practices, economic 
        growth, and stable domestic employment foster democratic principles of 
        good governance;
Whereas United States and Caribbean economic ties, including through Caribbean 
        services and manufacturing sectors, produce critical goods and services 
        for consumers and jobs for workers that strengthen their economies;
Whereas such economic ties serve strategic purposes by providing an alternative 
        to potentially predatory economic practices of other foreign 
        governments, including non-market economies, in the Caribbean that harm 
        national and regional interests in the Western Hemisphere;
Whereas climate change and natural disasters pose acute risks for Caribbean 
        people and island economies; and
Whereas the United States signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement in 
        2013 with CARICOM to drive strengthened trade and investment ties 
        between CARICOM and the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) urges the President to prioritize and implement trade 
        programs with the Caribbean region that promote sustainable and 
        resilient economic development;
            (2) commits to engaging directly with diverse stakeholders 
        from the Caribbean, including CARICOM Trade Ministers, 
        policymakers, as well as labor, business, and civil society 
        representatives, to dialogue and develop a shared multilateral 
        trade agenda;
            (3) affirms trade and tariff preference programs that 
        strengthen the economic relationship between the Caribbean and 
        the United States and produce economic benefits for people of 
        all racial, ethnic, gender, ability, economic, linguistic, and 
        religious backgrounds;
            (4) recognizes the importance of further enhancing trade 
        programs between the Caribbean and the United States; and
            (5) supports critical trade policies and preference 
        programs, such as HELP and HOPE II, and further commits to 
        strengthen those policies to ensure they advance sustainable 
        economic development, produce positive economic benefits in 
        Haiti, the Caribbean, and the United States, and protect our 
        most vulnerable communities.
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