Trade Adjustment Assistance Improvements Act of 1999

Summary: Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act of 1999 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to authorize appropriations to the Department of Labor for FY 1999 through 2001 for trade adjustment assistance (TAA) for workers. 
(Sec. 2) Extends, temporarily, through September 30, 1999, the North American Free Trade (NAFTA) Transitional Adjustment Assistance Program.  Repeals the NAFTA Transitional Adjustment Assistance Program (effectively eliminating TAA for workers under such program). 
(Sec. 3) Revises requirements for the filing of petitions for TAA for a group of workers adversely affected by imports.  Authorizes employers of such workers, one-stop operators or one-stop partners, or State employment agencies to file on their behalf with the Governor of the State (currently, with the Secretary of Labor) a petition for certification of eligibility for such assistance.  Requires the Governor to: (1) transmit the petition to the Secretary immediately; (2) ensure that rapid response assistance and basic readjustment services are made available to the workers; and (3) assist the Secretary in the review of the petition.  Requires the Secretary to review such petitions for certification of eligibility within 40 days (currently, 60 days) of its filing. 
(Sec. 4) Adds as a factor in the Secretary's determination of the eligibility of a group of workers for TAA any shift in production by such workers' firm to a foreign country of articles like or directly competitive with articles produced by such firm. 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to collect and maintain certain information with respect to certifications of TAA. 
(Sec. 6) Revises enrollment in training requirements with respect to the payment of TAA to adversely affected workers to set forth certain time periods during which such enrollment must occur. Authorizes the Secretary to issue a statement to a worker waiving the enrollment in training requirements if it is determined that such training requirement is not feasible or appropriate for the worker, based on specified factors. 
(Sec. 8) Increases from 14 to 30 the number of days an adversely affected worker may have a scheduled break in a training program and still be treated as participating in the program for purposes of TAA eligibility. 
(Sec. 9) Increases the total annual amount of payments for worker training from $80 million to $150 million for any fiscal year. 
(Sec. 11) Authorizes the Secretary to secure for adversely affected workers certain employment services, including services provided through one-stop delivery systems. 
Provides for the coordination of employment services for adversely affected workers under the Job Training Partnership Act and the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. 
(Sec. 12) Authorizes an adversely affected worker to file an application with the Secretary for the provision of supportive services, including transportation, child and dependent care, and other similar services.  Sets forth specified conditions with respect to such services. 
(Sec. 14) Makes unappropriated Treasury funds available in any fiscal year that TAA funds become exhausted. 
(Sec. 15) Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Labor for FY 1999 through 2001 for TAA for firms.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Trade Adjustment Assistance 
Improvements Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF CONSOLIDATED TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--Section 245 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 
        U.S.C. 2317) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 245. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of 
Labor for each of the fiscal years 1999 through 2001 such sums as may 
be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.''.
            (2) Temporary extension of nafta assistance.--Section 
        250(d)(2) of such Act (19 U.S.C. 2331(d)(2)) is amended by 
        striking ``June 30, 1999, shall not exceed $15,000,000'' and 
        inserting ``September 30, 1999, shall not exceed $30,000,000''.
    (b) Repeal of NAFTA Transitional Adjustment Assistance Program.--
            (1) In general.--Subchapter D of chapter 2 of title II of 
        such Act (19 U.S.C. 2331) is hereby repealed.
            (2) Conforming amendments.--(A) Section 249A of such Act 
        (19 U.S.C. 2322) is hereby repealed.
            (B) The table of contents of such Act is amended--
                    (i) by striking the item relating to section 249A; 
                and
                    (ii) by striking the items relating to subchapter D 
                of chapter 2 of title II.
    (c) Termination.--Section 285 of such Act (19 U.S.C. 2271 note) is 
amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (c)(1) to read as follows:
    ``(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), no assistance, 
vouchers, allowances, or other payments may be provided under chapter 
2, and no technical assistance may be provided under chapter 3, after 
September 30, 2001.''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ``June 30, 1999,'' 
        and inserting ``September 30, 1999,''.
    (d) Effective Date.--
            (1) Subsections (a) and (c).--The amendments made by 
        subsections (a) and (c) take effect on--
                    (A) July 1, 1999; or
                    (B) the date of enactment of this Act,
        whichever is earlier.
            (2) Subsection (b).--The amendments made by subsection (b) 
        take effect on--
                    (A) October 1, 1999; or
                    (B) 90 days after the date of enactment of this 
                Act,
        whichever is later.

