Hatch stands in way of funds for displaced workers

Source: Salt Lake Tribune

Hatch stands in way of funds for displaced workers
By Matt Canham
The Salt Lake Tribune
First published 7 hours ago
Updated 1 hour ago Updated May 26, 2011 09:28PM

Washington • Democrats want to tie the passage of three new trade agreements with more federal help for workers who see their jobs shipped overseas.

But Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, is standing in the way, saying the extra benefits are too expensive and unrelated to trade agreements negotiated with Panama, Colombia and South Korea.

“We’re broke,” Hatch said Thursday. “With a $7 billion price tag, this just doesn’t make sense.”

The Senate Finance Committee, led by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., has held two hearings on the long-stalled trade agreements this week, where Baucus forcefully called for increased funding for what is known as the “trade adjustment assistance” (TAA) program in conjunction with the free trade agreements.



Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/51893521-79/trade-hatch-agreements-program.html.csp

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