On the recordFebruary 10, 2011
This is about oversight, and what the majority is doing is losing sight of the needs of tens of thousands of workers in this country. What they are doing is overlooking the needs of the workers of this country. Our committee has jurisdiction over trade adjustment, and what's happened this week regarding trade adjustment assistance is really incomprehensible and, I think, disgraceful. This Congress is going to leave town tomorrow. On Saturday, the extension of TAA expires, the 2009 extension. And what's going to happen? Tens of thousands of people, who will be laid off because of trade, will no longer be able to be certified--tens of thousands. They will be out of luck when they hit bad luck through no fault of their own. We've received all kinds of communications from people in my State, and I'm sure there are people like this in every single State. We heard from a machinist laid off, qualified for TAA, and is now pursuing a career as a technician. He's in a program that goes on for a few years. Before TAA was overhauled in 2009, States could not have approved training of that length nor have approved the prerequisite training. We heard of another worker, a service worker in the State of Michigan, laid off, qualified for TAA, and is now pursuing an associate's degree. She's planning to complete her program in June of 2012. Before the TAA reforms of 2009, service workers were not even eligible for TAA.