SEC. 3. FILING OF PETITIONS AND PROVISION OF RAPID RESPONSE ASSISTANCE; 
              EXPEDITED REVIEW OF PETITIONS BY SECRETARY OF LABOR.

    (a) Filing of Petitions and Provision of Rapid Response 
Assistance.--Section 221(a) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2271(a)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a)(1) A petition for certification of eligibility to apply for 
adjustment assistance for a group of workers under this chapter may be 
filed with the Governor of the State in which such workers' firm or 
subdivision is located by any of the following:
            ``(A) The group of workers (including workers in an 
        agricultural firm or subdivision of any agricultural firm).
            ``(B) The certified or recognized union or other duly 
        authorized representative of such workers.
            ``(C) Employers of such workers, one-stop operators or one-
        stop partners (as defined in section 101 of the Workforce 
        Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801)), or State employment 
        agencies, on behalf of such workers.
    ``(2) Upon receipt of a petition filed under paragraph (1), the 
Governor shall--
            ``(A) immediately transmit the petition to the Secretary of 
        Labor (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the 
        `Secretary');
            ``(B) ensure that rapid response assistance and basic 
        readjustment services authorized under other Federal laws are 
        made available to the workers covered by the petition to the 
        extent authorized under such laws; and
            ``(C) assist the Secretary in the review of the petition by 
        verifying such information and providing such other assistance 
        as the Secretary may request.
    ``(3) Upon receipt of the petition, the Secretary shall promptly 
publish notice in the Federal Register that the Secretary has received 
the petition and initiated an investigation.''.
    (b) Expedited Review of Petitions by Secretary of Labor.--Section 
223(a) of such Act (19 U.S.C. 2273(a)) is amended in the first sentence 
by striking ``60 days'' and inserting ``40 days''.

SEC. 4. ADDITION OF SHIFT IN PRODUCTION AS BASIS FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR 
              TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE.

    Section 222(a) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2272(a)) is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) A group of workers (including workers in any agricultural 
firm or subdivision of an agricultural firm) shall be certified by the 
Secretary as eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under this 
chapter pursuant to a petition filed under section 221 if the Secretary 
determines that--
            ``(1) a significant number or proportion of the workers in 
        such workers' firm or an appropriate subdivision of the firm 
        have become totally or partially separated, or are threatened 
        to become totally or partially separated; and
            ``(2)(A)(i) the sales or production, or both, of such firm 
        or subdivision have decreased absolutely;
            ``(ii) imports of articles like or directly competitive 
        with articles produced by such firm or subdivision have 
        increased; and
            ``(iii) the increase in imports described in clause (ii) 
        contributed importantly to such workers' separation or threat 
        of separation and to the decline in the sales or production of 
        such firm or subdivision; or
            ``(B) there has been a shift in production by such workers' 
        firm or subdivision to a foreign country of articles like or 
        directly competitive with articles which are produced by such 
        firm or subdivision.''.

SEC. 5. INFORMATION ON CERTAIN CERTIFICATIONS.

    Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2273) is amended by 
adding at the end the following subsection:
    ``(e) The Secretary shall collect and maintain information--
            ``(1) identifying the countries to which firms have shifted 
        production resulting in certifications under section 
        222(a)(2)(B), including the number of such certifications 
        relating to each country; and
            ``(2) to the extent feasible, identifying the countries 
        from which imports of articles have resulted in certifications 
        under section 222(a)(2)(A), including the number of such 
        certifications relating to each country.''.

SEC. 6. ENROLLMENT IN TRAINING REQUIREMENT.

