95th Congress > House > Vote 1360
Description: TO PASS H.R. 11711, THE BILL IMPROVING THE OPERATION OF THE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR WORKERS AND FIRMS HURT BY IMPORT COMPETITION.
Bill summary: (House agreed to Senate amendment with amendments)
=Title I: Improvements in Adjustment Assistance for Workers= - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to direct the Secretary of Labor to reconsider denied petitions of groups of workers for trade adjustment assistance which were filed prior to November 1, 1976.
Qualifies a previously ineligible employee for coverage under a certification of eligibility if: (1) the petition for certification was filed before November 1, 1976; and (2) the employee's
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last total or partial separation from the appropriate firm occurred between one year and 18 months of the filing of the petition.
Permits any group of workers separated from employment after October 3, 1974, and before November 1, 1976, to file, or have filed on their behalf, a petition for certification if a previous petition for such group was not filed between April 2, 1975, and November 1, 1976.
Makes eligible for assistance certain groups of workers in firms whose customer firms have been adversely affected by imports.
Authorizes the Secretary to file a petition on behalf of a group of workers.
Permits a group to be certified if the sales or production of its firm or subdivision threaten to decrease absolutely. Stipulates that no assistance shall be furnished in such an instance until sales or production have decreased absolutely. Directs the Secretary to fully inform workers about the benefits available.
Permits an employee who worked for more than one firm or subdivision, each of which has been certified by the Secretary of Labor, to qualify for allowances on the basis of: (1) 26 weeks of employment at wages of $30 or more a week in the 52 weeks immediately preceding the worker's last total or partial separation; or (2) 40 weeks of employment at wages of $30 or more a week in the 104 weeks immediately preceding such total or partial separation.
Extends the duration of additional readjustment allowances to a maximum of 52 additional weeks for workers receiving approved training. Extends the period of time in which adversely affected older workers, who reach their 60th birthday on or before the date of total or partial separation, shall be eligible for allowances, to not more than 26 additional weeks, up to a maximum of 104 weeks, until they reach age 62.
Directs the Secretary to establish a program of experimental projects designed to improve methods meeting the employment and training problems of workers displaced by import competition. Requires the Secretary to submit reports to Congress by March 1, 1982, concerning the effectiveness of implemented projects.
Increases, and revises application and eligibility guidelines for, job search and relocation allowances.
=Title II: Improvements in Adjustment Assistance to Firms= - Revises eligibility requirements for firm adjustment assistance including making eligible certain firms whose customer firms have been directly affected by imports.
Requires, rather than authorizes, the Secretary of Commerce to provide technical assistance to a firm for an economic adjustment proposal if it cannot prepare one without assistance.
Increases the requirement percentage for assistance provided through private entities.
Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce, with respect to loans to firms guaranteed under the Trade Act of 1974, to pay to or on behalf of the borrower annually for up to ten years an amount sufficient to reduce interest paid up to four percentage points.
Increases maximum amount guaranteed loans and direct loans which may be furnished to any one firm.
=Title III: General Provisions= - Establishes the Commerce Labor Adjustment Action Committee to facilitate coordination between the Departments of Labor and Commerce in providing assistance to trade-impacted workers, firms and communities.
Authorizes grants to labor organizations for research on issues relating to the design of an effective program of trade adjustment assistance.
=Title IV: Watch Movements= - Amends the Tariff Schedules of the United States to permit the duty-free entry of the following products of any insular possession: (1) those containing foreign materials which constitute less than 50 percent of the total value other than watches or watch movements; and (2) watches and watch movements containing foreign (from other than Communist nations) materials which constitute less than 70 percent of the total value.
=Title V: Countervailing Duty Waiver Extension= - Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to extend until February 15, 1979, the time period that the Secretary of the Treasury may waive the imposition of countervailing duties. Requires the Secretary to certify that the waiver is essential in concluding international negotiations concerning the use of agricultural or industrial subsidies. Requires the President to report to Congress by January 2, 1979, concerning the status of such negotiations and the Multilateral Trade Negotiations as a whole.
Permits further extension of the waiver authority upon the President transmitting to Congress a description of the provisions of the subsidy agreements. Allows Congress to terminate the waiver authority.
=Title VI:= - Amends the Social Security Act to permit Federal funding of State child support collection or paternity determination services to noneligible individuals under the AFDC program.
Amends Title IV (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) (AFDC) of the Social Security Act to permit States to prorate a portion of a recipient's grant for shelter when total family income, including that of noneligible relatives, exceeds the State's standard of need. Applies such provision only to children living with relatives not legally responsible for support of the child.
=Title VII:= - Includes Pap smear tests as covered diagnostic tests under the Medicare Supplemental Medical Insurance Benefits program of the Social Security Act.
=Title VIII: Adoption and Foster Care and Child Welfare Services= - Establishes a program of Federal payments for foster care maintenance and adoption assistance under Title IV of the Social Security Act.
Declares that a State, to be eligible for payments under this Act, shall have a plan for the administration of such program. Sets forth the requirements for approval of such a plan by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.
Authorizes the States to make payments for foster care maintenance and adoption assistance and sets forth the requirements children and adoptive parents must meet to receive assistance under this Act.
Authorizes appropriations to fund the programs established by this Act and provides for payments to the States each quarter, according to a specified formula.
Authorizes the Secretary to provide a State with technical assistance in developing programs established by this Act.
Stipulates that the "Federal share" of child welfare services shall be 75 percent. Includes State expenditures for foster care services in the category of child welfare services. Limits the amount paid to any State for foster care. Directs that any excess appropriations be spent: (1) to conduct an inventory of all children under foster care for six months preceding such inventory; (2) to develop a statewide information system to locate such children; (3) to develop a case review system; and (4) to develop a program to help children remain with their families. Authorizes the Secretary to make payments directly to Indian tribal organizations which have an approved child welfare services plan.
=Title IX: Supplemental Security Income Program= - Amends Title XVI (Supplemental Security Income Program) of the Social Security Act to pay a special monthly benefit to those individuals who would be eligible for the Supplemental Security Income Program (SSI) on the basis of medical severity of disability but for the fact that the individual's earnings disqualify such individual.
Provides for the disregard, in determining eligibility, of such amounts of earned income of such individual as may be necessary to pay for attendant care.
Directs the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to report to Congress by March 15, 1979, concerning such individuals.
Requires that those individuals, who were treated within the five years preceding the application for benefits, be considered presumptively disabled if the previous eligibility was terminated due to the individuals performance of substantial gainful activity.
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Bill titles: A bill to improve the operation of the adjustment assistance programs for workers and firms under the Trade Act of 1974.
Original source documents: Digest of the Congressional Record vol. 124-139, p. 9337;
Links for more info on the vote: congress.gov
