On the recordDecember 2, 2015
Today I rise to urge my colleagues to support the Displaced Jobs Relief Act of 2015, a bill I introduced yesterday to help small businesses that have been hurt by foreign competition. As the Inland Empire of California fights back from the Great Recession, we need to make sure that we use every tool available to help our small businesses recover. Small businesses were dealt heavy blows in the past decade, both from our weakened economy and from our flawed trade agreements. International trade plays an important role in our economy, but history has taught us that not all agreements are fair. Sometimes they take a toll on local businesses that don't have the ability to handle unfair foreign competition. That is why I introduced this bill. Trade Adjustment Assistance has played a crucial role in retraining and placing Americans in good- paying jobs for generations. If we increase the availability of funds, we can help protect hardworking Americans from losing business to unfair competition overseas. My bill would increase the authorization for TAA for businesses up to $50 million for each fiscal year, beginning in 2016 and running through 2021. Historically, these programs have always authorized $50 million a year, and, in fiscal year 2011, House Republicans cut the levels to $16 million, barely 30 percent of what funding was.…
