P.M. BRIEFING : ‘Safety Net’ for Defense Workers
Connecticut’s two senators today announced legislation to provide a “safety net” for workers expected to be laid off in the defense industry and direction for integrating defense businesses into the civilian sector.
The measure, one of several introduced in Congress aiming to assist workers soon to be displaced as a result of defense cutbacks, would use 10% of the so-called peace dividend of defense cutbacks, or about $1 billion, to fund a package of severance and health benefits for laid-off workers and create a federal council to coordinate assistance to the workers.
The plan, scheduled to operate for seven years, was announced at a news conference by Sens. Joseph Lieberman and Christopher Dodd, both Democrats.
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