[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 65 (Monday, May 20, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4552-S4561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 ANDEAN TRADE PREFERENCE EXPANSION ACT

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will now 
resume consideration of H.R. 3009, which the clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 3009) to extend the Andean Trade Preference 
     Act, to grant additional trade benefits under that Act, and 
     for other purposes.

  Pending:

       Baucus/Grassley amendment No. 3401, in the nature of a 
     substitute.
       Rockefeller amendment No. 3433 (to amendment No. 3401), to 
     provide a 1-year eligibility period for steelworker retirees 
     and eligible beneficiaries affected by a qualified closing of 
     a qualified steel company for assistance with health 
     insurance coverage and interim assistance.
       Daschle amendment No. 3434 (to amendment No. 3433), to 
     clarify that steelworker retirees and eligible beneficiaries 
     are not eligible for other trade adjustment assistance unless 
     they would otherwise be eligible for that assistance.
       Dorgan amendment No. 3439 (to amendment No. 3401), to 
     permit private financing of agricultural sales to Cuba.
       Allen amendment No. 3406 (to amendment No. 3401), to 
     provide mortgage payment assistance for employees who are 
     separated from employment.
       Hutchison amendment No. 3441 (to amendment No. 3401), to 
     prohibit a country that has not taken steps to support the 
     United States efforts to combat terrorism from receiving 
     certain trade benefits.
       Dorgan amendment No. 3442 (to amendment No. 3401), to 
     require the United States Trade Representative to 
     identify effective trade remedies to address the unfair 
     trade practices of the Canadian Wheat Board.
       Reid (for Kerry) amendment No. 3430 (to amendment No. 
     3401), to ensure that any artificial trade distorting barrier 
     relating to foreign investment is eliminated in any trade 
     agreement entered into under the Bipartisan Trade Promotion 
     Authority Act of 2002.
       Reid (for Torricelli/Mikulski) amendment No. 3415 (to 
     amendment No. 3401), to amend the labor provisions to ensure 
     that all trade agreements include meaningful, enforceable 
     provisions on workers' rights.
       Reid (for Reed) amendment No. 3443 (to amendment No. 3401), 
     to restore the provisions relating to secondary workers.
       Reid (for Nelson of Florida/Graham) amendment No. 3440 (to 
     amendment No. 3401), to limit tariff reduction authority on 
     certain products.
       Reid (for Bayh) amendment No. 3445 (to amendment No. 3401), 
     to require the ITC to give notice of section 202 
     investigations to the Secretary of Labor.
       Reid (for Byrd) amendment No. 3447 (to amendment No. 3401), 
     to amend the provisions relating to the Congressional 
     Oversight Group.
       Reid (for Byrd) amendment No. 3448 (to amendment No. 3401), 
     to clarify the procedures for procedural disapproval 
     resolutions.
       Reid (for Byrd) amendment No. 3449 (to amendment No. 3401), 
     to clarify the procedures for extension disapproval 
     resolutions.
       Reid (for Byrd) amendment No. 3450 (to amendment No. 3401), 
     to limit the application of trade authorities procedures to a 
     single agreement resulting from DohA.
       Reid (for Byrd) amendment No. 3451 (to amendment No. 3401), 
     to address disclosures by publicly traded companies of 
     relationships with certain countries or foreign-owned 
     corporations.
       Reid (for Byrd) amendment No. 3452 (to amendment No. 3401), 
     to facilitate the opening of energy markets and promote the 
     exportation of clean energy technologies.
       Reid (for Byrd) amendment No. 3453 (to amendment No. 3401), 
     to require that certification of compliance with section 307 
     of the Tariff Act of 1930 be provided with respect to certain 
     goods imported into the United States.


          amendments nos. 3431 and 3432 to amendment no. 3401

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the pending 
amendment be set aside and I ask unanimous consent that two amendments 
be called up which I will explain: Amendment No. 3431, the Boxer-Kerry-
Murray amendment, and amendment No. 3432.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from California [Mrs. Boxer], for herself, and 
     Mr. Kerry and Mrs. Murray, proposes an amendment numbered 
     3431 to amendment No. 3401.
       The Senator from California [Mrs. Boxer], for herself, Ms. 
     Mikulski, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Reid, proposes an amendment 
     numbered 3432 to amendment No. 3401.

  The amendments are as follows:


                           AMENDMENT NO. 3431

   (Purpose: To require the Secretary of Labor to establish a trade 
  adjustment assistance program for certain service workers, and for 
                            other purposes)

       On page 31, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:
       ``(D) Service workers.--
       ``(i) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
     of enactment of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act of 
     2002, the Secretary shall establish a program to provide 
     assistance under this chapter to domestic operators of motor 
     carriers who are adversely affected by competition from 
     foreign owned and operated motor carriers.
       ``(ii) Data collection system.--Not later than 6 months 
     after the date of enactment of the Trade Adjustment 
     Assistance Reform Act of 2002, the Secretary shall put in 
     place a system to collect data on adversely affected service 
     workers that includes the number of workers by State, 
     industry, and cause of dislocation for each worker.
       ``(iii) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act of 
     2002, the Secretary shall report to Congress the results of a 
     study on ways for extending the programs in this chapter to 
     adversely affected service workers, including recommendations 
     for legislation.
                                  ____



                           AMENDMENT NO. 3432

    (Purpose: To ensure that the United States Trade Representative 
           considers the impact of trade agreements on women)

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. IMPACT OF TRADE ON WOMEN.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) United States international trade, social development, 
     and international development policy should be linked with 
     the goal of improving women's social and economic status in 
     the United States and abroad.
       (2) Enhancing women's status not only improves individual 
     lives, but also eliminates market inefficiencies and leads to 
     greater economic growth and trade.
       (b) Advisory Committee for Trade, Gender, and Development 
     Policy.--
       (1) Establishment.--The United States Trade Representative, 
     pursuant to section 135(c)(2) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 
     U.S.C. 2155(c)(2), shall establish within the Office of the 
     United States Trade Representative a Trade, Gender, and 
     Development Policy Advisory Committee (in this section 
     referred to as the ``Advisory Committee'') to provide policy 
     advice on issues involving trade, gender, and international 
     development.
       (2) Duties.--The Advisory Committee shall be responsible 
     for the following:
       (A) Providing the Trade Representative with policy advice 
     on issues involving gender, development, and trade.
       (B) Advising the Trade Representative on--
       (i) positions, text, and other negotiating objectives and 
     bargaining positions before the United States enters into 
     trade agreements;
       (ii) the operation of any trade agreement once entered 
     into; and
       (iii) any other matter relating to the development, 
     implementation, and administration of United States trade 
     policy, including issues pertaining to gender and development 
     concerns in trade negotiations.
       (C) Submitting a report to the President, to Congress, and 
     to the Trade Representative after the bracketed texts have 
     been drafted for bilateral and multilateral negotiations that 
     analyzes the effects of bracketed text on women in the United 
     States and abroad.

[[Page S4553]]

       (D) Providing an advisory opinion on whether the agreement 
     protects and promotes the interests of women in the United 
     States and abroad and suggesting changes to the text to make 
     it conform to international agreements that the United States 
     has signed.
       (E) Submitting a report to the President, to Congress, and 
     to the Trade Representative at the conclusion of negotiations 
     for bilateral and multilateral agreements, including an 
     advisory opinion on the effects of the agreement on the 
     interests of women in the United States, and in the 
     developing world.
       (3) Membership.--
       (A) Number and appointment.--The Advisory Committee shall 
     be composed of not more than 35 members, appointed by the 
     Trade Representative, who shall include, but not be limited 
     to, representatives from women's interest groups, private 
     voluntary organizations, international aid organizations, and 
     appropriate representatives from Federal departments and 
     agencies. The membership of the Advisory Committee shall be 
     broadly representative of key sectors and groups of the 
     economy with an interest in trade, gender, and international 
     development policy issues.
       (B) Term.--Members of the Advisory Committee shall be 
     appointed for a term of 2 years and may be reappointed for 
     additional terms.
       (C) Political affiliation.--Members may be appointed to the 
     Advisory Committee without regard to political affiliation.
       (D) Vacancy.--A vacancy in the Advisory Committee shall be 
     filled in the manner in which the original appointment was 
     made.
       (E) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Advisory Committee 
     shall be designated by the Trade Representative at the time 
     of appointment.
       (4) Designees.--The Trade Representative may request 1 or 
     more members of the Advisory Committee to designate a staff-
     level representative for discussions of technical issues 
     related to trade and environmental policy.
       (5) Subcommittees.--The Advisory Committee may establish 
     such subcommittees as its members deem necessary, subject to 
     the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and the 
     approval of the Trade Representative's designee.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I have a number of problems with the fast-
track legislation. It has only been confirmed as I read the Robert Caro 
book, ``Master of the Senate,'' which is a biography of Lyndon Johnson. 
The first 100 pages talk about the role of Senators. One of the very 
strong points made in the book is that our Founders wanted to make sure 
there was a check against executive power. This was, of course, the 
reason we have a Constitution and we have a balance of powers. The 
trade issue, and assuring Congress is part of that process, is 
mentioned over and over again in this biography as one of the issues on 
which the Founders focused.
  The underlying premise of fast track is to write Congress out of the 
equation, to pat us on the head and say: Be good boys and girls; just 
give the President the right to do whatever he wants, and then you give 
up your right to amend; you can vote up or down. There are some 
occasions where I can see it makes sense if we are talking about a 
specific treaty and we want to give the President some flexibility, 
this is really overarching authority to the President.
  I knew this President when he was the Governor of Texas, supporting a 
minimum wage of $3.35 an hour. I don't want to see that for our people. 
This is a very serious point.
  I have also seen this President attack the environment such as I have 
never seen before. All you have to do is get on the NRDC site, the 
National Resources Defense Council, and there are 90 times where this 
administration, under this President, has in the dead of night attacked 
the environment by weakening clean air, Superfund cleanup, trying to 
stop testing kids for lead poisoning, and on and on and on. Why on 
Earth would we, who care about our own people and their standard of 
living and our environment and the health and safety of our people, 
give away the store to this particular administration? I am sorry, I 
don't get it.
  I am also very concerned that there will be a cloture vote which 
means a lot of the amendments Members are putting forward will not get 
a chance for an up-or-down vote. I will talk briefly about two of those 
amendments. I will do everything I can to get a vote on these 
amendments. If I can't, there will be a lot of noise about it. One has 
to do with truckdrivers, the Boxer-Kerry-Murray amendment which I will 
talk about first, No. 3421.


