Watson Coleman: “I maintain that what we are trying to do in this amendment is to simply strengthen what we have seen over 2 years has…”

“I maintain that what we are trying to do in this amendment is to simply strengthen what we have seen over 2 years has not been working. Fewer than 5 percent of eligible TAA workers are using the existing tax credit. That is not what we intended. I don't believe my colleagues intended that when it was originally passed. When this was originally passed, we focused on manufacturing jobs. We have all come to understand that about 80 percent of the jobs today in America are service jobs. We are simply looking at something with which we had experience over 2 years, identifying those things that are not working, those things where folks are not taking advantage of the opportunities which were our intent to provide, and giving them that opportunity in a way which will work. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.”