To amend chapter 2 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 to include Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in the definition of State for the purposes of the trade adjustment assistance for workers program.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
Official Summary
Official summary has not been imported yet.
GovScope Watchdog™
AI Government Intelligence™This bill proposes an amendment to chapter 2 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 to expand the definition of "State" for the purposes of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for workers program. Specifically, it seeks to include Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This change would allow workers in these U.S. territories to qualify for trade adjustment assistance benefits under the existing program, which provides aid to workers who lose their jobs or face reduced hours due to foreign trade impacts.
The bill aims to extend trade adjustment assistance benefits to workers in certain U.S. territories by redefining "State" within the Trade Act of 1974, but it has not advanced beyond referral to a subcommittee and is currently classified as failed or expired.
- Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to include four U.S. territories in the definition of "State" for trade adjustment assistance eligibility.
- Targets Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
- Intended to provide workers in these territories access to federal trade adjustment assistance programs.
['Workers in Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands who are affected by trade-related job losses or reductions.', 'Federal agencies administering the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, as the scope of their responsibilities would expand.']
['Implementation challenges related to extending program eligibility and resources to additional territories.', 'Potential increased costs to the federal government due to expanded program coverage.', 'Oversight and administrative adjustments needed to accommodate the inclusion of new geographic areas.']
The bill was introduced in the House during the 118th Congress and referred to the Subcommittee on Trade on December 17, 2024. It has since failed or expired without further legislative action. The policy area falls under Foreign Trade and International Finance, reflecting ongoing efforts to address trade impacts on workers, including those in U.S. territories.
Hidden impact flags detected: 2
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['Increased demand on federal resources and administrative capacity for the Trade Adjustment Assistance program.', 'Potential improvement in economic support and workforce retraining opportunities in the included U.S. territories.', 'Possible precedent for further inclusion of other territories or regions in federal assistance programs.']
The bill lacks a detailed official summary and full text, limiting comprehensive analysis. The latest action indicates referral to a subcommittee with no further progress, and the status is failed or expired. Transparency on cost estimates, implementation plans, and oversight mechanisms is not available in the source data, which are important for evaluating the full impact of the proposed amendment.
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