                           Amendment No. 3431

  On June 30, trucks that do not meet U.S. safety standards will be 
allowed into the United States to deliver products from foreign 
countries. That affects your State and it affects my State.
  The safety issue is a problem in and of itself. We have talked about 
that quite extensively in our transportation bill. Trucks from Mexico 
simply do not have the same standards. We are letting those trucks in 
because of NAFTA.
  We also know, in addition to these safety issues and safety problems, 
American truckdrivers will lose their jobs. Why do I say that? Because 
under the law today, if there are goods being produced in Mexico and 
they come to the border, the trucks stop there and an American trucking 
company, with American drivers, will take the product and deliver it to 
the rest of the country. There is nothing in this bill as it stands now 
to protect those truckdrivers and any others in future trade 
agreements.
  Here is the situation. These workers deserve our help. If we are 
talking about trade adjustment assistance and we have a situation where 
in just a month from now we will have a lot of truckdrivers out of 
work, it seems cruel that we would not cover that issue in this trade 
adjustment assistance that is part and parcel of this bill.

  Now, originally, as Senator Daschle wrote this trade adjustment 
assistance, we had protections for our truckdrivers. My amendment 
reasserts that language, directing the Department of Labor to establish 
a program to provide TAA assistance to truckers who lose their jobs 
because we are opening the border to foreign truckers to operate in the 
United States of America. This was part of the bill of the Presiding 
Officer, the original Bingaman TAA bill, as well as the Daschle 
substitute amendment. Very sadly, it is no longer included because our 
friends on the other side of the aisle did not like it. They said: Get 
rid of it or we are not going to go forward with this bill.
  That is the kind of hard-ball tactics being played on the other side 
of the aisle with the lives of American workers and American 
truckdrivers. There is no reason on God's green Earth why such workers 
should not receive trade adjustment assistance. They are losing their 
jobs because of past trade agreements and perhaps future trade 
agreements. They should be covered.
  This is not some theoretical issue; these are real people. I recently 
received a letter from Carlos Cervantes, a trucker from California. He 
writes:

       I am worried if Mexican trucks are allowed to drive through 
     the United States, I will lose my job. Mexican drivers make a 
     lot less money than U.S. drivers do. And if U.S. trucking 
     companies can use those drivers to move their loads then I 
     will be out of work in no time. If that happens, I will have 
     to take two jobs to provide for the income, health, and 
     welfare of my family. It will be extremely helpful if the 
     U.S. truckers were provided some sort of assistance if they 
     lost their jobs.

  That is what our amendment tries to do. It tries to help people such 
as Carlos Cervantes who want to do nothing more than take care of their 
families. Where are our family values? We talk about them every single 
day. We are not doing anything to help truckers in this Trade 
Adjustment Assistance Act. That is wrong.
  Take the case of Guy Adams, a trucker in Kansas. He drives the I-35 
corridor which stretches from the United States-Mexican border far into 
the interior of the United States. He is eligible to retire, but he has 
not done so because his wife is unable to work because of a heart 
condition, and the treatment and the prescription drug costs are too 
high to handle without the full insurance his job provides.
  We have the coming together of a lack of a prescription drug benefit, 
forcing a trucker to work past retirement age, and now he may well lose 
his job because of the competition from Mexican truckdrivers. He will 
not receive the TAA benefits under this bill. His wife's medical needs 
will not be met. So, again, this is not theory. This is reality. That 
is why your amendment originally did the right thing. I am heartsick 
that the folks on the other side said: Do you want to do this bill? 
Take this trade adjustment assistance out for truckers.

  U.S. truckdrivers are some of the hardest working people in the 
world. They make between $35,000 and $50,000

[[Page S4554]]

a year--that is their starting salary. Those fortunate enough to be 
represented by a union earn the higher end and get good benefits.
  Compare these figures with the salaries of Mexican drivers, and you 
will see a major difference. Mexican drivers make about $18,000 a year 
at best. They do not receive any benefits outside of their own Social 
Security Program. Here is the really incredible fact: There are no time 
limits on how long they can drive. The Mexican Government has no hours 
of service regulations, so theoretically a Mexican driver could drive 
20 hours to the border and drive another 10 in the United States.
  A reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle recently rode with a 
Mexican driver on a 1,800-mile run. The 46-year-old driver drove 3 
straight 21-hour days, sleeping only 7 hours in all. Another Mexican 
driver just quoted in the Kansas City Star said:

       U.S. truckers are lazy. In Mexico you can drive 24 hours 
     straight. I do it all the time.

  Mr. President, you know if there are workers who are willing to work 
24 hours straight and work at half the wages that our good people do, 
they are going to get hired as soon as the June 20 date has passed, and 
we are going to have our good people out of work. We know it is 
inevitable, and U.S. drivers cannot compete.
  So Senators Bingaman and Baucus, once again, recognized that when 
they drafted S. 1209, the original trade adjustment assistance bill 
that moved out of the Finance Committee. Again, Senator Daschle 
recognized it when he included this program in a substitute bill. But 
he was forced to delete it if he wanted to go ahead with this bill.
  Finally, my amendment will direct the Department of Labor to put in 
place a system to collect data on adversely affected service workers 
who work under contract with firms closed or downsized. These workers 
include the janitors at a plant that closes, the cafeteria workers 
there, and those who work at companies, which have contracts with the 
plants, who also lose their jobs. For example, there are plants that 
shut down that, instead of hiring the janitors themselves, contract out 
to another company. So because of that quirk, the service worker loses 
a job.
  We want a study to get to the bottom of this. We want to help these 
workers. We want to help truckers like Guy and Carlos.
  I am deeply disappointed that this important assistance was taken out 
of the bill. I am even more disappointed that we may not get a chance 
to vote on this issue if cloture is invoked, and I am going to fight 
against invoking cloture on this bill. Why should this not be voted 
upon? Because people are afraid to be seen voting the wrong way, to do 
the right thing? I do not think that ought to stand. So I am going to 
do everything I can.


