Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 116 Part 2.djvu/155

 PUBLIC LAW 107-210—AUG. 6, 2002 116 STAT. 937 SEC. 112. FILING OF PETITIONS AND PROVISION OF RAPID RESPONSE ASSISTANCE; EXPEDITED REVIEW OF PETITIONS BY SEC- RETARY OF LABOR. (a) FILING OF PETITIONS AND PROVISION OF RAPID RESPONSE ASSISTANCE.— Section 221(a) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.G. 2271(a)) is amended to read as follows: "(a)(1) A petition for certification of eligibility to apply for adjustment assistance for a group of workers under this chapter may be filed simultaneously with the Secretary and with the Governor of the State in which such workers' firm or subdivision is located by any of the following: "(A) The group of workers (including workers in an agricultural firm or subdivision of any agricultural firm). "(B) The certified or recognized union or other duly authorized representative of such workers. "(C) Employers of such workers, one-stop operators or onestop partners (as defined in section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801)), including State employment security agencies, or the State dislocated worker unit established under title I of such Act, on behalf of such workers. "(2) Upon receipt of a petition filed under paragraph (1), the Governor shall— "(A) ensure that rapid response assistance, and appropriate core and intensive services (as described in section 134 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2864)) authorized under other Federal laws are made available to the workers covered by the petition to the extent authorized under such laws; and "(B) assist the Secretary in the review of the petition by verifying such information and providing such other assistance as the Secretary may request. "(3) Upon receipt of the petition, the Secretary shall promptly publish notice in the Federal Register that the Secretary has received the petition and initiated an investigation.". (b) EXPEDITED REVIEW OF PETITIONS BY SECRETARY OF LABOR.— Section 223(a) of such Act (19 U.S.C. 2273(a)) is amended in the first sentence by striking "60 days" and inserting "40 days". SEC. 113. GROUP ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. (a) TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.— (1) IN GENERAL. — Section 222 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2272) is amended— (A) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows: "(a) IN GENERAL.— A group of workers (including workers in any agricultural firm or subdivision of an agricultural firm) shall be certified by the Secretary as eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under this chapter pursuant to a petition filed under section 221 if the Secretary determines that— "(1) a significant number or proportion of the workers in such workers' firm, or an appropriate subdivision of the firm, have become totally or partially separated, or are threatened to become totally or partially separated; and "(2)(A)(i) the sales or production, or both, of such firm or subdivision have decreased absolutely; "(ii) imports of articles like or directly competitive with articles produced by such firm or subdivision have increased; and

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