Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1848
Sponsor: Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]
Introduced: 2007-07-23 in the Senate
Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance
Subjects: Agricultural subsidies
Agriculture and Food
Agriculture in foreign trade
Aquaculture
Department of Labor
Employee health benefits
Executive reorganization
Farmers
Finance and Financial Sector
Fishing boats
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Health insurance
Health insurance continuation
Income tax
Insurance premiums
Job hunting
Labor and Employment
Older workers
Ombudsman
Relocation
Retiree health benefits
Social Welfare
Tax credits
Taxation
Trade adjustment assistance

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: 
Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2007 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to allow the filing of a petition with the Secretary of Labor for certification of eligibility to apply for trade adjustment assistance (TAA) by adversely affected workers in a service sector firm, its subdivision, or a public agency.

Revises group eligibility requirements for TAA to cover: (1) a shift, by a public agency to a foreign country, of production of articles or in provision of services, like or directly competitive with articles which are produced, or services which are provided by the workers' firm, subdivision, or public agency; and (2) instances where the workers' firm, subdivision, or public agency obtains or is likely to obtain such services from a foreign country.

Provides for industry-wide certification of adversely affected workers for TAA.

Increases the amount of payments for training of adversely affected workers under the Act.

TAA Health Coverage Improvement Act of 2007 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the tax credit for the health insurance costs of certain TAA workers and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) pension recipients.

Sets forth requirements to prevent a lapse of health care coverage for TAA workers and their families. 

Replaces alternative trade adjustment assistance for older workers provisions with eligibility requirements for wage insurance benefits to older workers who have received an industry-wide certification to apply for TAA.

Increases the maximum allowance to cover costs of an adversely affected worker for job search expenses and relocation expenses.

Establishes an Office of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Ombudsman.

Extends the TAA program for workers through December 31, 2012.

Revises the TAA program for communities negatively impacted by trade. Establishes a TAA for communities program to coordinate the federal response.

 Allows the filing of a petition with the Secretary of Commerce for certification of eligibility to apply for TAA by a service sector firm. Extends the TAA program for firms through FY2012.

Makes fishermen and aquaculture producers eligible for TAA without regard to whether such fishermen seek TAA based on an increase in imports of wild stock or an increase of imports of farm-raised stock.

Revises TAA group eligibility requirements for certain agricultural commodity producers.

Extends the TAA program for farmers through FY2012.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9776-9777)
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: Introduced in Senate