Bill > S1267

This bill, the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015, primarily aims to extend and modify several trade preference programs. It extends the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provides trade benefits to sub-Saharan African countries, until September 30, 2025, and includes provisions to encourage women's role in economic development and to promote biennial utilization strategies for AGOA benefits. The bill also extends the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), a program that allows developing countries to export certain goods to the U.S. duty-free, until December 31, 2017, with provisions for retroactive application and specific rules for cotton articles and calendar year 2014 exports. Additionally, it extends the preferential duty treatment program for Haiti until September 30, 2025. The act also modifies tariff classifications for certain apparel and footwear, specifically defining and establishing duty treatment for "recreational performance outerwear" and "specialized athletic footwear." Finally, it includes provisions for reporting on the impact of trade preference programs on poverty and hunger, and makes changes to customs user fees and corporate estimated tax payments, as well as enhancing reporting requirements for financial accounts.