                           Amendment No. 3432

  Mr. President, turning to my other amendment, amendment No. 3432, it 
would help the U.S. Trade Representative make trade work for women. 
What we mean by that is that women's organizations and labor groups 
have made a convincing case that increased trade and trade rules have 
different implications for women and men, and the U.S. Trade 
Representative is not taking these effects into account.
  For example, a little village in Mexico, Felicitas Villalobos, 
creates intricately woven needle baskets. On the export markets these 
baskets could fetch from 40 cents to $1.25, but trade rules require 
women to produce an official invoice and official identification in 
order to export. Since she lives in a poverty-stricken area of Mexico 
with little access to government services, she does not have an 
official identification and cannot export her goods.
  This situation is one that an advisory committee on gender and trade 
at the USTR could have foreseen and prevented. They could have produced 
recommendations to exempt women who are caught in this bind where they 
cannot export their products.
  In order to help the USTR take the needs of women in account in the 
agreements they negotiate, I am introducing this amendment with 
Senators Mikulski, Durbin, and Harry Reid. Our amendment would create 
an advisory committee on gender and trade at the USTR in order to help 
our negotiators understand and mitigate the negative consequences of 
trade for women and also help women share in the opportunities that 
trade creates.
  Now that I have talked about a woman in Mexico, let me talk about a 
woman, Joyce Ruthier, who is a garment worker in Maine. She will lose 
her job when the plant closes due to foreign competition, as so many 
others have over the last decade. She has worked at the plant for 23 
years. We know the USTR is not doing a good enough job in looking at 
the impact of trade on Joyce. It is exceedingly clear that trade 
affects women and men differently, creating opportunities for some and 
causing others to lose their jobs. The GAO found that, nationally, 66 
percent of the workers qualifying for NAFTA trade adjustment assistance 
were women. That kind of job loss concentration has implications for 
how we design job training and assistance programs and can help us 
predict which communities will suffer job losses as a result of trade.
  The advisory committee I and my colleagues are proposing would 
include representatives from the private sector, nonprofits, academia, 
and the public sector. Their viewpoints, focused on the interests of 
women and trade, would add a much needed perspective to trade 
negotiations.
  So it is very important that we look at the facts. Of the 134-member 
country delegations to the World Trade Organization, only 9 member 
countries have delegations led by women. Yet women make up 45 percent 
of the world's workforce and make up 70 percent of the world's poor. 
Let's make sure these women have a place at the table on trade.
  The AFL/CIO, Women's Edge, the Feminist Majority, and other fair 
trade organizations strongly support this amendment. We want a place at 
the table for women when it comes to trade.
  When I was in the House of Representatives we took a look at what was 
happening with health issues in the Congress. We found that women were 
not being used in clinical trials. Whenever the NIH or CDC made a 
recommendation, that was based on studies where only men were included. 
They pointed out this is so unfair to the women of our country who make 
up a majority of the population. We changed things.
  On trade, we have a parallel situation. Where the people making 
decisions are predominantly male, overwhelmingly women in foreign 
countries and women in this country are disproportionately hurt.
  My understanding is there is no objection to this amendment on the 
Democratic side of the aisle, but there is objection on the other side. 
I am very distressed, again. We have to admit that in this kind of 
trade agreement there are winners and losers. One time or another, we 
have to stand up and say we are going to look at who is losing out and 
what we can do to better understand what is happening. Why the other 
side of the aisle cannot accept a simple amendment that sets up a 
commission to look at this is beyond me. I, frankly, think the result 
of this is going to be a more mean-spirited bill than it has to be.
  On both of these issues, on both of these amendments, I hope we can 
get some strong support from colleagues. We know truckers are going to 
suffer. We know women are going to suffer. The least we can do is stand 
up and fight for the people in our country who are going to be 
adversely impacted.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  Mr. REID. Before yielding the floor, will the Senator allow a 
question to be asked?
  Mrs. BOXER. I will be happy to respond.
  Mr. REID. I have been listening to the Senator making her statement. 
Of course, I hope, also, we can figure out a way to get votes on a 
number of these amendments.
  I have been looking for an opportunity to talk to the Senator from 
California about some of the things she has done. It is not easy to be 
an advocate as the Senator from California has been ever since I have 
known her. I want the Senator to know how much I appreciate and how 
much the people appreciate her advocacy on environmental issues.
  I know the famous Erin Brockovich was from California. I think the 
Senator from California is the Erin Brockovich of the Senate because 
with her advocacy we have been able just in

[[Page S4555]]

recent days to put a stop to the prevention of children being tested 
for lead in their water. The Senator from California was the first to 
have raised that issue. She is also the one who raised the concern 
about chromium, and she in fact appeared at an event with Erin 
Brockovich's lawyer, Ed Masry, who allowed her to do what she did. The 
Senator alerted us to that and introduced legislation in that regard 
and, of course, the famous arsenic-in-the-water subject that the Bush 
administration started. She said they have 90 violations. I have 
narrowed it down to six or seven about which we haven't talked.
  But I want the Senator from California to know that being out front 
on these issues is sometimes difficult for her because we have a very 
popular President. It is not in vogue to criticize anything he or his 
administration does. But had it not been for the loud voice of the 
Senator from California, we might not have been able to accomplish the 
things we did accomplish.
  Mrs. BOXER. I thank my friend so much. As my friend knows, the 
majority leader, Senator Daschle, and Senator Reid, the majority whip, 
have set up the task forces in the Senate to look at different issues. 
We know that, for example, Senator Lieberman is working on pension 
reform and pension protection. I was given the assignment to look at 
the environment.
  I really thank my friend because I think we are finding out that when 
we shine the light of truth on an issue, the country is better for it. 
Senator Kennedy headed up an education team on a proposal that would 
make it very difficult for students in this country to pay back their 
loans. This President was about to put that policy in place. Senator 
Kennedy roared like a lion on the point. He came here and roared like a 
lion on the point. Guess what. They backed off and the people won.
  We came down and said, for years we had been testing poor children 
for lead in their blood. We know that if there is so much lead in their 
blood--as a baby, or as a child--they are going to have mental 
difficulties. They could even go into a coma and even die; they could 
go blind; they could have kidney failure. We pointed it out and, by 
God, a couple of weeks after they backed off.
  I want to pick up on what my friend said. We are speaking the truth 
as we believe it. That is why we are in the Senate.
  My friend compliments me. I am so grateful. To me, it is why we are 
here. It isn't our job to come here and button up our lips and not talk 
because we are afraid the administration will attack us.
  I know my friend is reading a Robert Caro book, ``Master of the 
Senate.'' I mentioned it to the President of the Senate before. The 
first 100 pages deal with what Senators do and how we were sent here 
not just for fun but to make sure there is a check and balance on 
whatever the executive power is being asserted here. It is not 
politics. It is our job. It is not partisan. I opposed President 
Clinton on a number of issues dealing with what I considered to be 
unfair trade. It is our job.

  So I thank my friend. I hope he takes to the floor time and time 
again pointing out to the American people what our job is. If we don't 
do it, if we don't speak the truth as we see it, if we don't challenge 
the executive, if we believe perhaps they can do more, or if they are 
leading us down the wrong path, then we don't deserve to be here.
  I thank my friend.
  Mr. REID. Also, before the Senator leaves the floor, I would like to 
say that I am a great fan of public radio. I cannot listen to it as 
much as I would like. But every morning when I go running, I have my 
little radio and I listen to public radio. I don't run as far and as 
fast as I used to. So I probably listen to the radio more. It takes me 
longer to get from one place to another. But that is one of the good 
things.
  This morning, they had a wonderful program about what the Senator 
just talked about. Senate Democrats are making progress. They talked 
about a poll by a Republican pollster and a Democratic pollster. They 
joined together in this poll. They came up with an interesting fact--
that what we are trying with our messages through our task forces and 
other ways to communicate to the American public is really 
reverberating through the American public. By almost 10 percentage 
points, the American people like what we are doing more than what the 
Republicans are doing. Tax cuts are not the name of the game. 
Privatizing Social Security isn't what the American people want. They 
want to do something about real education. They want to do something 
about environmental issues. One of the issues is pensions. The 
Presiding Officer is leading that task force. Dealing with medical 
care, prescription drugs, and making things affordable for people who 
go to the doctor are what people care about. That is what we have been 
talking about.
  We fought those tax cuts. I tell people that if I had to vote again, 
I would vote the same way. I didn't have a single rich person in Nevada 
come to me and say we should cut their taxes.
  Today, I had a half-hour interview on public radio, KECP Radio. On 
that program were some women who are working with the Head Start 
Program. In Las Vegas, there are fewer than 2,000 children who benefit 
from the Head Start Program. That is a school district with 240,000 
kids. This year, the Head Start Program around the country is being 
straight-lined with not even inflation. We have to fight to bring the 
Head Start Program up to inflation. Fewer than 2,000 children benefit 
from the Head Start Program in this huge metropolitan area of Las 
Vegas.
  My friend, the Senator from California, and I voted against the tax 
cut. It is not easy to vote against tax cuts. But people in the country 
are suffering as a result.
  The top 1 percent of the income earners in America are doing 
extremely well.
  Mrs. BOXER. It is good that my friend raises the point. Tax cuts for 
the middle class are one thing. Tax cuts for the people who earn a 
million dollars a year are another thing. People who are earning $1 
million a year don't want to see this tax. They are going to get back 
$50,000 a year for every year. That is more than twice as much as a 
person earning minimum wage gets. A person earning $20,000 or $30,000 a 
year gets back $150 a year.
  I am all for focusing on the people who need it--people who tell me, 
I am doing fine. I want to make sure there is no crime. I want cops on 
the street--a program the administration has cut. I want to make sure 
children don't get in trouble after school, which my friend knows has 
been one of my priorities. The fact is, after the President signed the 
education bill with great flourish, he has flat-lined afterschool.
  Mr. REID. If I could interrupt the Senator, I talk to the women about 
afterschool programs. They are desperate for more afterschool programs 
because that is when kids get into trouble. We are desperate for 
afterschool programs. The Senator is absolutely right.
  Mrs. BOXER. That is the point. In other words, all of life involves 
shortages.
  The Presiding Officer has worked for so many years, ever since I have 
been here, to help provide for dropout kids. And he has won approval on 
many amendments.
  But it does not do any good if this President does not fund those 
programs. It does not do any good when we pass an authorization for 
afterschool, and the President does not fund those programs. It does 
not do any good if we have money for rebuilding our schools, and the 
President does not fund the programs or fund Head Start or fund special 
education.
  The reason he cannot do it is because of the tax cut to the people 
earning over $1 million a year. That is the bottom line. I think if we 
go to the people earning $1 million a year--and I have a lot of those 
people in my State, I say to my friend, because we have 35 million 
people in my State, and we have people who do very well--they will tell 
me to do all I can to redirect their tax cut, that they do not need, to 
those things that the communities need: prescription drugs for our 
seniors; education for our children; a clean, healthy environment; 
beautiful parks that are maintained.
  I say to my friend, the majority whip, who holds such a high position 
here, I am so proud he is on this floor day after day, bringing us back 
to the reality of why we are here, which is to help the people do the 
best they can do: live long, healthy, productive lives, being well 
educated, and able to

