Andean Trade Preference Expansion Act
Latest action (13 Mar 2001): Introduced
What this bill does
S. 525, the Andean Trade Preference Expansion Act, was introduced in the Senate on March 13, 2001, by Senator Bob Graham of Florida, with several bipartisan cosponsors, and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance. The bill would amend the Andean Trade Preference Act of 1991 to expand and extend trade benefits—chiefly duty-free treatment—for goods from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It focuses heavily on textile and apparel products, setting out detailed rules for which garments and materials assembled or cut in these "ATPEA beneficiary countries" using U.S.-formed fabric, yarn, or thread would qualify for duty-free entry, along with quotas, phase-in schedules, and exceptions for items such as handmade or folklore goods and alpaca/llama products. It also establishes customs verification procedures modeled on NAFTA rules, and penalties—including loss of benefits and import-quantity reductions—for exporters or countries engaged in transshipment to evade trade rules.
The bill primarily affects U.S. and Andean textile and apparel manufacturers, importers, and exporters, as well as the governments of the four beneficiary countries, by expanding preferential access to the U.S. market for their goods. Congress's stated rationale, per the findings section, is to support economic development and stability in the Andean region as part of U.S. counternarcotics strategy, alongside programs like Plan Colombia.
The bill was introduced and referred to committee but never received a vote, and no further action was taken in the 107th Congress. As with most bills that stall in committee, it did not become law in this form.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Andean Trade Preference Expansion Act - Amends the Andean Trade Preference Act to extend, for a specified transition period, treatment free of any duties, quantitative restrictions, limitations, or consultation levels to certain textile and apparel articles (including preferential tariff treatment under the North American Free Trade Agreement to certain non-apparel articles) imported into the United States from Andean Trade Preference Expansion Act (ATPEA) beneficiary countries (Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru) designated under such Act. Sets forth penalties for exporters and countries that have engaged in the transshipment of such articles from an ATPEA beneficiary country.
Common questions
- What does S. 525 do?
- S. 525, the Andean Trade Preference Expansion Act, was introduced in the Senate on March 13, 2001, by Senator Bob Graham of Florida, with several bipartisan cosponsors, and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance. The bill would amend the Andean Trade Preference Act of 1991 to expand and extend trade benefits—chiefly duty-free treatment—for goods from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It focuses heavily on textile and apparel products, setting out detailed rules for which garments and materials assembled or cut in these "ATPEA beneficiary countries" using U.S.-formed fabric, yarn, or thread would qualify for duty-free entry, along with quotas, phase-in schedules, and exceptions for items such as handmade or folklore goods and alpaca/llama products. It also establishes customs verification procedures modeled on NAFTA rules, and penalties—including loss of benefits and import-quantity reductions—for exporters or countries engaged in transshipment to evade trade rules. The bill primarily affects U.S. and Andean textile and apparel manufacturers, importers, and exporters, as well as the governments of the four beneficiary countries, by expanding preferential access to the U.S. market for their goods. Congress's stated rationale, per the findings section, is to support economic development and stability in the Andean region as part of U.S. counternarcotics strategy, alongside programs like Plan Colombia. The bill was introduced and referred to committee but never received a vote, and no further action was taken in the 107th Congress. As with most bills that stall in committee, it did not become law in this form.
- Has S. 525 become law?
- Not yet. As of 13 Mar 2001, S. 525 is introduced.
- Who sponsored S. 525?
- S. 525 was sponsored by Sen. Bob Graham [D-FL, 1987-2004] (Democrat-FL), with 16 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 525?
- Introduced (13 Mar 2001).
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