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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1003 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1003

   To extend the trade adjustment assistance program, and for other 
                               purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 16, 2015

Ms. Collins (for herself and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To extend the trade adjustment assistance program, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Trade Adjustment Assistance 
Enhancement Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF PROVISIONS RELATING TO TRADE ADJUSTMENT 
              ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Repeal of Snapback.--Section 233 of the Trade Adjustment 
Assistance Extension Act of 2011 (Public Law 112-40; 125 Stat. 416) is 
repealed.
    (b) Applicability of Certain Provisions.--Except as otherwise 
provided in this Act, the provisions of chapters 2 through 6 of title 
II of the Trade Act of 1974, as in effect on December 31, 2013, and as 
amended by this Act, shall--
            (1) take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act; 
        and
            (2) apply to petitions for certification filed under 
        chapter 2, 3, or 6 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 on or 
        after such date of enactment.
    (c) References.--Except as otherwise provided in this Act, whenever 
in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an 
amendment to, or repeal of, a provision of chapters 2 through 6 of 
title II of the Trade Act of 1974, the reference shall be considered to 
be made to a provision of any such chapter, as in effect on December 
31, 2013.

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) Extension of Termination Provisions.--Section 285 of the Trade 
Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2271 note) is amended by striking ``December 31, 
2013'' each place it appears and inserting ``June 30, 2021''.
    (b) Training Funds.--Section 236(a)(2)(A) of the Trade Act of 1974 
(19 U.S.C. 2296(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ``shall not exceed'' 
and all that follows and inserting ``shall not exceed $450,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2015 through 2021.''.
    (c) Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance.--Section 246(b)(1) of 
the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2318(b)(1)) is amended by striking 
``December 31, 2013'' and inserting ``June 30, 2021''.
    (d) Authorizations of Appropriations.--
            (1) Trade adjustment assistance for workers.--Section 
        245(a) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2317(a)) is amended 
        by striking ``December 31, 2013'' and inserting ``June 30, 
        2021''.
            (2) Trade adjustment assistance for firms.--Section 255(a) 
        of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2345(a)) is amended by 
        striking ``fiscal years 2012 and 2013'' and all that follows 
        through ``December 31, 2013'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2015 
        through 2021''.
            (3) Trade adjustment assistance for farmers.--Section 
        298(a) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2401g(a)) is amended 
        by striking ``fiscal years 2012 and 2013'' and all that follows 
        through ``December 31, 2013'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2015 
        through 2021''.

SEC. 4. PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AND REPORTING.

