[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1652 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1652

    To amend the Trade Act of 1974 with respect to trade adjustment 
  assistance for textile and apparel workers, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 19, 2007

Mrs. Dole (for herself and Ms. Cantwell) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Trade Act of 1974 with respect to trade adjustment 
  assistance for textile and apparel workers, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform 
Act''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF DISPLACED TEXTILE AND APPAREL WORKERS FOR TRADE 
              ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE.

    Section 222 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2272) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                striking ``A group'' and inserting ``Subject to 
                subsection (d), a group''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(B), by amending clause (ii) to 
                read as follows:
            ``(ii) there has been or is likely to be an increase in 
        imports of articles that are like or directly competitive with 
        articles which are or were produced by such firm or 
        subdivision.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Textile and Apparel Workers.--In the case of workers in a 
firm or subdivision of a firm that produces textiles or apparel goods, 
the Secretary shall make the determination under subsection (a) of the 
eligibility of such workers for trade adjustment assistance under this 
chapter without regard to paragraph (2) of subsection (a).''.

SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES FOR STATES.

    Section 241 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2313) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Administrative and Other Costs.--Funds that the Secretary 
provides to a State to cover administrative costs associated with the 
performance of the State's responsibilities pursuant to section 239 
shall be sufficient to cover all costs of the State associated with 
operating the trade adjustment assistance program, including case 
worker costs.''.

SEC. 4. INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR TRAINING.

    Section 236(a)(2)(A) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2296(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ``$220,000,000'' and inserting 
``$440,000,000''.

SEC. 5. INCREASE IN CREDIT FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS OF TAA AND PBGC 
              PENSION RECIPIENTS; SIMPLIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY 
              DETERMINATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 35 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``65 percent'' and 
inserting ``80 percent''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Subsection (b) of section 7527 of such 
Code is amended by striking ``65 percent'' and inserting ``80 
percent''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to amounts paid in taxable years beginning after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
    (d) Joint Program To Simplify TAA Process.--The Secretary of the 
Treasury and the Secretary of Labor shall each, after consultation with 
each other, carry out compatible and coordinated programs to simplify 
the process for individuals to become eligible for a trade readjustment 
allowance, the credit allowed under section 35 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986, and the program for the advance payment of such credit 
under section 7527 of such Code.
                                 <all>