[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 9, 2009)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 27262-27263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-13352]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

20 CFR Parts 617, 618, 665, and 671

RIN 1205-AB32 and 1205-AB40


Withdrawal of Certain Proposed Rules for Trade Adjustment 
Assistance

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice of withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the 
Department of Labor (Department) announces the withdrawal of two 
notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRMs) on the Trade Adjustment 
Assistance for Workers (TAA) and Alternative Trade Adjustment 
Assistance for Older Workers (ATAA) programs under the Trade Act of 
1974, as amended (Trade Act). These proposed rules are withdrawn 
because the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, commonly 
known as the Recovery Act, significantly amended the authorizing 
legislation, superseding the two NPRMs.

DATES: The proposed rules identified in this document are withdrawn as 
of June 9, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erica Cantor, Administrator, Office of 
National Response, ETA, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Room C-5311, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202)-693-
3560 (voice) (this is not a toll-free number); individuals with hearing 
or speech impairments may access the telephone number via TTY by 
calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-
8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The TAA program, under chapter 2 of title II 
of the Trade Act, provides adjustment assistance (including training, 
income

[[Page 27263]]

support, and job search and relocation allowances) for workers 
adversely affected by international trade. The Trade Adjustment 
Assistance Reform Act of 2002 (the Reform Act), Public Law 107-210, 
reauthorized the TAA program, making significant amendments, including 
the addition of a health care tax credit (helping workers pay for 
qualifying health insurance) and ATAA, providing a wage supplement 
option for older workers.
    The Department proceeded to implement the Reform Act through three 
separate rulemakings. On August 25, 2006, the Department published an 
NPRM covering TAA program benefits and administration (TAA NPRM) (71 FR 
50760). On October 18, 2006, the Department published an NPRM covering 
the new ATAA program (ATAA NPRM) (71 FR 61618). A planned third 
rulemaking covering petitions for certification of eligibility to apply 
for program benefits was not published (RIN 1205-AB44). Subsequently, 
Congress passed the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007 (Pub. L. 
110-5) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 (Pub. L. 110-161), 
that prohibited the Department from finalizing or implementing these 
proposed regulations.
    On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the Recovery Act, 
Public Law 111-5, which includes the Trade and Globalization Adjustment 
Assistance Act of 2009 (TGAAA). The TGAAA reauthorized and 
substantially amended the TAA program, broadening program coverage, 
expanding benefits, providing employment and case management services, 
and replacing the ATAA program with the Retraining Adjustment 
Assistance program.
    Because the substantial amendments made by the TGAAA rendered the 
two 2006 NPRMs obsolete, they are withdrawn. The Department intends to 
implement the TGAAA through rulemakings, and interested parties will be 
invited to submit comments on those proposed rules when they publish.

    Signed: at Washington, DC this 29th day of May 2009.
Douglas F. Small,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration, 
Labor.
[FR Doc. E9-13352 Filed 6-8-09; 8:45 am]
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