[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 126 (Tuesday, September 25, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THE DISPLACED WORKERS ASSISTANCE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 25, 2001

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be an original co-sponsor of 
the ``Displaced Workers Assistance Act'' introduced today by Mr. 
Gephardt. This bill will provide job training skills, health care 
benefits and extension of income support to employees of the airlines, 
and related industries, who lost their jobs as a result of the 
terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
  I am especially pleased that the bill has been introduced just days 
after the House passed the ``Air Transportation Safety and System 
Stabilization Act'' last Friday.
  I have always supported legislation to improve the quality of life 
for the American Worker. Last week, when the House passed the ``Air 
Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act,'' I joined in the 
concern expressed by several unions that the bill did not contain 
provisions for displaced workers.
  During floor debate on the airline stabilization bill, Speaker 
Hastert and Democratic Leader Gephardt pledged to address the needs of 
displaced workers in separate legislation as soon as possible. I voted 
for the ``Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act'' last 
Friday because we were given these assurances.
  I am pleased that the bill we introduce today has solid provisions to 
provide relief and security to displaced workers. I will work as hard 
as I can to help to get the bill passed and enacted into law 
expeditiously.
  Regarding job training, workers who are not expected to return to 
their jobs within the airline industry will be eligible for retraining 
benefits for other types of work.
  Workers who are not expected to return to their present jobs, but who 
may find some alternative job within the airline industry, will be 
eligible for upgrade training.
  Regarding health care benefits, the federal government will fully 
reimburse eligible workers for their COBRA premiums.
  Workers who do not qualify for COBRA and are otherwise uninsured will 
be eligible for Medicaid. The federal government will cover 100 percent 
of the premiums. These health care benefits will last for a maximum of 
18 months.
  Regarding income support, workers who exhaust their 26-week 
eligibility for state unemployment insurance will be eligible for an 
additional 52 weeks of cash payments funded entirely by the federal 
government.
  Workers who do not meet their states' requirements for unemployment 
insurance will receive 26 weeks of federally financed unemployment 
insurance.
  Workers who are eligible for the benefits provided in this bill are 
employees of airlines, commercial airline manufacturers, suppliers to 
airlines, and airports.
  Only those workers who lost their jobs as a direct result of the 
terrorist attacks of September 11 or security measures taken in 
response to the attacks, are covered under this bill.
  All Americans, and all people in the civilized world, were horrified 
at the events of September 11, 2001. But for those workers in the 
airlines and related industries, the pain was even more severe because 
of the loss of their livelihood, through no fault of their own, but 
through the fault of the terrorists' heinous crimes.
  It is my fervent hope that the provisions of this bill will help the 
fine people who lost their jobs to rebuild their financial security.
  By providing these displaced workers with job training, extended 
health care coverage and extended unemployment benefits, we are giving 
them the tools to get a new job, while receiving compensation and 
continued health care coverage during the process.
  These benefits will provide the displaced workers with peace of mind 
as they rebuild their lives and financial security. They deserve our 
help, and we must pass the ``Displaced Workers Assistance Act'' 
expeditiously.
  Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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