[[Page S4556]]

breathe clean air and drink clean water, and not have kids get in 
trouble by dropping out of school where then their future is destroyed.
  So I thank my friend.
  The more the administration says, shame on you, saying something 
against what we believe, the more I have decided that is why I am here, 
and that is why I came here. I promised the people when I walked up 
those steps and those doors opened up, and I came in this magnificent 
Chamber, that I would never forget those who cannot put on the Gucci 
suits and shoes and beautiful ties and come up here and lobby. I think 
about them. And the more the administration fights against them, and 
fights for those who have so much more--whether it is Enron executives 
or anyone else; and that is a whole other story we can't get into--the 
more I will speak up for them. And I know my friend will be there with 
me.
  Mr. REID. The Senator from California understands that last year at 
this time we had a $4.7 trillion surplus projected over the next 10 
years. Today, 1 year later, we are spending Social Security money 
surpluses, Medicare money. The surplus is gone. Sure, 20 to 25 percent 
of that is due to the war. We recognize that. The other 75 percent is 
because of economic policies of this administration.
  Remember, we had surpluses the last 3 years of the Clinton 
administration. We were spending in the black, not in the red. We were 
making money. We were doing fine. We were starting to pay down the $5 
trillion debt. It is going to go up now.
  So the Senator is right. We have to focus on issues that are 
important. The people of Nevada are very concerned about prescription 
drug benefits. The average senior citizen fills 18 prescriptions a 
year. And with managed care kind of going out of style, these people 
are suffering a lot.
  So I say to my friend, the Senator from California, thank you very 
much for not forgetting why you came here.
  Mrs. BOXER. I thank my friend and yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  Mr. REID. Will the Senator withhold suggesting the absence of a 
quorum.
  Mrs. BOXER. I withhold my suggestion.
  Mr. REID. Will the Presiding Officer indicate what the matter before 
the Senate is now?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The matter pending before the Senate is H.R. 
3009.


                Amendment No. 3456 To Amendment No. 3401

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Durbin, I send an 
amendment to the desk. And I, of course, ask unanimous consent that the 
pending amendment be laid aside.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the amendment.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid], for Mr. Durbin, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 3456 to amendment No. 3401.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent reading of the 
amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

  (Purpose: To extend the temporary duty suspensions with respect to 
                 certain wool, and for other purposes)

       At the end of title XXXII, insert the following:

     SEC. 3204. DUTY SUSPENSION ON WOOL.

       (a) Extension of Temporary Duty Reductions.--
       (1) Heading 9902.51.11.-- Heading 9902.51.11 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is amended by 
     striking ``2003'' and inserting ``2005''.
       (2) Heading 9902.51.12.-- Heading 9902.51.12 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is amended--
       (A) by striking ``2003'' and inserting ``2005''; and
       (B) by striking ``6%'' and inserting ``Free''.
       (3) Heading 9902.51.13.--Heading 9902.51.13 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is amended by 
     striking ``2003'' and inserting ``2005''.
       (4) Heading 9902.51.14.--Heading 9902.51.14 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is amended by 
     striking ``2003'' and inserting ``2005''.
       (b) Limitation on Quantity of Imports.--
       (1) Note 15.--U.S. Note 15 to subchapter II of chapter 99 
     of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is 
     amended--
       (A) by striking ``from January 1 to December 31 of each 
     year, inclusive''; and
       (B) by striking ``, or such other'' and inserting the 
     following: ``in calendar year 2001, 3,500,000 square meter 
     equivalents in calendar year 2002, and 4,500,000 square meter 
     equivalents in calendar year 2003 and each calendar year 
     thereafter, or such greater''.
       (2) Note 16.--U.S. Note 16 to subchapter II of chapter 99 
     of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is 
     amended--
       (A) by striking ``from January 1 to December 31 of each 
     year, inclusive''; and
       (B) by striking ``, or such other'' and inserting the 
     following: ``in calendar year 2001, 2,500,000 square meter 
     equivalents in calendar year 2002, and 3,500,000 square meter 
     equivalents in calendar year 2003 and each calendar year 
     thereafter, or such greater''.
       (c) Extension of Duty Refunds and Wool Research Trust 
     Fund.--
       (1) In general.--The United States Customs Service shall 
     pay each manufacturer that receives a payment under section 
     505 of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-
     200) for calendar year 2002, and that provides an affidavit 
     that it remains a manufacturer in the United States as of 
     January 1 of the year of the payment, 2 additional payments, 
     each payment equal to the payment received for calendar year 
     2002 as follows:
       (A) The first payment to be made after January 1, 2004, but 
     on or before April 15, 2004.
       (B) The second payment to be made after January 1, 2005, 
     but on or before April 15, 2005.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 506(f) of the Trade and 
     Development Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-200) is amended by 
     striking ``2004'' and inserting ``2006''.
       (3) Trust fund.--
       (A) In general.--There is established in the Treasury of 
     the United States a trust fund to be known as the ``Worsted 
     Wool Fabric Manufacturer Trust Fund'' (in this paragraph 
     referred to as the ``Wool Fabric Trust Fund''), consisting of 
     $32,000,000 transferred to the Wool Fabric Trust Fund from 
     funds in the general fund of the Treasury.
       (B) Grants.--
       (i) General purpose.--From amounts available in the Wool 
     Fabric Trust Fund, the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to 
     provide grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabric to 
     assist such manufacturers in maximizing employment in the 
     production of textile products, and meeting their obligations 
     to workers, former workers, and retirees in the textile 
     industry.
       (ii) Application for grants.--Qualified applicants shall 
     apply for such grants no later than 30 days after enactment 
     of this paragraph in accordance with guidelines prescribed by 
     the Secretary and the Secretary shall award such grants no 
     later than 60 days after receiving a completed application.
       (C) Distribution of funds.--Of the amounts in the Wool 
     Fabric Trust Fund--
       (i) $16,000,000 shall be made available to manufacturers of 
     worsted wool fabric whose aggregate domestic production of 
     fabric of the kind described in heading 9902.51.12 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States during 
     calendar years 1999, 2000, and 2001 equals or exceeds 60 
     percent of all worsted wool fabric produced by all such 
     manufacturers, and shall be allocated based on the percentage 
     of each such manufacturer's production of the fabric 
     described in such heading for such 3 years compared to the 
     production of such fabric for all such applicants who qualify 
     under this clause; and
       (ii) $16,000,000 shall be made available to manufacturers 
     of worsted wool fabric who do not qualify under clause (i), 
     and shall be allocated based on the percentage of each such 
     manufacturer's aggregate domestic production of the fabric 
     described in heading 9902.51.11 of the Harmonized Tariff 
     Schedule of the United States during calendar years 1999, 
     2000, and 2001 compared to the production of such fabric 
     during such years for all applicants who qualify under this 
     clause.
       (D) No appeal.--Any grant awarded by the Secretary under 
     this paragraph shall be final and not subject to appeal or 
     protest.
       (4) Authorization.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
     and is appropriated out of amounts in the general fund of the 
     Treasury not otherwise appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out the provisions of this subsection.
       (d) Requests for Modification of Limitation on Quantity of 
     Fabrics.--
       (1) General rule.--Manufacturers may request modifications 
     to the limitation on the quantity of imports of worsted wool 
     fabrics under heading 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.12 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States pursuant to 
     section 504(b) of Public Law 106-200, only upon a finding by 
     the United States International Trade Commission that 
     domestic fabric manufacturers have reduced their capacity 
     from the levels existing at the end of calendar year 2002 to 
     produce the fabric described under such heading by 25 
     percent, or have reduced their sales of such fabric by 50 
     percent.
       (2) Request for finding.--The United States International 
     Trade Commission shall make a finding regarding the extent of 
     any such reduction in capacity or sales upon the request of a 
     manufacturer of apparel products made of such worsted wool 
     fabric.
       (3) Limitation.--No modification may be made pursuant to 
     section 504(b) of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 
     (Public Law 106-200) for fabric imported during calendar 
     years 2002 or 2003.
       (e) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection 
     (a)(2)(B) applies to goods entered, or withdrawn from 
     warehouse for consumption, on or after January 1, 2002.

