Trade and Globalization Assistance Act of 2007

TRADE AND GLOBALIZATION ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - October 31, 2007)

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Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3920, the Trade and Globalization Assistance Act of 2007.

Growing global economic integration means the U.S. economy is more protected from domestic economic shocks because more people in more countries are buying American goods and services. But globalization can also produce harmful short term affects--such as when American jobs are lost as a result of trade. That is what H.R. 3920 is about.

H.R. 3920 helps those American workers who lose their jobs by no fault of their own as a result of trade and who need assistance in meeting the new challenges of the changing global economy. The types of assistance provided include additional training, long term education, short term income support, and health care.

The bill expands trade adjustment assistance to service workers including government employees who are laid off because of trade. When trade adjustment assistance started in 1962, U.S. trade in services was not significant. Today, the service sector comprises more than 70 percent of the U.S. economy. H.R. 3920 updates trade adjustment assistance to account for the size and growing significance of the American service sector.

The bill also expands assistance to more manufacturing workers by eliminating restrictions on what country a U.S. factory's jobs are moved to or whether the loss of jobs are ``downstream'' so that all workers impacted by trade are covered regardless of where the factory relocates or where the import competition came from.

H.R. 3920 also helps American workers adapt to the needs of the changing global economy by enabling them to upgrade their skills. This bill doubles training assistance and provides up to 130 weeks of additional income support for workers who require a longer educational period, such as when finishing a college degree.

Mr. Speaker, today the Peru Free Trade Agreement was reported out of the Ways and Means Committee by a vote of 39-0. Many of us supported the Peru FTA because of the landmark workers rights and environmental provisions negotiated this past May that were inserted in the agreement. They were also influenced and encouraged by H.R. 3920 because they, like myself, feel more confident that American workers harmed by trade will get the assistance they need to meet the new challenges created by a global economy.

I am proud to support H.R. 3920 the Trade and Globalization Assistance Act of 2007, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.

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