Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3920, Trade and Globalization Assistance Act of 2007

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3920, TRADE AND GLOBALIZATION ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - October 31, 2007)

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Ms. MATSUI. I thank the gentleman from Vermont for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the rule and the underlying legislation, the Trade and Globalization Assistance Act of 2007.

I want to congratulate Chairman Rangel and members of the Ways and Means Committee on bringing this bill before us.

In 1962, Congress and President Kennedy created the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program to protect American workers and communities adversely impacted by international trade.

Back then, our Nation enjoyed a large trade surplus, our manufacturing industry was thriving, and our economy was moving forward.

By establishing the TAA program then, our Nation had the foresight to recognize that even when economic times were good, international trade and development could also cause a rift in our workforce and in our communities.

Now it is our time to provide the foresight for future generations of workers and companies who will face the continued pressure of globalization. The mark of a strong Nation is this ability to create a vision for itself and to adapt to that vision.

Like our economy, the TAA must change and evolve to meet the new challenges of the day. Under current law, the TAA program only offers benefits to those workers who lost their jobs in the manufacturing industry due to international trade.

Today, no sector in our economy is safe from outsourcing or trade activities. We are seeing IT jobs, call center jobs, and other U.S. service jobs move abroad.

Our commitment to the American worker is more important now than ever before. It is critical to continue to improve the benefits for displaced workers. But it is also essential that we not ignore other sectors of the economy that have been hard hit by outsourcing or trade competition.

That is why I'm pleased that the bill before us today expands current TAA coverage to include the service workers. More than 70 percent of our workforce today is in the service industry. Updating the TAA program to reflect this shift in the workforce is essential to the long-term health of our country.

This bill also improves health care benefits in the TAA program to make it a more affordable option for our workers. This bill also doubles the current funding to better train and relocate displaced workers.

Madam Speaker, the impact of globalization on our economy is not limited to workers. These affected workers reside in communities that experience massive job losses due to unfair trade practices. This bill attempts to help those communities get back on their feet.

Now more than ever, the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program is needed to position our workforce and economy at the forefront of an increasingly global economy. This bill moves us forward in the right direction.

Madam Speaker, Congress needs to be a partner to the communities in which we serve. This bill lays the groundwork for that. The Trade and Globalization Assistance Act of 2007 represents a big step in the right direction.

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