U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member:
“This amendment reflects more than six years of oversight and thinking on my part on how to improve this program to best meet the needs of American workers in the globalized economy. It incorporates important changes that will significantly increase the flexibility so that eligible individuals are able to respond to their job loss the best way they see fit under their circumstances. It improves the accountability and internal oversight of the program, both at the state and federal level, to provide additional assurance that taxpayer monies will be well-spent. The reforms will provide immediate benefits to workers impacted by trade in Iowa and across the United States. Over the long term, it will help to strengthen and maintain the global competitiveness of our workforce. The amendment is a bipartisan compromise. It respects a social compact we’ve had on trade for more than 45 years. One part is to address the needs of trade-displaced workers. The other part is to open up new markets for U.S. exports. That was a driving principle when President Kennedy established the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. President Obama should hold true to that principle by doing everything he can to create new export opportunities, starting with implementation of our pending trade agreements."
U.S. Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), House Ways and Means Committee Chairman:
“It’s not every day that we are able to reach a bipartisan and bicameral compromise, and I am so proud to have reached agreement with Chairman Baucus, Chairman Rangel, and Senator Grassley on legislation to expand and improve the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. This important package provides a coherent, rational, accountable, and cost-effective system for training trade-affected workers and putting them back to work quickly and at better jobs. The expansion to cover services workers adversely affected by trade is a particularly important part of this deal, as well as the expanded and more flexible training opportunities designed to help workers obtain the skills they need to start new careers. While this assistance package is absolutely essential to helping those dislocated by trade, it is also critical to note the positive impact that trade has on our economy and working families. The simple fact is that exports, and the millions of jobs that they support, are the largest contributor to our economic growth. Now that we’ve improved TAA, we need to move forward with our trade agenda to increase our exports and create more jobs here in the United States."
U.S. Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Senate Finance Committee Chairman:
“America’s small businesses are doing their best to keep the jobs they have, and many American workers are looking for new employment. Improving and expanding Trade Adjustment Assistance in the economic recovery bill is an important step to retain jobs and help those who are out of work retool for new careers. International trade creates millions of American jobs - but in the instances when trade has negative effects, American workers and entrepreneurs need to know that someone’s got their back. This TAA bill provides help for companies to avoid layoffs altogether when global competition changes the game, and it multiplies the training and opportunities for every American worker to get and to keep the good-paying jobs that they deserve, right here at home."
