[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 93 (Monday, June 23, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        TAXPAYER PROTECTION AND IRS ACCOUNT ABILITY ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 19, 2003

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, this is another example of the 
Republican leadership taking a non-controversial, bipartisan bill and 
adding provisions to turn it into a divisive and bitter battle. The 
underlying bill contains technical changes and provisions that would 
make it easier for taxpayers to manage the tax system. We all support 
these changes and this bill would pass unanimously without the games 
the leadership insists on playing.
  Unfortunately, the games they are playing pose terrible threats to 
many working men and women across the country. In this instance, 
Republican leadership has included a provision that strikes important 
health insurance standards protecting workers laid-off as a result of 
trade-related competition.
  Trade Adjustment Assistance, TAA, enacted just last year, provides 
for a tax credit for 65 percent of the cost of health coverage for 
eligible individuals and qualified family members and establishes 
protections designed to ensure coverage for all participants. H.R. 1528 
undermines the consumer protection provisions provided in the current 
TAA law and would essentially allow insurers to avoid covering workers 
55 and older, who are the majority of TAA participants.
  The timing of this could not be worse considering the President was 
only recently granted Trade Promotion Authority by Congress and we are 
moving quickly on free trade agreements with several countries and 
regions around the world.
  Overall, these free trade agreements will benefit our economy, but 
there will be sectors that will lose out to foreign competition. 
Knowing this, Trade Adjustment Assistance programs and benefits have 
been set up to help those negatively impact by free trade.
  I am appalled at the Republican leadership's ability to take a 
productive, bipartisan bill that benefits taxpayers across the country, 
which the underlying bill does, and risk it all by including a 
provision that hurts American workers.

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