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Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Announcement of NEG to State of Pennsylvania
News Conference with Senators Specter and Santorum
Washington, D.C.
Thursday, March 4, 2004
Good morning. Today I am announcing $18.1 million in aid to help transitioning workers in Pennsylvania find new jobs.
I am joined by Senators Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum. Thank you for coming this morning.
As President George W. Bush has said many times, one person out of work is one too many.
The President and I are deeply committed to ensuring that transitioning workers have access to the training and services they need to get back on their feet as quickly as possible.
Because retraining workers for new opportunities helps them build brighter futures for themselves and their families; helps America grow; and strengthens our economy.
So the funding I'm pleased to announce today is two-fold:
- First, a National Emergency Grant for up to $15.8 million;
- Second, an additional $2.3 million of trade training reserve funds.
Combined, these funds total $18.1 million, which will help people in Pennsylvania access services through the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. These job-training programs and other employment services will prepare them for good jobs in the 21 st century workforce.
The Trade Adjustment Assistance program—also known as TAA—provides many benefits to workers who lose their jobs because of trade.
Workers who enroll in the Commonwealth's Trade Adjustment Assistance program are eligible for:
- up to 2 years of income support;
- up to 2 years of job training;
- job-search allowances;
- reimbursement for job relocation; and
- assistance with paying for health insurance through a new health tax credit.
Workers over the age of 50 may also be eligible for a new wage subsidy program.
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry will administer the National Emergency Grant and the trade training funds.
State officials will notify eligible workers and explain how to access these services through local One-Stop Career Centers, or Career Link Centers, as they are called in Pennsylvania.
To find a nearby center, please call the toll-free number 1-877-US2-JOBS , or go to www.servicelocator.org on the Internet.
Today's grant is in addition to the $812 million Pennsylvania receives in employment and training funds from the Labor Department each year.
Over the past two years Pennsylvania has received a total of $58.7 million in trade adjustment assistance funds. In addition, the Department has provided nearly $82.3 million in other National Emergency Grants to Pennsylvania since 2001.
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