    (a) Performance Measures.--Section 239(j) of the Trade Act of 1974 
(19 U.S.C. 2311(j)) is amended--
            (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Data 
        Reporting'' and inserting ``Performance Measures'';
            (2) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) by striking ``a quarterly'' and 
                        inserting ``an annual''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``data'' and inserting 
                        ``measures'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``core'' and 
                inserting ``primary''; and
                    (C) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``that 
                promote efficiency and effectiveness'' after 
                ``assistance program'';
            (3) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Core 
                indicators described'' and inserting ``Indicators of 
                performance''; and
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(A) Primary indicators of performance 
                described.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The primary indicators 
                        of performance referred to in paragraph (1)(A) 
                        shall consist of--
                                    ``(I) the percentage and number of 
                                workers who received benefits under the 
                                trade adjustment assistance program who 
                                are in unsubsidized employment during 
                                the second calendar quarter after exit 
                                from the program;
                                    ``(II) the percentage and number of 
                                workers who received benefits under the 
                                trade adjustment assistance program and 
                                who are in unsubsidized employment 
                                during the fourth calendar quarter 
                                after exit from the program;
                                    ``(III) the median earnings of 
                                workers described in subclause (I);
                                    ``(IV) the percentage and number of 
                                workers who received benefits under the 
                                trade adjustment assistance program 
                                who, subject to clause (ii), obtain a 
                                recognized postsecondary credential or 
                                a secondary school diploma or its 
                                recognized equivalent, during 
                                participation in the program or within 
                                one year after exit from the program; 
                                and
                                    ``(V) the percentage and number of 
                                workers who received benefits under the 
                                trade adjustment assistance program 
                                who, during a year while receiving such 
                                benefits, are in an education or 
                                training program that leads to a 
                                recognized postsecondary credential or 
                                employment and who are achieving 
                                measurable gains in skills toward such 
                                a credential or employment.
                            ``(ii) Indicator relating to credential.--
                        For purposes of clause (i)(IV), a worker who 
                        received benefits under the trade adjustment 
                        assistance program who obtained a secondary 
                        school diploma or its recognized equivalent 
                        shall be included in the percentage counted for 
                        purposes of that clause only if the worker, in 
                        addition to obtaining such a diploma or its 
                        recognized equivalent, has obtained or retained 
                        employment or is in an education or training 
                        program leading to a recognized postsecondary 
                        credential within one year after exit from the 
                        program.'';
            (4) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``data'' 
                and inserting ``measures'';
                    (B) by striking ``quarterly'' and inserting 
                ``annual''; and
                    (C) by striking ``data'' and inserting 
                ``measures''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Accessibility of state performance reports.--The 
        Secretary shall, on an annual basis, make available (including 
        by electronic means), in an easily understandable format, the 
        reports of cooperating States or cooperating State agencies 
        required by paragraph (1) and the information contained in 
        those reports.''.
    (b) Collection and Publication of Data.--Section 249B of the Trade 
Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2323) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``enrolled in'' and inserting ``who received'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B)--
                                    (I) by striking ``complete'' and 
                                inserting ``exited''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``who were 
                                enrolled in'' and inserting ``, 
                                including who received'';
                            (iii) in subparagraph (E), by striking 
                        ``complete'' and inserting ``exited'';
                            (iv) in subparagraph (F), by striking 
                        ``complete'' and inserting ``exit''; and
                            (v) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(G) The average cost per worker of receiving 
                training approved under section 236.
                    ``(H) The percentage of workers who received 
                training approved under section 236 and obtained 
                unsubsidized employment in a field related to that 
                training.''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (4)--
                            (i) in subparagraphs (A) and (B), by 
                        striking ``quarterly'' each place it appears 
                        and inserting ``annual''; and
                            (ii) by striking subparagraph (C) and 
                        inserting the following:
                    ``(C) The median earnings of workers described in 
                section 239(j)(2)(A)(i)(III) during the second calendar 
                quarter after exit from the program, expressed as a 
                percentage of the median earnings of such workers 
                before the calendar quarter in which such workers began 
                receiving benefits under this chapter.''; and
            (2) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and 
                        (C) as subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; 
                        and
                            (ii) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 
                        the following:
                    ``(B) the reports required under section 239(j);''; 
                and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``a quarterly'' 
                and inserting ``an annual''.
    (c) Recognized Postsecondary Credential Defined.--Section 247 of 
the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2319) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
            ``(19) The term `recognized postsecondary credential' means 
        a credential consisting of an industry-recognized certificate 
        or certification, a certificate of completion of an 
        apprenticeship, a license recognized by a State or the Federal 
        Government, or an associate or baccalaureate degree.''.

SEC. 5. APPLICABILITY OF TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE PROVISIONS.

