Rep. Brad Wenstrup
Bipartisan legislation offered by U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) to extend the expiring Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) through 2030 became law on Oct. 10 with the president’s signature.
President Donald Trump signed into law the Extension of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, H.R. 991, which Rep. Wenstrup cosponsored in February 2019 with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL).
“This extension of the CBTPA is a big deal for workers and employers in southern and southwestern Ohio, as well as for America’s economic and diplomatic relations with our neighboring countries,” Rep. Wenstrup said. “I’m grateful to President Trump for signing this legislation into law and to Congresswoman Sewell for her cooperation on this important bipartisan initiative.”
Because the CBTPA works in conjunction with the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) to facilitate the development of 17 independent countries of the Caribbean Basin region, both of the two preferential trade programs must be authorized for both of them to work effectively, according to information provided by Rep. Wenstrup’s office
Eligible CBERA countries include Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, according to the information.
Kevin Bien, senior vice president of supply chain at Cintas, said the company is “grateful for Representative Brad Wenstrup’s leadership, working with Representative Terri Sewell, to secure passage of a critical trade program for Haiti and other Caribbean countries.”
“Because of the programs enacted by Congress, Cintas has built strong partnerships in Haiti which enable us to supply our customers great value in a timely manner,” Bien said. “The 10-year extension of CBTPA is especially important as companies such as Cintas deal with the economic challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.”