    Section 231(a)(5)(A) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2291(a)(5)(A)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(i)'' after ``(A)'';
            (2) by adding ``and'' after the comma at the end; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(ii) the enrollment required under clause (i) 
                occurs no later than the latest of--
                            ``(I) the last day of the 16th week after 
                        the worker's most recent total separation from 
                        adversely affected employment which meets the 
                        requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2);
                            ``(II) the last day of the 8th week after 
                        the week in which the Secretary issues a 
                        certification covering the worker; or
                            ``(III) 45 days after the later of the 
                        dates specified in subclause (I) or (II), if 
                        the Secretary determines there are extenuating 
                        circumstances that justify an extension in the 
                        enrollment period;''.

SEC. 7. WAIVERS OF TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 231(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2291(c)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(c)(1) The Secretary may issue a written statement to a worker 
waiving the enrollment in the training requirement described in 
subsection (a)(5)(A) if the Secretary determines that such training 
requirement is not feasible or appropriate for the worker, as indicated 
by 1 or more of the following:
            ``(A) The worker has been notified that the worker will be 
        recalled by the firm from which the qualifying separation 
        occurred.
            ``(B) The worker has marketable skills as determined 
        pursuant to an assessment of the worker, which may include the 
        profiling system under section 303(j) of the Social Security 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 503(j)), carried out in accordance with 
        guidelines issued by the Secretary.
            ``(C) The worker is within 2 years of meeting all 
        requirements for entitlement to old-age insurance benefits 
        under title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et 
        seq.) (except for application therefor).
            ``(D) The worker is unable to participate in training due 
        to the health of the worker, except that a waiver under this 
        subparagraph shall not be construed to exempt a worker from 
        requirements relating to the availability for work, active 
        search for work, or refusal to accept work under Federal or 
        State unemployment compensation laws.
            ``(E) The first available enrollment date for the approved 
        training of the worker is within 45 days after the date of the 
determination made under this paragraph, or, if later, there are 
extenuating circumstances for the delay in enrollment, as determined 
pursuant to guidelines issued by the Secretary.
            ``(F) There are insufficient funds available for training 
        under this chapter, taking into account the limitation under 
        section 236(a)(2)(A).
            ``(G) The duration of training appropriate for the 
        individual to obtain suitable employment exceeds the 
        individual's maximum entitlement to basic and additional trade 
        readjustment allowances and, in addition, financial support 
        available through other Federal or State programs, including 
        title III of the Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C. 1651 
        et seq.) or chapter 5 of subtitle B of title I of the Workforce 
        Investment Act of 1998, that would enable the individual to 
        complete a suitable training program cannot be assured.
    ``(2) The Secretary shall specify the duration of the waiver under 
paragraph (1) and shall periodically review the waiver to determine 
whether the basis for issuing the waiver remains applicable. If at any 
time the Secretary determines such basis is no longer applicable to the 
worker, the Secretary shall revoke the waiver.
    ``(3) Pursuant to the agreement under section 239, the Secretary 
may authorize the State or State agency to carry out activities 
described in paragraph (1) (except for the determination under 
subparagraphs (F) and (G) of paragraph (1)). Such agreement shall 
include a requirement that the State or State agency submit to the 
Secretary the written statements provided pursuant to paragraph (1) and 
a statement of the reasons for the waiver.
    ``(4) The Secretary shall submit an annual report to the Committee 
on Finance of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means of the 
House of Representatives identifying the number of workers who received 
waivers and the average duration of such waivers issued under this 
subsection during the preceding year.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 231(a)(5)(C) of such Act (19 
U.S.C. 2291(a)(5)(C)) is amended by striking ``certified''.

SEC. 8. PROVISION OF TRADE READJUSTMENT ALLOWANCES DURING BREAKS IN 
              TRAINING.

    Section 233(f) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2293(f)) is 
amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking ``14 days'' 
and inserting ``30 days''.

SEC. 9. INCREASE IN ANNUAL TOTAL AMOUNT OF PAYMENTS FOR TRAINING.

    Section 236(a)(2)(A) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2296(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ``$80,000,000'' and all that 
follows through $70,000,000 and inserting ``$150,000,000''.

SEC. 10. ELIMINATION OF QUARTERLY REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Section 236(d) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2296(d)) is amended by striking the last sentence.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section takes 
effect on October 1, 1999.

