Steel Workers Relief Act of 2002

Steel Workers Relief Act of 2002 - Amends federal law to appropriate 50 percent of all revenues from tariffs the President recently imposed on steel products to health care coverage for certain workers who lost health benefits due to losing their jobs and who are receiving specified employment services. Permits family members of displaced workers to receive coverage who would have had it but for the displacement.

[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3982 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3982

 To apply recently imposed tariffs on steel imports towards assistance 
               for displaced steel workers and retirees.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 14, 2002

Mr. Traficant introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on 
 Education and the Workforce, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to 
      be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To apply recently imposed tariffs on steel imports towards assistance 
               for displaced steel workers and retirees.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Steel Workers Relief Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF STEEL PRODUCT TARIFFS TO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Application of Half for Health Insurance Assistance Under Trade 
Adjustment Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--Section 245 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 
        U.S.C. 2317) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by inserting ``and section 
                238A'' after ``subchapter D''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                subsection:
    ``(c) Health Insurance Assistance.--Out of any money in the 
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there are hereby appropriated to 
carry out section 238A an amount equal to 50 percent of all tariffs 
imposed on imports of steel products by reason of Proclamation 7529 of 
the President of March 5, 2002.''.
            (2) Provision of health insurance assistance.--
                    (A) In general.--Subchapter B of chapter 2 of title 
                II of such Act is amended by adding at the end the 
                following new part:

                ``Part III--Health Insurance Assistance

``SEC. 238A. HEALTH INSURANCE ASSISTANCE.

    ``(a) In General.--From amounts appropriated under section 245(c), 
with respect to adversely affected workers covered by a certification 
under subchapter A who lost health benefits coverage as a result of 
displacement from employment and who are receiving benefit allowances, 
training, or other employment services under this chapter, the 
Secretary shall provide for assistance in the purchase of health 
insurance coverage for such workers and for family members who would 
have had such coverage if the displacement had not occurred. Such 
health insurance coverage may be in the form of coverage under a COBRA 
continuation provision (as defined in section 706(d)(1) of the Employee 
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974), under a State program that 
provides comparable continuation coverage, under individual health 
insurance coverage, or otherwise.
    ``(b) Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary shall establish rules 
for the qualification for assistance and extent of assistance made 
available under this section. Such rules may--
            ``(1) provide for assistance for some or all of the costs 
        of health insurance coverage;
            ``(2) may vary the amount of such assistance taking into 
        account the cost of such coverage, the number of individuals 
        covered, access to alternative coverage, and individual 
        financial circumstances; and
            ``(3) may restrict or limit such assistance in the case of 
        an individual who is covered under a group health plan.''.
                    (B) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents of 
                such Act is amended by inserting after the item 
                relating to section 238 the following:

                ``Part III--Health Insurance Assistance

``Sec. 238A. Health insurance assistance.''.
    (b) Application of Half to Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation.--
Section 4005(b)(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 
1974 (29 U.S.C. 1305(b)(1)) is amended by inserting, after and below 
subparagraph (G), the following flush left text:
``Out of amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, in 
addition to the amounts credited under the preceding provisions of this 
paragraph, there are hereby appropriated to the revolving fund used 
with respect to basic benefits guaranteed under section 4022 and to the 
revolving fund used with respect to basic benefits guaranteed under 
section 4022A, in appropriate proportions between such funds as 
determined by the corporation, an aggregate amount equal to 50 percent 
of all tariffs imposed on imports of steel products by reason of 
Proclamation 7529 of the President of March 5, 2002.''.
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