G. K. Butterfield: “My colleagues, the American people are watching. More than anything else, this Congress will be judged on what it does…”

“My colleagues, the American people are watching. More than anything else, this Congress will be judged on what it does to help move this struggling economy forward. One of our most important and effective programs to assist workers displaced by changes in the global economy has been the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers Act. Unfortunately, key provisions of this program are set to expire this week unless Congress takes action. Last year, displaced workers in North Carolina received over $56 million through TAA, the second largest amount given to a single State, to ensure that they had the support and training necessary to transition into an emerging sector of the economy. This program is working. We must support the economy and these workers by immediately approving a long-term extension of the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers Program.”