U S Government Accountability Office

Trade adjustment assistance U S Government Accountability Office

"Why GAO Did This Study The Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2009 (TGAAA), part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, authorized assistance to communities, workers, farmers, and firms affected by trade. One such program, the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training grant program, is administered by Labor and authorizes grants to eligible institutions of higher education for educational or career training programs suitable for trade-affected workers. Total grant funding is $2 billion for 4 years and the first round of grants was awarded in September 2011. The TGAAA requires GAO to examine the operation and effectiveness of the changes made by the act to this program. GAO examined how Labor (1) designed and awarded the grants and to what extent it complied with applicable requirements; (2) monitors the grants and what is known about implementation to date; and (3) plans to evaluate the program. GAO reviewed a nongeneralizable sample of 32 grant applications based on funding status, total scores, and total grant amounts; grantees' quarterly reports; and relevant federal laws, regulations, policy and guidance; and interviewed federal and state officials. What GAO Recommends GAO recommends that Labor take steps to more effectively manage its process when states must designate grantees by, for example, building in additional lead time or providing states"