[[Page S4557]]

     SEC. 3205. PARTIAL PAYMENT OF TAX LIABILITY IN INSTALLMENT 
                   AGREEMENTS.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Section 6159(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
     (relating to authorization of agreements) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``satisfy liability for payment of'' and 
     inserting ``make payment on'', and
       (B) by inserting ``full or partial'' after ``facilitate''.
       (2) Section 6159(c) of such Code (relating to Secretary 
     required to enter into installment agreements in certain 
     cases) is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by 
     inserting ``full'' before ``payment''.
       (b) Requirement to Review Partial Payment Agreements Every 
     Two Years.--Section 6159 of such Code is amended by 
     redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (e) and 
     (f), respectively, and inserting after subsection (c) the 
     following new subsection:
       ``(d) Secretary Required To Review Installment Agreements 
     for Partial Collection Every Two Years.--In the case of an 
     agreement entered into by the Secretary under subsection (a) 
     for partial collection of a tax liability, the Secretary 
     shall review the agreement at least once every 2 years.''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply to agreements entered into on or after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act.


                Amendment No. 3457 To Amendment No. 3401

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Durbin, I send an 
amendment to the desk. I ask unanimous consent that the pending 
amendment be set aside.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the amendment.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid], for Mr. Durbin, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 3457 to amendment No. 3401.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent reading of the 
amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

  (Purpose: To extend the temporary duty suspensions with respect to 
                 certain wool, and for other purposes)

       After section 3201, insert the following:

     SEC. 3202. DUTY SUSPENSION ON WOOL.

       (a) Extension of Temporary Duty Reductions.--
       (1) Heading 9902.51.11.-- Heading 9902.51.11 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is amended by 
     striking ``2003'' and inserting ``2005''.
       (2) Heading 9902.51.12.-- Heading 9902.51.12 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is amended--
       (A) by striking ``2003'' and inserting ``2005''; and
       (B) by striking ``6%'' and inserting ``Free''.
       (3) Heading 9902.51.13.--Heading 9902.51.13 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is amended by 
     striking ``2003'' and inserting ``2005''.
       (4) Heading 9902.51.14.--Heading 9902.51.14 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is amended by 
     striking ``2003'' and inserting ``2005''.
       (b) Limitation on Quantity of Imports.--
       (1) Note 15.--U.S. Note 15 to subchapter II of chapter 99 
     of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is 
     amended--
       (A) by striking ``from January 1 to December 31 of each 
     year, inclusive''; and
       (B) by striking ``, or such other'' and inserting the 
     following: ``in calendar year 2001, 3,500,000 square meter 
     equivalents in calendar year 2002, and 4,500,000 square meter 
     equivalents in calendar year 2003 and each calendar year 
     thereafter, or such greater''.
       (2) Note 16.--U.S. Note 16 to subchapter II of chapter 99 
     of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is 
     amended--
       (A) by striking ``from January 1 to December 31 of each 
     year, inclusive''; and
       (B) by striking ``, or such other'' and inserting the 
     following: ``in calendar year 2001, 2,500,000 square meter 
     equivalents in calendar year 2002, and 3,500,000 square meter 
     equivalents in calendar year 2003 and each calendar year 
     thereafter, or such greater''.
       (c) Extension of Duty Refunds and Wool Research Trust 
     Fund.--
       (1) In general.--The United States Customs Service shall 
     pay each manufacturer that receives a payment under section 
     505 of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-
     200) for calendar year 2002, and that provides an affidavit 
     that it remains a manufacturer in the United States as of 
     January 1 of the year of the payment, 2 additional payments, 
     each payment equal to the payment received for calendar year 
     2002 as follows:
       (A) The first payment to be made after January 1, 2004, but 
     on or before April 15, 2004.
       (B) The second payment to be made after January 1, 2005, 
     but on or before April 15, 2005.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 506(f) of the Trade and 
     Development Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-200) is amended by 
     striking ``2004'' and inserting ``2006''.
       (3) Trust fund.--
       (A) In general.--There is established in the Treasury of 
     the United States a trust fund to be known as the ``Worsted 
     Wool Fabric Manufacturer Trust Fund'' (in this paragraph 
     referred to as the ``Wool Fabric Trust Fund''), consisting of 
     $32,000,000 transferred to the Wool Fabric Trust Fund from 
     funds in the general fund of the Treasury.
       (B) Grants.--
       (i) General purpose.--From amounts available in the Wool 
     Fabric Trust Fund, the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to 
     provide grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabric to 
     assist such manufacturers in maximizing employment in the 
     production of textile products, and meeting their obligations 
     to workers, former workers, and retirees in the textile 
     industry.
       (ii) Application for grants.--Qualified applicants shall 
     apply for such grants no later than 30 days after enactment 
     of this paragraph in accordance with guidelines prescribed by 
     the Secretary and the Secretary shall award such grants no 
     later than 60 days after receiving a completed application.
       (C) Distribution of funds.--Of the amounts in the Wool 
     Fabric Trust Fund--
       (i) $16,000,000 shall be made available to manufacturers of 
     worsted wool fabric whose aggregate domestic production of 
     fabric of the kind described in heading 9902.51.12 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States during 
     calendar years 1999, 2000, and 2001 equals or exceeds 60 
     percent of all worsted wool fabric produced by all such 
     manufacturers, and shall be allocated based on the percentage 
     of each such manufacturer's production of the fabric 
     described in such heading for such 3 years compared to the 
     production of such fabric for all such applicants who qualify 
     under this clause; and
       (ii) $16,000,000 shall be made available to manufacturers 
     of worsted wool fabric who do not qualify under clause (i), 
     and shall be allocated based on the percentage of each such 
     manufacturer's aggregate domestic production of the fabric 
     described in heading 9902.51.11 of the Harmonized Tariff 
     Schedule of the United States during calendar years 1999, 
     2000, and 2001 compared to the production of such fabric 
     during such years for all applicants who qualify under this 
     clause.
       (D) No appeal.--Any grant awarded by the Secretary under 
     this paragraph shall be final and not subject to appeal or 
     protest.
       (4) Authorization.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
     and is appropriated out of amounts in the general fund of the 
     Treasury not otherwise appropriated such sums as are 
     necessary to carry out the provisions of this subsection.
       (d) Requests for Modification of Limitation on Quantity of 
     Fabrics.--
       (1) General rule.--Manufacturers may request modifications 
     to the limitation on the quantity of imports of worsted wool 
     fabrics under heading 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.12 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States pursuant to 
     section 504(b) of Public Law 106-200, only upon a finding by 
     the United States International Trade Commission that 
     domestic fabric manufacturers have reduced their capacity 
     from the levels existing at the end of calendar year 2002 to 
     produce the fabric described under such heading by 25 
     percent, or have reduced their sales of such fabric by 50 
     percent.
       (2) Request for finding.--The United States International 
     Trade Commission shall make a finding regarding the extent of 
     any such reduction in capacity or sales upon the request of a 
     manufacturer of apparel products made of such worsted wool 
     fabric.
       (3) Limitation.--No modification may be made pursuant to 
     section 504(b) of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 
     (Public Law 106-200) for fabric imported during calendar 
     years 2002 or 2003.
       (e) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection 
     (a)(2)(B) applies to goods entered, or withdrawn from 
     warehouse for consumption, on or after January 1, 2002.


