U S Government Accountability Office

Trade adjustment assistance U S Government Accountability Office

"Why GAO Did This Study Congress established the CTAA program in February 2009 through the Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act (TGAAA), passed as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The CTAA program was designed to supplement other Trade Adjustment Assistance programs by providing assistance through grants to trade-impacted communities to help them become more competitive in the global economy. In 2010, EDA awarded $36.8 million in CTAA grants to 36 communities. The administration proposed to discontinue the program, contending that EDA could provide similar assistance to communities at a lower cost through its EAA program. Congress responded by repealing the CTAA program in 2012. TGAAA mandated that GAO review the operation and effectiveness of Trade Adjustment Assistance programs. This is one of several reports responding to that mandate. For this report, GAO determined (1) how EDA made grant award decisions, (2) what mechanisms EDA established to monitor the grants and evaluate their effectiveness, and (3) how the CTAA program compared with other EDA community grant programs. GAO reviewed agency documents, conducted a file review, and interviewed EDA officials. What GAO Recommends GAO is not making recommendations in this report. Commerce concurred with GAO's findings and provided"