Enhance Domestic Manufacturing and Worker Assistance Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1884
Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]
Introduced: 2003-11-18 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Agriculture and Food
Agriculture in foreign trade
Business cycles
Community development
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Commerce
Depressed areas
Diversification in industry
Economic development
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Executive reorganization
Federal advisory bodies
Finance and Financial Sector
Fisheries
Fishing boats
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Government trust funds
Grants-in-aid
Housing and Community Development
Infrastructure
Investment of public funds
Labor and Employment
Law
Manufacturing industries
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Science, Technology, Communications
Small business
Standards
Strategic planning
Sunset legislation
Tax credits
Taxation
Technology transfer
Trade adjustment assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: 
Enhance Domestic Manufacturing and Worker Assistance Act of 2003 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to extend through FY 2012 trade adjustment assistance for workers, small businesses, farmers, and fishermen who harvest wild stock.
 
Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a Trade Adjustment Assistance for Communities (TAAC) Program at the Department of Commerce. Prescribes criteria for determination of TAAC-eligible communities negatively impacted by trade, considering: (1) the number of jobs affected compared to the size of workforce; (2) the severity of the rates of unemployment and the duration of the unemployment in the community; (3) the income levels and the extent of underemployment; (4) the outmigration of population from the community and the extent to which the outmigration is causing economic injury in the community; and (5) the community's unique problems and needs.
 
Authorizes an eligible community to develop a strategic plan for community economic adjustment and diversification. Authorizes the Secretary to award a grant to an eligible community to: (1) develop and implement such plan; and (2) upon its approval, carry out any project or program included in the plan. Provides for award of supplemental grants
 
Requires the Secretary to develop guidelines to ensure that rural communities receive preference in the allocation of resources.
 
Establishes an Office of Trade Adjustment Assistance in the International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce.
 
Authorizes appropriations for the National Institute of Standards and Technology for: (1) the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program through FY 2015; and (2) the Advanced Technology Program through FY 2013.
 
Establishes an Office of Small Business in the Office of the United States Trade Representative.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced:  CR S15072-15079)
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15068-15072)
action_date: 2003-11-18
text: Introduced in Senate