71.   House leaders hope their promises to help displaced workers and endangered industries will persuade lawmakers to give U.S. President George Bush sweeping powers to negotiate new trade agreements.

72.   In the first town hall meeting of his presidency, Bush strolled the stage and called for questions from a crowd of several hundred displaced workers and business owners.

73.   Labor Secretary Cresenciano Trajano said the mechanism would also facilitate the provision of assistance to the displaced workers.

74.   Meanwhile, thousands of displaced workers are filtering into the streets, selling everything from chewing gum and flowers, lamps and candy on the streets of major cities.

75.   Organized labor is pressing Congress for a relief package that would include health care coverage, extended unemployment benefits and job training for displaced workers.

76.   That debate could take weeks, with health benefits for displaced workers coming down as a deciding issue.

77.   The displaced workers will be offered other jobs at their stores, Moser said.

78.   The company said that it is in talks with Maxtor and other local employers to help find jobs for its soon to be displaced workers.

79.   The Department of Budget and Management is expected to release more funds to the labor department to help enhance labor productivity measures in training and re-training displaced workers.

80.   The mining company said in a statement that it would immediately close several mines that are potentially dangerous and that it would move the displaced workers to safer mines.