Mike Levin: “TAA will run out very soon, and it's essential that that not happen. This is a vital program for workers in this…”

“TAA will run out very soon, and it's essential that that not happen. This is a vital program for workers in this country, for the firms for which they work, for farmers, and for their entire communities. We've been trying to not only extend TAA, but we've been trying to reform it and to improve it. We have passed legislation in this House, legislation that, indeed, reformed and enhanced and expanded TAA, and it passed this House with some considerable bipartisan support. It addressed issues like this: Expands TAA to service workers; Improves funding, because a number of States have essentially run out of funds; Streamlines the process for application for TAA because an unfriendly regimen of rules has too often made it difficult for people to access it; Modernizes the unemployment system, which badly needs it; Provides assistance to manufacturing communities hard hit by trade. Unfortunately, though this bill passed comfortably in this House and was an important landmark supported by our Speaker, by the majority leader, by Chairman Rangel, by others, many of us on the Ways and Means Committee and, as I said, with some considerable bipartisan support, but unfortunately, the bill has essentially not moved in the other body. And it has been blocked, I think, by a position in the other body that it should be linked to something else. Also, the administration essentially has opposed this legislation. And it was really rather startling that that occurred.”