[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2958 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2958
To extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act, to require a full
review of the bilateral relationship between the United States and
South Africa, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 30, 2025
Mr. Kennedy introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act, to require a full
review of the bilateral relationship between the United States and
South Africa, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``AGOA Extension and
Bilateral Engagement Act of 2025''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--EXTENSION OF AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT
Sec. 101. Extension of African Growth and Opportunity Act.
Sec. 102. Strategy to develop bilateral trade agreements with AGOA
countries.
TITLE II--BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP WITH SOUTH AFRICA
Sec. 201. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 202. Full review of the bilateral relationship.
Sec. 203. Report and certification.
Sec. 204. Report on sanctionable persons.
Sec. 205. Appropriate congressional committees defined.
TITLE I--EXTENSION OF AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT
SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT.
(a) In General.--Section 506B of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C.
2466b) is amended--
(1) by striking ``section 506A(c)'' and inserting ``section
506A(e)''; and
(2) by striking ``2025'' and inserting ``2027''.
(b) African Growth and Opportunity Act.--
(1) In general.--Section 112(g) of the African Growth and
Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3721(g)) is amended by striking
``2025'' and inserting ``2027''.
(2) Extension of regional apparel article program.--Section
112(b)(3)(A) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19
U.S.C. 3721(b)(3)(A)) is amended--
(A) in clause (i), by striking ``21 succeeding 1-
year periods'' and inserting ``23 succeeding 1-year
periods''; and
(B) in clause (ii)(II), by striking ``2025'' and
inserting ``2027''.
(3) Extension of third-country fabric program.--Section
112(c)(1) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C.
3721(c)(1)) is amended--
(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``2025''
and inserting ``2027'';
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``2025'' and
inserting ``2027''; and
(C) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ``2025''
and inserting ``2027''.
(4) Technical corrections.--Section 112 of the African
Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3721) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``section
506A(c)'' and inserting ``section 506A(e)''; and
(B) in subsection (f)(2), by striking ``section
506A(c)'' and inserting ``section 506A(e)''.
SEC. 102. STRATEGY TO DEVELOP BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENTS WITH AGOA
COUNTRIES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the United States Trade Representative shall
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that outlines
a strategy to expand and deepen trade and investment relationships
between the United States and AGOA beneficiary countries through
bilateral trade agreements.
(b) Strategy Requirements.--The strategy required by subsection (a)
shall include--
(1) an assessment of trade and investment flows between the
United States and AGOA beneficiary countries as of the date of
the submission of the report under subsection (a);
(2) an identification of at least 5 AGOA beneficiary
countries with which the United States will prioritize
negotiations for bilateral trade agreements or trade and
investment framework agreements;
(3) an outline of criteria used to determine the readiness
of each AGOA beneficiary country for such negotiations, which
shall include--
(A) adherence to the eligibility criteria set forth
in section 104 of the African Growth and Opportunity
Act (19 U.S.C. 3703) and section 506A of the Trade Act
of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2466a);
(B) capacity to comply with obligations under
agreements with the United States; and
(C) respect for democratic governance, rule of law,
and human rights; and
(4) a timeline and work plan for initiating such
negotiations.
(c) Consultations.--In developing the strategy required by
subsection (a), the Trade Representative shall consult with--
(1) the Secretary of State;
(2) the Secretary of Commerce; and
(3) stakeholders, including United States businesses, labor
organizations, civil society groups, and African regional
economic communities.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) AGOA beneficiary country.--The term ``AGOA beneficiary
country'' means a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country (as
defined in section 506A(e) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C.
2466a(e)).
(2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Finance, the Committee on
Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Appropriations
of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations
of the House of Representatives.
TITLE II--BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP WITH SOUTH AFRICA
SEC. 201. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) it is in the national security interest of the United
States to deter strategic political and security cooperation
and information sharing with the People's Republic of China and
the Russian Federation, particularly any form of cooperation
that may aid or abet the Russian Federation's illegal war of
aggression in Ukraine or its international standing or
influence; and
(2) the foreign policy actions of the African National
Congress have long ceased to reflect its stated stance of
nonalignment, and now directly favor the People's Republic of
China, the Russian Federation, and Hamas, a known proxy of
Iran, and thereby undermine United States national security and
foreign policy interests.
SEC. 202. FULL REVIEW OF THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP.
The President, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the
Secretary of Defense, the United States Ambassador to South Africa, and
the heads of other departments and agencies that play a substantial
role in United States relations with South Africa, shall conduct a
comprehensive review of the bilateral relationship between the United
States and South Africa.
SEC. 203. REPORT AND CERTIFICATION.
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report that includes the following:
(1) The findings of the review required by section 202.
(2) A certification, in consultation with the Secretary of
State and the Secretary of Defense, explicitly stating whether
South Africa has engaged in activities that undermine the
national security or foreign policy interests of the United
States, together with an unclassified report, including a
classified annex as necessary, providing a justification for
the determination. The President shall publish the
certification in unclassified form.
SEC. 204. REPORT ON SANCTIONABLE PERSONS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the President, in consultation with the
Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury, shall submit to
the appropriate congressional committees a classified report on senior
South African government officials and African National Congress
leaders.
(b) Elements.--The report required under subsection (a) shall
include the following elements:
(1) A list of senior South African government officials and
African National Congress leaders the President determines have
engaged in corruption or human rights abuses that would be
sufficient, based on credible evidence, to meet the criteria
for the imposition of sanctions pursuant to the authorities
provided by the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability
Act (22 U.S.C. 10101 et seq.).
(2) With respect to each person included on such list--
(A) a detailed explanation describing the conduct
forming the basis of the person's inclusion on the
list; and
(B)(i) the expected timeline for sanctions
described in paragraph (1) to be imposed with respect
to such person; or
(ii) if the President does not intend to impose
sanctions with respect to such person, a detailed
justification describing the rationale and legal
authorities underlying such negative determination.
SEC. 205. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED.
In this title, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives.
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