                Amendment No. 3458 To Amendment No. 3401

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I send another amendment to the desk on 
behalf of Senator Durbin. I ask unanimous consent the pending amendment 
be set aside.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The 
amendment will be set aside.
  The clerk will report the amendment.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid], for Mr. Durbin, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 3458 to amendment No. 3401.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent reading of the 
amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

 (Purpose: To establish and implement a steel import notification and 
              monitoring program, and for other purposes)

       At the appropriate place, insert the following new title:

 TITLE __--STEEL IMPORT NOTIFICATION AND MONITORING; EARLY RELEASE OF 
                              IMPORT DATA

     SEC. __01. STEEL IMPORT NOTIFICATION AND MONITORING PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Establishment.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this title, the Secretary of Commerce, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall 
     establish and implement a steel import notification and 
     monitoring program. The program shall include a requirement 
     that any

[[Page S4558]]

     person importing a product classified under chapter 72 or 73 
     of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States obtain 
     an import notification certificate before such products are 
     entered into the United States.
       (2) Expiration.--The program established under paragraph 
     (1) shall expire on March 5, 2005.
       (b) Steel Import Notification Certificates.--
       (1) In general.--In order to obtain a steel import 
     notification certificate, an importer shall submit to the 
     Secretary of Commerce an application containing--
       (A) the importer's name and address;
       (B) the name and address of the supplier of the goods to be 
     imported;
       (C) the name and address of the producer of the goods to be 
     imported;
       (D) the country of origin of the goods;
       (E) the country from which the goods are to be imported;
       (F) the United States Customs port of entry where the goods 
     will be entered;
       (G) the expected date of entry of the goods into the United 
     States;
       (H) a description of the goods, including the 
     classification of such goods under the Harmonized Tariff 
     Schedule of the United States, including chapters 72 and 73;
       (I) the quantity (in kilograms and net tons) of the goods 
     to be imported;
       (J) the cost insurance freight (CIF) and free alongside 
     ship (FAS) values of the goods to be entered;
       (K) whether the goods are being entered for consumption or 
     for entry into a bonded warehouse or foreign trade zone;
       (L) a certification that the information furnished in the 
     certificate application is correct; and
       (M) any other information the Secretary of Commerce 
     determines to be necessary and appropriate.
       (2) Entry into customs territory.--In the case of 
     merchandise classified under chapter 72 or 73 of the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States that is 
     initially entered into a bonded warehouse or foreign trade 
     zone, a steel import notification certificate shall be 
     required before the merchandise is entered into the customs 
     territory of the United States.
       (3) Issuance of steel import notification certificate.--The 
     Secretary of Commerce shall issue a steel import notification 
     certificate to any person who files an application that meets 
     the requirements of this section. Such certificate shall be 
     valid for a period of 30 days from the date of issuance.
       (c) Statistical Information.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Commerce shall compile 
     and publish on a weekly basis information described in 
     paragraph (2).
       (2) Information described.--Information described in this 
     paragraph means information obtained from steel import 
     notification certificate applications concerning steel 
     imported into the United States and includes with respect to 
     such imports the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
     States classification (to the tenth digit), the country of 
     origin, the port of entry, quantity, value of steel imported, 
     and whether the imports are entered for consumption or are 
     entered into a bonded warehouse or foreign trade zone. Such 
     information shall also be compiled in aggregate form and made 
     publicly available by the Secretary of Commerce on a weekly 
     basis by public posting through an Internet website. The 
     information provided under this section shall be in addition 
     to any information otherwise required by law.
       (d) Fees.--The Secretary of Commerce may prescribe 
     reasonable fees and charges to defray the costs of carrying 
     out the provisions of this section, including a fee for 
     issuing a certificate under this section.
       (e) Single Producer and Exporter Countries.--
     Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of 
     Commerce shall make publicly available all information 
     required to be released pursuant to subsection (c), including 
     information obtained regarding imports from a foreign 
     producer or exporter that is the only producer or exporter of 
     goods subject to this section from a foreign country.
       (f) Regulations.--The Secretary of Commerce may prescribe 
     such rules and regulations relating to the steel import 
     notification and monitoring program as may be necessary to 
     carry the provisions of this section.

     SEC. __02. AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 332 OF THE TARIFF ACT OF 
                   1930.

       Section 332 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(h)(1) Any entity, including a trade association, firm, 
     certified or recognized union, or group of workers, which is 
     representative of a domestic industry that produces an 
     article that is like or directly competitive with an imported 
     article, may file a request with the President pursuant to 
     paragraph (2) for the monitoring of imports of such article 
     under subsection (g).
       ``(2) If the request filed under paragraph (1) alleges that 
     an article is being imported into the United States in such 
     increased quantities as to cause serious injury, or threat 
     thereof, to a domestic industry, the President, within 45 
     days after receiving the request, shall determine if 
     monitoring is appropriate.
       ``(3) If the determination under paragraph (2) is 
     affirmative, the President shall request, under subsection 
     (g), the Commission to monitor and investigate the imports 
     concerned for a period not to exceed 2 years.''.

     SEC. __03. EARLY RELEASE OF IMPORT DATA.

       In order to facilitate the early identification of 
     potentially disruptive import surges, the Director of the 
     Office of Management and Budget may grant an exception to the 
     publication dates established for the release of data on 
     United States international trade in goods and services in 
     order to permit public access to preliminary international 
     trade import data, if the Director notifies Congress of the 
     early release of the data.


                Amendment No. 3459 To Amendment No. 3401

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the pending 
amendment be set aside, and I send to the desk an amendment by Senator 
Harkin.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the amendment.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid], for Mr. Harkin, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 3459 to amendment No. 3401.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent reading of the 
amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

 (Purpose: To include the prevention of the worst forms of child labor 
  as one of the principal negotiating objectives of the United States)

       At the end of section 2102(b), insert the following:
       (15) Worst forms of child labor.--The principal negotiating 
     objectives of the United States regarding the worst forms of 
     child labor are--
       (A) to prevent distortions in the conduct of international 
     trade caused by the use of the worst forms of child labor, in 
     whole or in part, in the production of goods for export in 
     international commerce; and
       (B) to redress unfair and illegitimate competition based 
     upon the use of the worst forms of child labor, in whole or 
     in part, in the production of goods for export in 
     international commerce, including through--
       (i) attaining universal ratification and full compliance by 
     all trading nations with ILO Convention No. 182 Concerning 
     the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of 
     the Worst Forms of Child Labor, particularly with respect to 
     meeting enforcement obligations under that Convention and 
     related international agreements;
       (ii) reinforcing the right under Article XX(a) and (b) of 
     GATT 1994 to enact and enforce national measures that are 
     necessary to protect public morals and to protect animal or 
     plant life and health, including measures that limit or ban 
     the importation of goods or services rendered in 
     international trade that are produced through the use of the 
     worst forms of child labor;
       (iii) ensuring that any multilateral or bilateral trade 
     agreement that is entered into by the United States obligates 
     all parties to such agreements to enact and enforce national 
     laws that satisfy their international legal obligations to 
     prevent the use of the worst forms of child labor, especially 
     in the conduct of international trade; and
       (iv) providing for strong enforcement of international and 
     national laws that obligate all trading nations to prevent 
     the use of the worst forms of child labor, especially in the 
     conduct of international trade, through accessible, 
     expeditious, and effective civil, administrative, and 
     criminal enforcement mechanisms.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                             cloture motion

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The cloture motion having been presented under 
rule XXII, the Chair directs the clerk to read the motion.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

                             Cloture Motion

       We, the undersigned Senators, in accordance with the 
     provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, 
     hereby move to bring to a close the debate on the Baucus-
     Grassley substitute amendment for Calendar No. 295, H.R. 
     3009, the Andean Trade Act:
         Max Baucus, Chuck Grassley, Orrin Hatch, Zell Miller, 
           Blanche L. Lincoln, John Breaux, Mitch McConnell, Chuck 
           Hagel, Robert F. Bennett, Christopher Bond, Ron Wyden, 
           Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Patty Murray, Jeff Bingaman, 
           Pete Domenici, Pat Roberts, Harry Reid.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.

[[Page S4559]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Akaka). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.


