Rep. Levin Opening Statement at Mock Mark-up of Panama, Korea and Colombia FTA

The 2009 Trade Adjustment Assistance -- heralded as a major bi-partisan achievement at the time -- has been expired since February.

Since that time the Department of Labor has denied workers TAA because they were only covered through the 2009 reforms.

Some Republicans have so wrongly stated that TAA picks winners and losers. No. TAA helps workers who have lost out from the impact of trade turn into winners again.

The Administration has stated that TAA must be renewed before consideration of the pending Free Trade Agreements. On May 16th National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling said, "The administration will not submit implementing legislation on the three free pending trade agreements until we have a deal with Congress on the renewal of a robust, expanded TAA program consistent with the objectives of the 2009 trade adjustment assistance law."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Trade
• Panama
• Korea
• Colombia
• TAA
• FTA