SEC. 11. COORDINATION WITH ONE-STOP DELIVERY SYSTEMS, THE JOB TRAINING 
              PARTNERSHIP ACT, AND THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT OF 
              1998.

    (a) Coordination With One-Stop Delivery Systems.--Section 235 of 
the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2295) is amended by inserting ``, 
including the services provided through one-stop delivery systems 
described in section 134(c) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (19 
U.S.C. 2864(c))'' before the period at the end of the first sentence.
    (b) Coordination With Job Training Partnership Act and Workforce 
Investment Act of 1998.--Section 239(e) such Act (19 U.S.C. 2311(e)) is 
amended--
            (1) in the first sentence, by striking ``or title I of the 
        Workforce Investment Act of 1998'' and inserting ``or under the 
        provisions relating to dislocated worker employment and 
        training activities set forth in chapter 5 of subtitle B of 
        title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2861 
        et seq.), as the case may be,''; and
            (2) by inserting after the first sentence the following: 
        ``Such coordination shall include use of common reporting 
        systems and elements, including common elements relating to 
        participant data and performance outcomes (including 
        employment, retention of employment, and wages).''.

SEC. 12. SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--Part II of subchapter B of chapter 2 of title II 
of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2295 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following:

``SEC. 238A. SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.

    ``(a) Application.--Any adversely affected worker covered by a 
certification under subchapter A of this chapter may file an 
application with the Secretary for the provision of supportive 
services, including transportation, child and dependent care, and other 
similar services.
    ``(b) Conditions.--The Secretary may approve an application filed 
under subsection (a) and provide supportive services to an adversely 
affected worker only if the Secretary determines that--
            ``(1) the provision of such services is necessary to enable 
        the worker to participate in or complete training; and
            ``(2) the provision of such services is consistent with the 
        provision of supportive services to participants under the 
        program of employment and training assistance for dislocated 
        workers carried out under title III of the Job Training 
        Partnership Act (29 U.S.C. 1651 et seq.), as in effect on the 
        date of enactment of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act 
        of 1999, or under the provisions relating to dislocated worker 
        employment and training activities set forth in chapter 5 of 
        subtitle B of title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 
        (29 U.S.C. 2861 et seq.), as the case may be.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents of such Act is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 238 the 
following:

``Sec. 238A. Supportive services.''.

SEC. 13. ADDITIONAL CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Section 225.--Section 225(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 
U.S.C. 2275(b)) is amended in each of paragraphs (1) and (2) by 
striking ``or subchapter D''.
    (b) Section 240.--Section 240(a) of such Act (19 U.S.C. 2312(a)) is 
amended by striking ``subchapter B of''.

SEC. 14. AVAILABILITY OF CONTINGENCY FUNDS.

    (a) In General.--Section 245 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2317), as amended by section 2, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``There are authorized'' and inserting 
        ``(a) In General.--There are authorized''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Contingency Funds.--Subject to the limitation contained in 
section 236(a)(2), if in any fiscal year the funds available to carry 
out the programs under this chapter are exhausted, there shall be made 
available from funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated amounts 
sufficient to carry out such programs for the remainder of the fiscal 
year.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section take 
effect on--
            (1) July 1, 1999; or
            (2) the date of enactment of this Act,
whichever is earlier.

SEC. 15. REAUTHORIZATION OF ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE FOR FIRMS.

    (a) In General.--Section 256(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2346(b)) is amended by striking ``for the period beginning October 1, 
1998, and ending June 30, 1999'' and inserting ``for each of fiscal 
years 1999 through 2001''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section takes 
effect on--
            (1) July 1, 1999; or
            (2) the date of enactment of this Act,
whichever is earlier.

SEC. 16. EFFECTIVE DATE; TRANSITION PROVISION.

    (a) Effective Date.--Except as otherwise provided in this Act, this 
Act and the amendments made by this Act take effect on--
            (1) October 1, 1999; or
            (2) 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act,
whichever is later.
    (b) Transition.--The Secretary of Labor may promulgate such rules 
as the Secretary determines to be necessary to provide for the 
implementation of the amendments made by this Act.