                           Amendment No. 3433

  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, tomorrow morning, at 11 o'clock, we will 
have a cloture vote on amendment No. 3433, which has been offered by my 
colleague, Senator Rockefeller, and my dear colleague from Maryland, 
Senator Mikulski, with respect to the issue of health benefits for 
retired steelworkers.
  I rise in strong support of that amendment, but especially to urge my 
colleagues to vote to put cloture into place so we can move to the 
amendment and vote on its merits, on its substance.
  I know there is some difference of opinion in this Chamber about the 
substance of this amendment, and I obviously respect that difference of 
opinion, although I disagree with those who oppose the amendment. But 
at least the body ought to be allowed to move forward and actually vote 
on the amendment itself. In order to do that, we have to invoke cloture 
in the morning because, up until now, we have been precluded from 
having a vote on this amendment.
  The amendment itself is straightforward and simple. It would give a 
health insurance credit for eligible steel retirees. Actually, it is a 
credit covering 70 percent of the total cost of health care coverage.
  The retirees would have to pay 30 percent of the cost of their health 
care coverage. But this is an effort to get at the problem of what is 
going to happen to people who are now retired, who have been getting 
their health benefits covered through the company and their companies 
have now shut down. It covers companies' operations before January 1 of 
2000 that are either now closed or closed before January 1, 2004, and 
are operating under the protection of the bankruptcy code.
  The setting for this problem is: The steel industry has been severely 
hit by a flood of imports coming into the country, and they are coming 
in on an unfair basis. These imports are being, in effect, subsidized 
either directly or indirectly, and they simply undercut the American 
producers.
  The steel industry went through a major restructuring in which they 
eliminated a lot of inefficient producers and downsized. Active workers 
were encouraged to take early retirement in order to slim down the 
workforce. Having taken retirement and being dependent on the company 
plan for their health benefits, now they find that the company is no 
longer able to pay the benefits. What is to happen to the retired 
worker? What is to be done for these retired workers and their 
dependents?
  The International Trade Commission found unanimously there was 
serious injury done to the U.S. steel industry by the unprecedented 
flood of imports coming into the country. In fact, the President has 
undertaken a program of imposing tariffs on steel imports as a 
consequence. That decision was not simply made out of the thin air. It 
was a decision based on these findings about the harm being done to the 
steel industry and based on the fact that we know that this steel has 
been coming in at underwritten cost, which makes it impossible for our 
producers to compete with. So that is the context. In other words, you 
have individuals and their families in the end who are sort of 
victimized, and the reason they are victimized is because we have been 
taken advantage of with respect to the trading relationship and steel 
producers in other countries.
  This is a very limited amendment. There are other amendments that 
were under consideration that were much more far reaching. This is 
really what they call a bridge amendment. It is to provide 1 year of 
support to these retirees in order to give them some breathing space 
while they try to straighten out their situation, so they do not simply 
fall off the edge of the cliff with respect to health care coverage for 
themselves and for their dependents.
  This goes only to eligible retirees. Most steel contracts require 15 
years of service in order for the benefit to vest, so they, in effect, 
would have been long-term permanent employees. It is for the retirees 
and dependents and spouses who qualify for the retiree health benefit 
but have lost their coverage because of the closure of their former 
employer.
  Unless Members are simply going to walk away from this human problem, 
they must face up to what is to be done for them. This amendment that 
has been put forward by my colleagues, Senator Mikulski and Senator 
Rockefeller, is an effort to address that in a sensible way. They have 
provided offsets for the cost of the amendment. It is being offered in 
the context of what has been done to our steel industry by unfair 
competition.
  It seems to me the least we can do in trying to address this 
situation is to provide for this 1-year bridge coverage for these 
eligible retirees and their families with respect to their health care 
costs.
  People may have different ideas about how this ought to be done. 
Conceivably, some people may think nothing should be done. I find that 
difficult to comprehend. From my point of view, it is impossible to 
support the idea we should simply do nothing. I think this represents a 
very sensible effort to try to help people through a very difficult 
transition period.

  I will close by again observing, the vote we are talking about at 11 
a.m. is not a vote on the substance of the amendment. It is a vote as 
to whether we should end this extended debate that has been going on 
about this amendment so we can then get to a vote.
  Obviously, under the rules of the Senate, as long as the extensive 
debate goes on, we are frustrated from getting to the amendment and 
actually having a vote on it. So I implore my colleagues to let us move 
on, let us get beyond this unlimited debate situation so we can then 
get to the amendment in a reasonable period of time and have a vote up 
or down on it in order to try to address the very difficult situation 
in which our steel industry retirees find themselves with respect to 
their health care costs.
  In some ways, it is unfortunate. We have a system in this country in 
which the health care costs in certain industries, in fact in many 
industries--and steel is one example--is borne by the employer and/or 
the employee dependent. This puts an extra burden on our companies when 
they compete with foreign companies.
  In many countries, they do not finance the health care plans in that 
respect, and they do not have to build it into the cost of the product. 
We do it the other way, and that is one of the reasons it is very 
difficult for us in a global economy.
  In any event, in this instance it is very clear that the companies 
encounter these difficulties because of the unfair competition. Our 
Government failed, in effect, to respond to that challenge, although 
President Bush has now made a response, and we are left with a 
situation that we have thousands of retirees who find themselves facing 
imminently, in some instances already, a situation of how are they 
going to provide for these health care costs.
  I think Senators Mikulski and Rockefeller have drafted a carefully 
crafted amendment. I very much hope we will be able to get to it. I am 
supportive of the amendment, and I certainly hope my colleagues will 
support the cloture motion tomorrow morning in order to bring the 
debate on the amendment to an end and allow us to move forward and deal 
with the substance of this issue.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the 
quorum call be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                Amendment No. 3461 To Amendment No. 3401

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the present 
amendment be set aside, and I send an amendment to the desk on behalf 
of Senator Corzine.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid], for Mr. Corzine, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 3461 to amendment No. 3401.

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be 
dispensed with.

[[Page S4560]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

    (Purpose: To help ensure that trade agreements protect national 
   security, social security, and other significant public services)

       Amend section 2102(b)(2) to read as follows:
       ``(2) Trade in Services.--(A) The principal negotiating 
     objective of the United States regarding trade in services is 
     to reduce or eliminate barriers to international trade in 
     services, including regulatory and other barriers that deny 
     national treatment and market access or unreasonably restrict 
     the establishment or operations of service suppliers, except 
     that trade agreements should not include a commitment to 
     privatize significant public services, including services 
     related to
       (i) national security;
       (ii) social security;
       (ii) public health and safety; and
       (iv) education.
       (B) Privatize.--In subparagraph (A), the term `privatize' 
     includes the transfer of responsibility for, or 
     administration of, a government function from a government 
     entity to a non-government entity.''


                Amendment No. 3462 To Amendment No. 3401

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the present amendment be set aside, 
and I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Senator Corzine.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid], for Mr. Corzine, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 3462 to amendment No. 3401.

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be 
dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

 (Purpose: To strike the section dealing with border search authority 
                for certain contraband in outbound mail)

       Strike section 1143.


                Amendment No. 3463 to Amendment No. 3401

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the pending amendment be set aside, 
and I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Senator Hollings.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid], for Mr. Hollings, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 3463 to amendment No. 3401.

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be 
dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

   (Purpose: To provide for the certification of textile and apparel 
workers who lose their jobs or who have lost their jobs since the start 
   of 1999 as eligible individuals for purposes of trade adjustment 
  assistance and health insurance benefits, and to amend the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 to prevent corporate expatriation to avoid United 
                           States income tax)

       At the appropriate place, insert the following;

     SEC.   . TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE AND HEALTH BENEFITS FOR 
                   TEXTILE AND APPAREL WORKERS.

       (a) In General.--An individual employed in the textile or 
     apparel industry before the date of enactment of this Act 
     who, after December 31, 1998--
       (1) lost, or loses, his or her job (other than by 
     termination for cause); and
       (2) has not been re-employed in that industry, is deemed to 
     be eligible for adjustment assistance under subchapter A of 
     chapter 2 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
     2271 et seq.).
       (b) New Benefits.--If this Act, by amendment or otherwise, 
     makes additional or different trade adjustment assistance or 
     health benefits available to groups of workers with respect 
     to whom the Secretary makes a certification under section 222 
     of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2272) after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, then any individual described in 
     subsection (a) is deemed to be eligible for such additional 
     or different trade adjustment assistance or health benefits 
     without regard to any eligibility requirements that may be 
     imposed by law under this or any other Act.
       (c) Additional or Different Benefits Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``additional or different trade adjustment 
     assistance or health benefits'' means--
       (1) adjustment assistance under subchapter A of chapter 2 
     of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2271 et seq.) 
     that was not available under that subchapter on the day 
     before the date of enactment of this Act but that becomes 
     available under that subchapter thereafter; and
       (2) health care benefits for which groups of workers with 
     respect to whom the Secretary makes a certification under 
     section 222 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2272) after 
     the date of enactment of this Act are eligible under this Act 
     or any amendment made by this Act.
       (d) Limitation on Duplicate benefits.--Subsection (a) does 
     not apply to any individual who received adjustment 
     assistance under subchapter A of chapter 2 of title II of the 
     Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2271 et seq.) before the date of 
     enactment of this Act with respect to a loss of employment in 
     the textile or apparel industry.
       (e) Effective Date.--This section takes effect on October 
     1, 2003.

     SEC.   . PREVENTION OF CORPORATE EXPATRIATION TO AVOID UNITED 
                   STATES INCOME TAX.

