Senate Defeats Provision on Steelworkers’ Health Benefits; Assistance for Trade-Displaced Workers Remains in Overall Trade Bill

The Senate on May 21 defeated a trade bill amendment that would have temporarily provided health benefits to retired steel workers who have lost their employer-sponsored coverage, the Baltimore Sun reports. The amendment would have given one year's worth of tax credits to about 125,000 retirees to pay for 70% of the cost of health insurance. Over 10 years, the bill would have cost about $177 million (Henry/Hosler, Baltimore Sun, 5/22). Amendment supporters were unable to garner enough votes to end a filibuster, effectively defeating the provision (Dougherty, Washington Times, 5/22). Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla.), who voted against the amendment, said such measures are essentially "ransom" for supporting the larger trade bill, which would give President Bush "fast-track" trade negotiating authority -- the ability to submit trade bills to Congress for a straight up-or-down vote without amendments (AP/Las Vegas Sun, 5/21). But some senators said that a similar steel-workers amendment will likely be added to future legislation. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), who cosponsored the amendment with Sen. John Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), said, "We won the vote, by winning the majority, but lost because of procedural obstacles. Just because the vote is over doesn't mean the issue is over. In fact, the battle has just begun" (Baltimore Sun, 5/22).

Displaced-Worker Benefits Expected
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) said on May 21 that a vote on the overall trade bill, which includes a provision that would provide health benefits to about 100,000 U.S. workers displaced by international trade, could occur May 23 or May 24. President Bush has told senators that he supports a compromise bill that would include such benefits for displaced workers. But CongressDaily/AM reports that House Republicans, who passed a trade bill last year that does not include health benefits, are expected to "push for changes" to the Senate legislation during conference committee meetings (Norton/Koffler, CongressDaily/AM, 5/22).