    (a) Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers.--
            (1) Petitions filed on or after january 1, 2014, and before 
        date of enactment.--
                    (A) Certifications of workers not certified before 
                date of enactment.--
                            (i) Criteria if a determination has not 
                        been made.--If, as of the date of the enactment 
                        of this Act, the Secretary of Labor has not 
                        made a determination with respect to whether to 
                        certify a group of workers as eligible to apply 
                        for adjustment assistance under section 222 of 
                        the Trade Act of 1974 pursuant to a petition 
                        described in clause (iii), the Secretary shall 
                        make that determination based on the 
                        requirements of section 222 of the Trade Act of 
                        1974, as in effect on such date of enactment.
                            (ii) Reconsideration of denials of 
                        certifications.--If, before the date of the 
                        enactment of this Act, the Secretary made a 
                        determination not to certify a group of workers 
                        as eligible to apply for adjustment assistance 
                        under section 222 of the Trade Act of 1974 
                        pursuant to a petition described in clause 
                        (iii), the Secretary shall--
                                    (I) reconsider that determination; 
                                and
                                    (II) if the group of workers meets 
                                the requirements of section 222 of the 
                                Trade Act of 1974, as in effect on such 
                                date of enactment, certify the group of 
                                workers as eligible to apply for 
                                adjustment assistance.
                            (iii) Petition described.--A petition 
                        described in this clause is a petition for a 
                        certification of eligibility for a group of 
                        workers filed under section 221 of the Trade 
                        Act of 1974 on or after January 1, 2014, and 
                        before the date of the enactment of this Act.
                    (B) Eligibility for benefits.--
                            (i) In general.--Except as provided in 
                        clause (ii), a worker certified as eligible to 
                        apply for adjustment assistance under section 
                        222 of the Trade Act of 1974 pursuant to a 
                        petition described in subparagraph (A)(iii) 
                        shall be eligible, on and after the date that 
                        is 90 days after the date of the enactment of 
                        this Act, to receive benefits only under the 
                        provisions of chapter 2 of title II of the 
                        Trade Act of 1974, as in effect on such date of 
                        enactment.
                            (ii) Computation of maximum benefits.--
                        Benefits received by a worker described in 
                        clause (i) under chapter 2 of title II of the 
                        Trade Act of 1974 before the date of the 
                        enactment of this Act shall be included in any 
                        determination of the maximum benefits for which 
                        the worker is eligible under the provisions of 
                        chapter 2 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974, 
                        as in effect on the date of the enactment of 
                        this Act.
            (2) Petitions filed before january 1, 2014.--A worker 
        certified as eligible to apply for adjustment assistance 
        pursuant to a petition filed under section 221 of the Trade Act 
        of 1974 on or before December 31, 2013, shall continue to be 
        eligible to apply for and receive benefits under the provisions 
        of chapter 2 of title II of such Act, as in effect on December 
        31, 2013.
            (3) Qualifying separations with respect to petitions filed 
        within 90 days of date of enactment.--Section 223(b) of the 
        Trade Act of 1974, as in effect on the date of the enactment of 
        this Act, shall be applied and administered by substituting 
        ``before January 1, 2014'' for ``more than one year before the 
        date of the petition on which such certification was granted'' 
        for purposes of determining whether a worker is eligible to 
        apply for adjustment assistance pursuant to a petition filed 
        under section 221 of the Trade Act of 1974 on or after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act and on or before the date that is 
        90 days after such date of enactment.
    (b) Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms.--
            (1) Certification of firms not certified before date of 
        enactment.--
                    (A) Criteria if a determination has not been 
                made.--If, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, 
                the Secretary of Commerce has not made a determination 
                with respect to whether to certify a firm as eligible 
                to apply for adjustment assistance under section 251 of 
                the Trade Act of 1974 pursuant to a petition described 
                in subparagraph (C), the Secretary shall make that 
                determination based on the requirements of section 251 
                of the Trade Act of 1974, as in effect on such date of 
                enactment.
                    (B) Reconsideration of denial of certain 
                petitions.--If, before the date of the enactment of 
                this Act, the Secretary made a determination not to 
                certify a firm as eligible to apply for adjustment 
                assistance under section 251 of the Trade Act of 1974 
                pursuant to a petition described in subparagraph (C), 
                the Secretary shall--
                            (i) reconsider that determination; and
                            (ii) if the firm meets the requirements of 
                        section 251 of the Trade Act of 1974, as in 
                        effect on such date of enactment, certify the 
                        firm as eligible to apply for adjustment 
                        assistance.
                    (C) Petition described.--A petition described in 
                this subparagraph is a petition for a certification of 
                eligibility filed by a firm or its representative under 
                section 251 of the Trade Act of 1974 on or after 
                January 1, 2014, and before the date of the enactment 
                of this Act.
            (2) Certification of firms that did not submit petitions 
        between january 1, 2014, and date of enactment.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary of Commerce shall 
                certify a firm described in subparagraph (B) as 
                eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under 
                section 251 of the Trade Act of 1974, as in effect on 
                the date of the enactment of this Act, if the firm or 
                its representative files a petition for a certification 
                of eligibility under section 251 of the Trade Act of 
                1974 not later than 90 days after such date of 
                enactment.
                    (B) Firm described.--A firm described in this 
                subparagraph is a firm that the Secretary determines 
                would have been certified as eligible to apply for 
                adjustment assistance if--
                            (i) the firm or its representative had 
                        filed a petition for a certification of 
                        eligibility under section 251 of the Trade Act 
                        of 1974 on a date during the period beginning 
                        on January 1, 2014, and ending on the day 
                        before the date of the enactment of this Act; 
                        and
                            (ii) the provisions of chapter 3 of title 
                        II of the Trade Act of 1974, as in effect on 
                        such date of enactment, had been in effect on 
                        that date during the period described in clause 
                        (i).

SEC. 6. SUNSET PROVISIONS.

