On Friday, I was proud to join my colleagues to vote for and pass H.R. 6406, which will extend a critical provision of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for five years. That extension means that tens of thousands of Africans will continue to have access to our markets for their goods.

Those of us who backed the bill were thankful for the groundswell of support from ONE Campaign members. When we’re working to get bills like this passed, the ONE Campaign’s support helps convince my colleagues to focus on what happens to people in developing countries. When hundreds of their constituents email, call, or write, that makes poverty a priority.

Impoverished countries need more than our sympathy; they need access to markets for their goods. Thanks to, in large part, your efforts, tens of thousands of people in some of the poorest regions on Earth continue to have that market access, and with it, a chance to break out of poverty.

Because of the dedication of you and others like you, we are ONE step closer to a poverty-free world. Thank you.

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) is a co-chair of the New Democrat Coalition. He is also the sponsor of the Global Poverty Act, H.R. 3605, a bill to require a comprehensive U.S. strategy to help eliminate extreme global poverty.