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H.R. 6500·119th Congress·House Bill

Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027

Enacted — Signed by the PresidentTrack

Latest action (2 Sep 2026): Signed by President.

What this bill does

H.R. 6500, the AGOA Extension Act, sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), extends duty-free import treatment for eligible sub-Saharan African countries under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. It pushes the expiration date for AGOA preferences, the Regional Apparel Article program, and the Third-Country Fabric program from September 30, 2025 to December 31, 2028, and extends certain customs user fees from September 30, 2031 to December 31, 2031. The bill also allows retroactive duty-free treatment for qualifying goods entered between the prior expiration and enactment, provided a request is filed with U.S. Customs and Border Protection within 180 days of enactment, with any refunds owed paid within 90 days.

The bill primarily affects importers of goods from eligible sub-Saharan African countries, those countries' exporters, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which administers the preference program and processes the retroactive claims.

The House passed the bill on January 12, 2026. The Senate passed it with an amendment and a title amendment on August 8, 2026 (90-6), sending it back to the House, which must now agree to the Senate's changes before the bill can go to the President for signature.

Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.

Official summary

Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027

This bill provides continuing FY2027 appropriations for federal agencies and extends various expiring programs and authorities.

Specifically, the bill provides continuing FY2027 appropriations to federal agencies through the earlier of December 11, 2026, or the enactment of the applicable appropriations act. It is known as a continuing resolution (CR) and prevents a government shutdown that would otherwise occur if the FY2027 appropriations bills have not been enacted when FY2027 begins on October 1, 2026.

The CR funds most programs and activities at the FY2026 levels with several exceptions that provide funding flexibility or additional appropriations for various programs. For example, the CR includes exceptions for

• the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC);

• Small Business Administration loans;

• the Disaster Relief Fund;

• the Indian Health Service;

Timeline

  1. 2 Sep 2026

    Signed by President.

  2. 1 Sep 2026

    On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 370 - 48 (Roll no. 286).

  3. 8 Aug 2026

    Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Yea-Nay Vote. 90 - 6. Record Vote Number: 228.

  4. 12 Jan 2026

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 340 - 54 (Roll no. 14).

  5. 10 Dec 2025

    Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 37 - 3.

Common questions

What does H.R. 6500 do?
H.R. 6500, the AGOA Extension Act, sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), extends duty-free import treatment for eligible sub-Saharan African countries under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. It pushes the expiration date for AGOA preferences, the Regional Apparel Article program, and the Third-Country Fabric program from September 30, 2025 to December 31, 2028, and extends certain customs user fees from September 30, 2031 to December 31, 2031. The bill also allows retroactive duty-free treatment for qualifying goods entered between the prior expiration and enactment, provided a request is filed with U.S. Customs and Border Protection within 180 days of enactment, with any refunds owed paid within 90 days. The bill primarily affects importers of goods from eligible sub-Saharan African countries, those countries' exporters, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which administers the preference program and processes the retroactive claims. The House passed the bill on January 12, 2026. The Senate passed it with an amendment and a title amendment on August 8, 2026 (90-6), sending it back to the House, which must now agree to the Senate's changes before the bill can go to the President for signature.
Has H.R. 6500 become law?
Yes. H.R. 6500 has been enacted. Status last updated 2 Sep 2026.
Who sponsored H.R. 6500?
H.R. 6500 was sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith [R-MO8] (Republican-MO), with 1 cosponsor.
What's the latest action on H.R. 6500?
Signed by President. (2 Sep 2026).

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