[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 1320-1321]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           NOT ALL AMERICANS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROSPERITY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Sununu). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goode) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. GOODE. Mr. Speaker, when the President delivered his State of the 
Union address on January 27, he touted the unprecedented prosperity of 
the Nation. He pointed to the fast economic growth and the lowest 
unemployment rates in 30 years.
  Unfortunately, this is not the case in all areas of the country. In 
some parts of the Fifth District of Virginia, which I represent, we 
have experienced significant job losses and unemployment rates that are 
three to five times greater than the State average. The job losses are 
the result of textile plant closings and the decline of the apparel 
manufacturing industry in Southside Virginia and throughout the Nation.
  Martinsville and Henry County, Virginia, used to be known as the 
``sweatshirt capital of the world,'' but with the recent loss of over 
3,000 apparel manufacturing jobs, that title will no longer be 
applicable. Recent figures show that the unemployment rate in 
Martinsville for the month of December was 19.6 percent, and the 
unemployment rate for surrounding Henry County was 11.6 percent. 
Neighboring counties, including my home county of Franklin, also have 
seen textile plants close and unemployment rates increase.
  The people who have lost their jobs are able and willing workers. 
Many in the community were concerned when NAFTA was proposed, and they 
feared the impact that the agreement would have on their jobs and the 
local economy. Their fears and concerns have now been realized. Nearly 
all of the plant closings in the area have been certified by the 
Department of Labor as NAFTA impacted, making the workers eligible for 
the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program and the NAFTA Transitional 
Adjustment Assistance Program. Many have taken advantage of these 
programs which provide job training grants. With the help of the 
Virginia Employment Commission, many of them are enrolling in training 
programs. However, job training will be of little benefit to these 
people if there are no jobs available to them.
  There is legislation that has been introduced in the House of 
Representatives which I believe would help these displaced workers and 
others like them around the country. H.R. 1967, the NAFTA Impact Relief 
Act introduced by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Shows), now has 
over 70 cosponsors. The NAFTA Impact Relief Act would provide tax 
incentives and grants to communities affected by the loss of businesses 
and jobs as a result of NAFTA.
  I believe this measure is an example of what we need to try to do in 
order to assist adversely impacted localities in their efforts to 
create jobs and to get their economies on the same track as those 
sectors of the country which are enjoying more prosperous times.

[[Page 1321]]

  I hope that in these times of economic growth for the Nation as a 
whole, my colleagues and the President will recognize that not everyone 
is experiencing the same prosperity. I hope that we can all work 
together on efforts to help these hard-working Americans in their time 
of need.

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