WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), and Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Sander M. Levin (D-MI) issued the following statements regarding President Barack Obama’s certification, on Oct. 16, that Haiti has established a labor monitoring program and met other related criteria under the Haiti Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act of 2008 (HOPE):
“Haiti should be congratulated for achieving this important certification, which affirms the dignity of Haitian workers and is yet another powerful signal that Haiti is open for business," said Chairman Rangel. “The HOPE program has brought significant growth and assistance to this impoverished nation and I look forward to working with my colleagues to build on this successful program to strengthen ties and further enhance economic growth in the region."
“As we expand trade with other countries it is important to incorporate increasing adherence to the basic rights of workers so that they can benefit from that expansion," said Trade Subcommittee Chairman Levin. “This was an important ingredient in the development of the HOPE program. With the establishment of the ILO monitoring program, Haiti is taking important steps to help workers exercise their most fundamental rights to organize and collectively bargain, which will in turn help attract international confidence in the working conditions in Haiti’s apparel sector. I applaud Haiti for taking this important step."
BACKGROUND:
In December 2006, Congress enacted new, duty-free trade preferences for Haiti under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act of 2006. Congress further improved and expanded the program in 2008. Among other changes, the 2008 legislation authorized a new apparel sector labor monitoring program aimed at promoting compliance with core international labor standards and improving working conditions in the Haitian apparel sector.
The 2008 legislation required that the President certify, no later than Oct. 18, 2009, that Haiti has met two requirements: (1) establish the labor monitoring program, in coordination with the International Labor Organization (ILO), and (2) create an independent labor ombudsman’s office in Haiti with responsibilities including oversight of the implementation of the monitoring program and maintaining a registry of the apparel producers participating in the monitoring program.
President Obama made the necessary certification on Oct. 16, 2009.
