“A bill to reauthorize the trade adjustment assistance program.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section specifies that, except as otherwise provided, the provisions of chapters 2 through 6 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 (i.e., trade adjustment assistance for workers, firms, farmers, and communities), as in effect on June 30, 2021 and as amended by this Act, take effect on the date of enactment and apply to petitions for certification filed under those chapters on or after such date. The section further provides that references in this Act to such chapters are to the versions in effect on June 30, 2021.
This section reauthorizes the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) programs—which provide benefits such as training, cash assistance, reemployment trade adjustment assistance, and technical aid to U.S. workers, firms, and farmers adversely affected by imports or shifts in production abroad—by making the following changes: (1) extending the program's overall termination date under section 285 to December 31, 2031 (from June 30, 2021); (2) extending the training approval period under section 236(a)(2)(A) to 2026 through 2032 (from 2015 through 2021); (3) extending reemployment trade adjustment assistance under section 246(b)(1) to December 31, 2031 (from June 30, 2021); (4) extending authorizations of appropriations for workers under section 245(a) to December 31, 2031 (from June 30, 2021); (5) extending authorizations of appropriations for firms under section 255(a) to 2026 through 2032 (from 2015 through 2021); and (6) extending authorizations of appropriations for farmers under section 298(a) to 2026 through 2032 (from 2015 through 2021).
This section directs the Secretary of Labor to determine eligibility or reconsider prior denials for worker petitions under section 222 of the Trade Act of 1974 filed on or after July 1, 2021, and before the date of enactment, using criteria as in effect on the date of enactment; provides such certified workers benefits under chapter 2 of title II as of 90 days after enactment (with prior benefits counting toward maximums); maintains pre-July 1, 2021, petitions under June 30, 2021, provisions; and modifies the separation lookback period in section 223(b) to separations before July 1, 2021, for petitions filed within 90 days of enactment. (Trade Adjustment Assistance for workers provides cash benefits, training, job search allowances, and relocation assistance to those separated due to foreign competition.) This section further directs the Secretary of Commerce to determine eligibility or reconsider prior denials for firm petitions under section 251 of the Trade Act of 1974 filed on or after July 1, 2021, and before the date of enactment, using criteria as in effect on the date of enactment; and requires certification of firms filing new petitions within 90 days after enactment if they would have qualified under those criteria during the July 1, 2021–enactment period. (Trade Adjustment Assistance for firms provides technical assistance and loans to help diversify from import-impacted production.)