    (a) Application of Prior Law.--Subject to subsection (b), beginning 
on July 1, 2021, the provisions of chapters 2, 3, 5, and 6 of title II 
of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2271 et seq.), as in effect on 
January 1, 2014, shall be in effect and apply, except that in applying 
and administering such chapters--
            (1) paragraph (1) of section 231(c) of that Act shall be 
        applied and administered as if subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) 
        of that paragraph were not in effect;
            (2) section 233 of that Act shall be applied and 
        administered--
                    (A) in subsection (a)--
                            (i) in paragraph (2), by substituting 
                        ``104-week period'' for ``104-week period'' and 
                        all that follows through ``130-week period)''; 
                        and
                            (ii) in paragraph (3)--
                                    (I) in the matter preceding 
                                subparagraph (A), by substituting 
                                ``65'' for ``52''; and
                                    (II) by substituting ``78-week 
                                period'' for ``52-week period'' each 
                                place it appears; and
                    (B) by applying and administering subsection (g) as 
                if it read as follows:
    ``(g) Payment of Trade Readjustment Allowances To Complete 
Training.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in 
order to assist an adversely affected worker to complete training 
approved for the worker under section 236 that leads to the completion 
of a degree or industry-recognized credential, payments may be made as 
trade readjustment allowances for not more than 13 weeks within such 
period of eligibility as the Secretary may prescribe to account for a 
break in training or for justifiable cause that follows the last week 
for which the worker is otherwise entitled to a trade readjustment 
allowance under this chapter if--
            ``(1) payment of the trade readjustment allowance for not 
        more than 13 weeks is necessary for the worker to complete the 
        training;
            ``(2) the worker participates in training in each such 
        week; and
            ``(3) the worker--
                    ``(A) has substantially met the performance 
                benchmarks established as part of the training approved 
                for the worker;
                    ``(B) is expected to continue to make progress 
                toward the completion of the training; and
                    ``(C) will complete the training during that period 
                of eligibility.'';
            (3) section 245(a) of that Act shall be applied and 
        administered by substituting ``June 30, 2022'' for ``December 
        31, 2007'';
            (4) section 246(b)(1) of that Act shall be applied and 
        administered by substituting ``June 30, 2022'' for ``the date 
        that is 5 years'' and all that follows through ``State'';
            (5) section 256(b) of that Act shall be applied and 
        administered by substituting ``the 1-year period beginning on 
        July 1, 2021'' for ``each of fiscal years 2003 through 2007, 
        and $4,000,000 for the 3-month period beginning on October 1, 
        2007'';
            (6) section 298(a) of that Act shall be applied and 
        administered by substituting ``the 1-year period beginning on 
        July 1, 2021'' for ``each of the fiscal years'' and all that 
        follows through ``October 1, 2007''; and
            (7) section 285 of that Act shall be applied and 
        administered--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by substituting ``June 30, 
                2022'' for ``December 31, 2007'' each place it appears; 
                and
                    (B) by applying and administering subsection (b) as 
                if it read as follows:
    ``(b) Other Assistance.--
            ``(1) Assistance for firms.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraph (B), assistance may not be provided under 
                chapter 3 after June 30, 2022.
                    ``(B) Exception.--Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), 
                any assistance approved under chapter 3 pursuant to a 
                petition filed under section 251 on or before June 30, 
                2022, may be provided--
                            ``(i) to the extent funds are available 
                        pursuant to such chapter for such purpose; and
                            ``(ii) to the extent the recipient of the 
                        assistance is otherwise eligible to receive 
                        such assistance.
            ``(2) Farmers.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraph (B), assistance may not be provided under 
                chapter 6 after June 30, 2022.
                    ``(B) Exception.--Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), 
                any assistance approved under chapter 6 on or before 
                June 30, 2022, may be provided--
                            ``(i) to the extent funds are available 
                        pursuant to such chapter for such purpose; and
                            ``(ii) to the extent the recipient of the 
                        assistance is otherwise eligible to receive 
                        such assistance.''.
    (b) Exceptions.--The provisions of chapters 2, 3, 5, and 6 of title 
II of the Trade Act of 1974, as in effect on the date of the enactment 
of this Act, shall continue to apply on and after July 1, 2021, with 
respect to--
            (1) workers certified as eligible for trade adjustment 
        assistance benefits under chapter 2 of title II of that Act 
        pursuant to petitions filed under section 221 of that Act 
        before July 1, 2021;
            (2) firms certified as eligible for technical assistance or 
        grants under chapter 3 of title II of that Act pursuant to 
        petitions filed under section 251 of that Act before July 1, 
        2021; and
            (3) agricultural commodity producers certified as eligible 
        for technical or financial assistance under chapter 6 of title 
        II of that Act pursuant to petitions filed under section 292 of 
        that Act before July 1, 2021.
                                 <all>
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