Trade Retraining Act of 1983

Summary

Trade Retraining Act of 1983 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to establish the Retraining Assistance Trust Fund to provide adjustment assistance for workers adversely affected by imports. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to be trustee of such Fund and to make certain reports to Congress on the operation and status of the Fund. Authorizes funds for said Trust Fund for each fiscal year following FY 1982. Requires the Secretary of Labor to determine that increased imports were a "considerable cause" (currently, a substantial cause) of worker separations and sales or production reduction in order to certify such workers as eligible for trade adjustment assistance. Requires the International Trade Commission (the Commission) to determine whether certain imported articles constitute a "considerable cause" (currently, a substantial cause) of serious injury to, or the threat thereof, to the domestic industry producing like articles or articles in competition with such imported articles. Declares that the considerable cause standard shall be applied to determinations by the Secretary of Labor regarding certification of workers for assistance and to findings of the International Trade Commission regarding investigations of import relief petitions. Declares that findings of the Commission that the importation of an article is a considerable cause of serious injury to domestic industry, shall be deemed to constitute certification by the Secretary of eligibility for a group of workers for trade adjustment assistance, unless the Secretary makes a specified finding within 60 days of the Commission's finding. States that failure of the Secretary to make a determination on a petition for a certification of eligibility for trade adjustment assistance within 60 days of filing such petition shall constitute a certification of eligibility. Requires that a worker, in order to receive trade readjustment allowances: (1) be enrolled or agree to enroll in a retraining program; and (2) not be determined to be failing to make satisfactory progress in such retraining program. Repeals the authorization of the Secretary to require workers in high unemployment areas to accept certain job training or to seek employment outside of such area in order to receive trade readjustment allowances. Renames the section entitled "Training" as "Retraining" and makes conforming amendments. Requires the Secretary to approve certain job retraining payments, not to exceed $5,000 for any worker. Makes conforming amendments. Requires such retraining amendments to apply to workers eligible for allowances based upon certifications made on or after the date of enactment of this Act or made within the 12-month period preceding such date. States that the duration of a retraining allowance shall be the lesser of 105 weeks or the number of weeks necessary to complete retraining. Increases the maximum job search allowance to $1,000. Redefines "relocation allowance" as 100 percent of the reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in transporting a worker and his or her family and household effects (currently 90 percent). Requires the Secretary to make payment directly to an employer for 90 percent of the costs of an approved retraining program provided to certified workers. Requires that such payments be made only for retraining provided by such employer for the purpose of qualifying an adversely affected worker for a bona fide job position available with such employer (or reasonably expected to be available at the time such retraining was provided). Requires the Secretary to certify, as eligible for trade adjustment assistance, workers from firms which supply articles for import-impacted firms, upon making a specified determination of the impact of import articles on such firms.

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1 official file

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 17 March 1983

  Open at official source

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