       (a) In General.--Paragraph (4) of section 7701(a) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (defining domestic) is amended 
     to read as follows:
       ``(4) Domestic.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     the term `domestic' when applied to a corporation or 
     partnership means created or organized in the United States 
     or under the law of the United States or of any State unless, 
     in the case of a partnership, the Secretary provides 
     otherwise by regulation.
       ``(B) Certain corporations treated as domestic.--
       ``(i) In general.--The acquiring corporation in a corporate 
     expatriation transaction shall be treated as a domestic 
     corporation.
       ``(ii) Corporate expatriation transaction.--For purposes of 
     this subparagraph, the term `corporate expatriation 
     transaction' means any transaction if--
       ``(I) a nominally foreign corporation (referred to in this 
     subparagraph as the `acquiring corporation') acquires, as a 
     result of such transaction, directly or indirectly 
     substantially all of the properties held directly or 
     indirectly by a domestic corporation, and
       ``(II) immediately after the transaction, more than 80 
     percent of the stock (by vote or value) of the acquiring 
     corporation is held by former shareholders of the domestic 
     corporation by reason of holding stock in the domestic 
     corporation.
       ``(iii) Lower stock ownership requirement in certain 
     cases.--Subclause (II) of clause (ii) shall be applied by 
     substituting `50 percent' for `80 percent' with respect to 
     any nominally foreign corporation if--
       ``(I) such corporation does not have substantial business 
     activities (when compared to the total business activities of 
     the expanded affiliated group) in the foreign country in 
     which or under the law of which the corporation is created or 
     organized, and
       ``(II) the stock of the corporation is publicly traded and 
     the principal market for the public trading of such stock is 
     in the United States.
       ``(iv) Partnership transactions.--The term `corporate 
     expatriation transaction' includes any transaction if--
       ``(I) a nominally foreign corporation (referred to in this 
     subparagraph as the `acquiring corporation') acquires, as a 
     result of such transaction, directly or indirectly properties 
     constituting a trade or business of a domestic partnership,
       ``(II) immediately after the transaction, more than 80 
     percent of the stock (by vote or value) of the acquiring 
     corporation which is sold in a public offering related to the 
     transaction), and
       ``(III) the acquiring corporation meets the requirements of 
     subclauses (I) and (II) of clause (iii).
       ``(v) Special rules.--For purposes of this subparagraph--
       ``(I) a series of related transactions shall be treated as 
     1 transaction, and
       ``(II) stock held by members of the expanded affiliated 
     group which includes the acquiring corporation shall not be 
     taken into account in determining ownership.
       ``(vi) Other definitions.--For purposes of this 
     subparagraph--
       ``(I) Nominally foreign corporation.--The term `nominally 
     foreign corporation' means any corporation which would (but 
     for this subparagraph) be treated as a foreign corporation.
       ``(II) Expanded affiliated group.--The term `expanded 
     affiliated group' means an affiliated group (as defined in 
     section 1504(a) without regard to section 1504(b)).''
       (b) Effective Dates.--
       (1) In general.--The amendment made by this section shall 
     apply to corporate expatriation transactions completed after 
     September 11, 2001.
       (2) Special rule.--The amendment made by this section shall 
     also apply to corporate expatriation transactions completed 
     on or before September 11, 2001, but only with respect to 
     taxable years of the acquiring corporation beginning after 
     December 31, 2003.


                Amendment No. 3464 To Amendment No. 3401

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the present amendment be set aside, 
and I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Senator Hollings.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. Reid], for Mr. Hollings, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 3464 to amendment No. 3401.

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be 
dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

[[Page S4561]]

  (Purpose: To ensure that ISAC Committees are representative of the 
            producing sectors of the United States economy)

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC.   . TO ENSURE THAT ISAC COMMITTEES ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF 
                   THE PRODUCING SECTORS OF THE UNITED STATES 
                   ECONOMY.

       Section 135(c)(2) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
     2155(c)(2)) is amended as follows:
       (1) by striking ``and'' in paragraph (a);
       (2) by striking ``related'' in subparagraph (B) and 
     inserting ``related; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(C) in the case of each such sectoral committee 
     identified with a particular product sector or commodity 
     grouping (such as textiles and apparel), ensure that a 
     majority of its members consist of manufacturers, or 
     representatives of manufacturers, whose value added in the 
     United States in that industry comprises more than 50 percent 
     of the firm's sales value in that industry.''


                Amendment No. 3465 To Amendment No. 3401

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the pending amendment be set aside, 
and I send an amendment to the desk on behalf of Senator Hollings.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Nevada [Mr. REID], for Mr. Hollings, 
     proposes an amendment numbered 3465 to amendment No. 3401.

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent the reading of the amendment be 
dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC.   . EXTRADITION REQUIREMENT.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any provision of law, the 
     benefits provided under any preferential tariff program, 
     excluding the North American Free Trade Agreement, shall not 
     apply to any product of a country that fails to comply within 
     30 days with a United States government request for the 
     extradition of an individual for trial in the United States 
     if that individual has been indicted by a Federal grand jury 
     for a crime involving a violation of the Controlled 
     Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 101 et seq.). For purposes of this 
     subsection, the term ``preferential tariff program'' means 
     benefits received under the General System of Preferences, 
     the Caribbean Basin Initiative, the African Growth and 
     Development Act, or the Andean Trade Preference Act.
       (b) Annual Certification Required.--The President shall 
     annually provide certification to the Senate and to the House 
     of Representatives that all countries receiving preferential 
     tariff access to the United States are assisting the United 
     States in the war against drugs.

  Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in strong support 
of the trade adjustment assistance legislation. I will keep my comments 
short and to the point.
  I want to begin by emphasizing the positive. From what I have heard 
on the floor over the last couple of weeks there is a substantial 
majority of Senators in the Senate that believe a strong and expanded 
trade adjustment assistance is essential for our country. They 
understand it is a fair and appropriate approach for those Americans 
who lose their jobs as a result of trade. They understand that these 
Americans are not looking for hand-outs. They are looking for a chance 
to provide for their families and contribute to our country's economic 
welfare. This program offers them a chance to do just that. I find the 
increasing consensus on Trade adjustment assistance to be encouraging.
  But I have also heard some tough criticism of trade adjustment 
assistance lately, and since this is a bill that I introduced, I feel 
compelled to respond to it.
  There are two points that have been repeated by opponents of trade 
adjustment assistance. The first is that it should not be tied to fast-
track legislation. I strongly disagree. In fact, I think the two bills 
complement each other. Passing fast-track suggests that the U.S. 
government supports a multilateral trading system because it provides 
long-term advantages for the United States and its people. Passing 
trade adjustment assistance suggests that the U.S. government 
recognizes that its trade policies have short-term costs for Americans.
  Taken together, the bills suggest that we have a real strategy on 
trade policy, one that shows we are committed to expanding the 
international trading system, but equally committed to the American 
people.
  I have said this before and I want to say it again because it 
matters: Contrary to the assertions of some of my colleagues, we cannot 
measure the success of our trade policy only by the cost of the 
products we buy. We also have to look at whether or not our trade 
policies make Americans more economically secure. By this I mean 
whether they have a high-wage job, whether they can buy a home, whether 
they can afford an education for their children, and whether they have 
retirement security. Without these things, we are poor by any measure.
  The second criticism is that the trade adjustment assistance program 
is too expansive. I disagree. I believe that the program offers only 
the basics for people who are trying desperately to make ends meet. 
$1000 or so a month in unemployment insurance is not going to make 
anyone rich. It certainly does not make them complacent, as some of my 
colleagues have suggested. Giving someone funds so they can get 
training, and the support services they need to get training, and the 
health care they need to get through hard times, is hardly 
unreasonable. It is common sense, and it's the least we can do for our 
neighbors and friends back home.
  For some of my colleagues to suggest that workers would want to lose 
their job just to take advantage of the trade adjustment assistance 
program is troubling. To suggest that individuals actually use the 
trade adjustment assistance program to ``step backwards'' into other, 
lesser jobs impugns their integrity, honesty, and effort.
  I ask my colleagues to keep in mind that the people on trade 
adjustment assistance did not ask to be dislocated. U.S. trade policy 
did that. Contrary to what some of my colleagues have said, the trade 
adjustment assistance bill does not distort the market. It does allow 
us to correct for market failure, and helps Americans hurt by trade to 
get back on their feet again.
  Some of the comments about trade adjustment assistance imply that the 
legislation was created without any discussion with experts about what 
the benefits of specific parts of the program might be. The comments 
are incorrect and misleading. These comments also minimize the 
suffering of real people in real communities across my state and the 
United States.
  At this stage of the game, it is important for my colleagues to 
remember that the core components of S. 1209--coverage for secondary 
workers and workers injured by shifts in production, the extension of 
benefits and allowances, health care and support service coverage, wage 
insurance, and TAA for communities--were derived from the needs of 
people I have spoken to who have been hurt by trade. These were people 
across my state, from Albuquerque, to Questa, to Las Cruces, to 
Roswell, to Silver City. These elements of the bill were reinforced by 
objective analyses from the Department of Labor, the General Accounting 
Office, the Trade Deficit Review Commission, and other groups and 
organizations.
  When I drafted the bill, it was not my intent to push a partisan 
agenda. It was my intent to help the people in my state and across the 
country that needed to be helped. This bill does that in a modest way.
  It is time to move forward and do what has to be done to get trade 
adjustment assistance legislation passed. There is too much at stake 
for American workers and communities to wait any longer. The program 
expired last September, and it is time to get trade adjustment 
assistance to those that need it.

                          ____________________