Chuck Grassley: “It is not appropriate to include the steel legacy program on the trade adjustment assistance legislation and I urge my…”

“It is not appropriate to include the steel legacy program on the trade adjustment assistance legislation and I urge my colleagues to oppose it. This is a trade bill and inclusion of this amendment will doom the legislation. This is not just a helping hand for retired steel workers. It is the largest and boldest corporate welfare proposal I have seen in quite a while. Not only is it corporate welfare but acceptance of this proposal is an invitation to others to come in to government largess in the same way: Promise the workers anything but give your promises to the taxpayers. This legislation gives a free pass to companies and unions to bargain for benefits as irresponsibly as they would like. They may do this with the knowledge that they will never have to keep their promises. Instead, they can foist their benefit packages on the backs of the hard-working taxpayers. That includes many who have no insurance or retiree health because their employers cannot afford to purchase it.”