Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to repeal group eligibility requirements for trade adjustment assistance (TAA) that: (1) the country to which the workers' firm has shifted production of the articles be a party to a free trade agreement with the United States; or (2) such country be a beneficiary country under the Andean Trade Preference Act, African Growth and Opportunity Act, or the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act.
Requires the Secretary of Labor, with respect to textile and apparel workers, to make group eligibility determinations without regard to the sales, imports, and production factors of the group eligibility requirements.
Requires the Secretary of Labor to study and report to Congress on the feasibility of allowing states to use a greater portion of their TAA funds for administrative expenses.
Increases the amount of payments for training of adversely affected workers under the Act.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the credit for health insurance costs of certain TAA and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) pension recipients.
Requires the Secretaries of the Treasury and of Labor each to carry out compatible and coordinated programs to simplify the TAA eligibility process.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5718 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5718
To amend the Trade Act of 1974 with respect to the trade adjustment
assistance program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 29, 2006
Mr. Hayes introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Trade Act of 1974 with respect to the trade adjustment
assistance program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform
Act''.
SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF DISPLACED TEXTILE AND AND APPAREL WORKERS FOR
TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE.
Section 222 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2272) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by
striking ``A group'' and inserting ``Subject to
subsection (d), a group''; and
(B) in paragraph (2)(B), by amending clause (ii) to
read as follows:
``(ii) there has been or is likely to be an increase in
imports of articles that are like or directly competitive with
articles which are or were produced by such firm or
subdivision.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Textile and Apparel Workers.--In the case of workers in a
firm that produces textiles or apparel products, the Secretary shall
make the determination under subsection (a) of the eligibility of such
workers for trade adjustment assistance under this chapter without
regard to paragraph (2) of subsection (a).''.
SEC. 3. STUDY AND REPORT ON USE OF FUNDS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
(a) Study.--The Secretary of Labor shall conduct a study on the
feasibility of allowing States to use a greater portion of funds
received under the adjustment assistance for workers program under
chapter 2 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2271 et seq.)
for administrative expenses. In conducting the study, the Secretary
shall compare applicable requirements under the adjustment assistance
for workers program with requirements under other similar programs,
such as programs under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C.
2801 et seq.).
(b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report
that contains--
(1) the results of the study conducted under subsection
(a); and
(2) recommendations for legislation, administrative
actions, or other actions the Secretary considers appropriate.
SEC. 4. INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR TRAINING.
Section 236(a)(2)(A) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C.
2296(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ``$220,000,000'' and inserting
``$300,000,000''.
SEC. 5. INCREASE IN CREDIT FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS OF TAA AND PBGC
PENSION RECIPIENTS; SIMPLIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY
DETERMINATIONS.
(a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 35 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``65 percent'' and
inserting ``80 percent''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Subsection (b) of section 7527 of such
Code is amended by striking ``65 percent'' and inserting ``80
percent''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to amounts paid in taxable years beginning after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(d) Joint Program To Simplify TAA Process.--The Secretary of the
Treasury and the Secretary of Labor shall each, after consultation with
each other, carry out compatible and coordinated programs to simplify
the process for individuals to become eligible for a trade readjustment
allowance, the credit allowed under section 35 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, and the program for the advance payment of such credit
under section 7527 of such Code.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
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