To amend the Trade Act of 1974 to modify the eligibility requirements for the Generalized System of Preferences to strengthen worker protections and to ensure that beneficiary developing countries afford equal rights and protection under the law, regardless of gender, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · September 19, 2024
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
This bill modifies the Generalized System of Preferences, which is a U.S. trade program that offers reduced tariffs to developing countries, by adding new requirements focused on gender equality and worker rights. Countries seeking to participate in this program must now demonstrate that they afford equal rights and protection under the law regardless of gender and do not engage in gross violations of human rights. The bill requires the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of Labor to jointly review each participating country's compliance with these standards at least annually, examining areas such as worker rights, employment conditions, property rights, education access, and protections from gender-based violence. If a country fails to meet these criteria for five consecutive years, the bill allows the trade benefits provided to that country to be reduced. The legislation also requires the government to publish information about how countries meet these eligibility criteria and to make the review process transparent to the public, while encouraging developing countries to collect and report gender-disaggregated economic data.
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