Submitted by Jacob Ogles,
Trade assistance for Haiti, negotiated by Florida lawmakers, failed to survive a three-day dash before Christmas to keep the federal government running.
U.S. Reps. María Elvira Salazar, a Coral Gables Republican, and Frederica Wilson, a Miami-Dade Democrat, successfully secured duty-free access for Haitian imports in a bipartisan budget deal that had the blessing of House Speaker Mike Johnson.
But conservative outrage over the continuing resolution led Johnson to withdraw that deal before putting it on the House floor for a vote. A different continuing resolution won approval on the floor Friday, but only after a number of items were cut, including assistance for Haiti.
Wilson and Salazar voted to support the final spending deal, but Wilson lamented the excising of trade assistance that boasted bipartisan support.
“Let’s be clear: we didn’t have to pass this bill at the eleventh hour before government closes. We had a bipartisan deal to keep the government open,” Wilson said.
“Then House Republicans, taking their marching orders from Elon Musk, threw it all away to push us to the brink of a shutdown. I’m deeply disappointed this bill stripped out critical measures like the Haitian Economic Lift Program and proposals to ease everyday costs for working families. Yet even after days of chaos, Republicans came back to Democrats to clean up their mess — because they learned the hard way that Elon Musk has no idea how to govern.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk led a public pressure campaign to urge House Republicans not to support the initial bill.
Wilson and Salazar filed the Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act last year, which Sen. Marco Rubio championed in the Senate. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, an Ohio Republican, also co-sponsored the House bill.
The lawmakers pushed for the legislation after years of gang violence destabilized the government in Haiti. It ultimately had the support of Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries when it was initially included in the government funding package.
The bill was crafted after a similar bill passed in 2010 following the Haitian earthquake. Duty relief on apparel and other textiles, about 93% of all goods imported from Haiti imported from the island, remains in place until 2025. Still, the language previously appearing in the government spending bill would have extended those provisions until 2030.
Salazar’s office did not reply to a request for comment on the Haiti assistance, but she strongly supported the legislation when it was included in the original funding package.
“This bill will promote critical regional stability by ensuring the survival of the clothing and textile industry in Haiti, the backbone of their economy,” Salazar said. “This is very important for the futures of Miami, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the rest of the Caribbean.”
South Florida has the highest concentration of Haitians and Haitian Americans living in the United States, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.
Wilson thanked lawmakers from both sides of the aisle for supporting the assistance, which she
“I want to thank Sen. Marco Rubio, Congressman Brad Wenstrup, and Congresswoman Maria Salazar for their leadership in advocating for this proposal. I am also grateful to Speaker Mike Johnson and Leader Hakeem Jeffries for including it in the continuing resolution. We cannot forget the people of Haiti. They are suffering, and today’s announcement is a win for them.”
