TAA program’s future uncertain

 The Trade Adjustment Assistance program was created in 1962, during the Kennedy presidency, to help displaced workers with retraining and financial support. Last year the program, which also helps companies undercut by foreign competition, had about 235,000 participants and cost nearly $1 billion.

 As part of the 2009 stimulus act, the program was significantly expanded to make workers in service industries and the public sector eligible, increase training funds, boost subsidies to buy health care and open eligibility to workers whose firms shift production to any country.

 President Barack Obama and Democrats sought to make renewal of these provisions part of the South Korea trade deal, but Republicans refused, saying the expanded benefits were too expensive, unfairly picked winners and losers among the unemployed and shouldn’t be forced through on a trade bill.

 As part of the agreement for action on the trade bills, a vote on renewal of the TAA provisions will be decoupled from the trade vote. But Senate Republicans have pledged not to filibuster or otherwise block a vote on the worker aid bill.

Associated Press