[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13797]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, last week was a productive one in the 
Senate. We reached a bipartisan agreement to pass emergency aid for 
communities affected by devastating floods, tornadoes, and wildfires. 
We also reauthorized the Federal Aviation Administration, keeping 
80,000 safety inspectors and construction workers on the job. We passed 
a highway bill keeping 1.8 million people at work building bridges and 
highways.
  Congress has no duty more pressing than putting people back to work, 
and this highway legislation will do just that. But we can and must do 
more. That is why this week the Senate will take up the trade 
adjustment assistance legislation. The TAA Program helps U.S. workers 
who lose their jobs because of international trade to learn new skills 
so they can reenter a changing workforce, and it helps them pay for 
health insurance while they are training for new jobs.
  A global economy means fierce global competition. Unless our 
workforce is flexible and well-trained, we cannot hope to compete.
  Between 2001 and 2008, Americans lost 2.4 million jobs because of 
trade with China. The Trade Adjustment Assistance Program is retraining 
many of these people, getting them back to work and into the workforce 
and boosting our economy at the same time. It is unfortunate that my 
Republican colleagues who say they care so much about free trade have 
prevented three such agreements from moving forward because of 
objections to this trade adjustment assistance legislation.
  We have known for a long time we were going to move to this trade 
adjustment assistance. It is unthinkable that the Republicans would 
stop us from doing that, and that is just what happened. As we struggle 
to rebound from the worst recession in generations, it is unthinkable 
that we would abandon hard-working Americans who lost their jobs 
through no fault of their own.
  The trade adjustment assistance legislation provides a lifeline they 
need to get back on their feet.
  Mr. President, would the Chair announce the business of the day.

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