Barbara Boxer: “this country gives trade adjustment assistance to workers when they lose their jobs due to trade. I support that. We all…”

“this country gives trade adjustment assistance to workers when they lose their jobs due to trade. I support that. We all seem to support that. But it is shocking to me that a number of people in this Senate today do not support such assistance because of terrorism, an attack on our country, on our people, on our workers. It is stunning to me. You will hear every excuse in the book about why it doesn't belong on this bill. People cannot pay their mortgages; they have been laid off. They cannot pay their health insurance; they have been laid off. Let me read to you simply a letter that went out from one of my airlines, American Eagle: Unfortunately, due to the circumstances of this national emergency which are beyond our control, it may be necessary to close or reduce the size of some of our business locations. This will cause some or all American Eagle personnel at those locations to be laid off. Because American Eagle's future rests on how well we can rebound from our current situation, we cannot say at this time how long these layoffs may last. We gave the airlines a huge package. I supported it. I still support it. But I assumed we would follow it up to help those people who make those airlines run. I am shocked, stunned, and in disbelief that we are not here as patriotic Americans, both sides of the aisle, standing up for the patriotic workers who lost their jobs because of an attack on the United States of America. I will look at this vote very carefully.…”