June 16, 1999
THE WORK INCENTIVES IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1999 - WIIA
Disability Community:
"This is probably the best thing we'll do this year," Senator Pete V.
Domenici (R-NM) stated, just after the WIIA vote today, to the waiting
members of the disability community outside the Senate Chamber. The remark
triggered yet another loud round of applause (and ASL waving for applause)
in the normally sedate Senate Reception Room adjacent to the Senate, as
Senators passed leaving the area.
"Kennedy and Sen. James Jeffords, R-Vt., joined disability activists for
hugs, cheers and snapshots after the vote. The gathering off the Senate
floor was part celebration and part relief that the bill had finally come
up for a vote after months of delay." AP News Story (below) June 16, 1999
The President has issued a statement on the roll call WIIA vote. (below)
As most already know, the US Senate passed WIIA today, with a roll call
vote 99-0, Senator Harkin being out of the country and unable to cast a
vote. The vote followed eloquent speeches on the Senate floor this morning
by the bill's primary cosponsors, Senators Jeffords, Kennedy, Roth and
Moynihan.
Senator Pete Domenici's straightforward statement above sets this bill
apart in the best of ways from much of the Washington news of the last
year. Here is a Republican Senator ranking WIIA against the chances of
passing other legislation of merit this year. The statement follows his
speech Monday on the Senate floor that helped this vote come to pass this
week. We thank him for his strong support of S. 331 and for Americans with
disabilities.
Something went right this week in Washington on both sides of the aisle.
Maybe there is a majority of leaders in Congress who want inclusion for
individuals with disabilities that includes being above the poverty line!
Just maybe.
Time will tell. We have told the Congress of this country people with
disabilities do not have to live in poverty. We brought some excellent
solutions to the table, of the people, by the people, for the people. Some
of you are listening and some of you are certainly leading. Please work
with us to finish this job and fund the solutions found in WIIA.
And about leaders. There probably isn't a person reading this who can't
take some leadership pride in the patience and persistence we have all
shown to "bring this problem to Washington." Senator Roth today
acknowledged Senator Dole in his Senate speech and all the prior attempts
that have gone on for years to rechart this course, as The President's Task
Force on Employment rightly states that we need to do.
We are all leaders today, June 16, 1999. We deserve the win.
These are some of the leaders who deserve our messages of thanks:
Mr. President,
Senator Jeffords,
Senator Kennedy,
Senator Roth,
Senator Moynihan
and
Senator Domenici,
and
Your Senators:
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON WIIA.
President Bill Clinton
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500
Phone 202-456-1414
president@whitehouse.gov
---
Senate Mailing Address:
The Honorable _____________________:
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator _______________:
------------------------------------------------
CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD
202-224-3121 Gets You All Congress Members
Senator James Jeffords
202-224-5141 in D.C.
202-228-5044 Fax in D.C.
802-223-5273 Local Phone
vermont@jeffords.senate.gov
Senator William V. Roth, Jr.
202-224-2441 in D.C.
202-224-5920 Fax in D.C.
302-573-6291 Local Phone
comments@roth.senate.gov
Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan
202-224-4451 in D.C.
202-228-0406 Fax in D.C.
212-661-5150 Local Phone
senator@dpm.senate.gov
Senator Edward M. Kennedy
202-224-4543 in D.C.
202-224-5128 Fax in D.C.
617-565-3183 Local Phone
senator@kennedy.senate.gov
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
MEDIA Report and WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT
JUNE 16, 17:27 EDT
Senate OKs Disability-to-Work Bill
By LAURA MECKLER
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of delay, the Senate voted 99-0 Wednesday to
make it easier for people with disabilities to return to work.
The centerpiece of the bill would allow many of the nation's 9 million
adults with disabilities to retain their health insurance when they take
jobs.
``If America means anything, it means not leaving people out or people
behind,'' said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who helped spearhead the bill.
He called it a ``real invitation'' to people with disabilities to ``be
part of the American dream.''
Kennedy and Sen. James Jeffords, R-Vt., joined disability activists for
hugs, cheers and snapshots after the vote. The gathering off the Senate
floor was part celebration and part relief that the bill had finally come
up for a vote after months of delay.
``I can't tell you how thrilled I am,'' Jeffords said.
Although the bill had 77 co-sponsors, Sen. Phil Gramm objected to its
reliance on tax changes to pay for it.
So the Senate put off finding a way to pay for the $800 million, five-year
measure. Instead, it directs future negotiators to come up with
unspecified spending cuts.
Kennedy predicted that wouldn't be a problem, saying that President Clinton
personally promised to find cuts.
``We'll find a way to pay for it,'' he said.
The legislation also has considerable support in the House but is stalled
over how to pay for it. It has cleared the Commerce Committee but still
must move through the Ways and Means Committee, which sets tax and
disability policy. Last year, the House passed similar legislation.
Rep. Bill Archer, R-Texas, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, said
he was optimistic about the bill's chances in the House this year.
``We have an obligation both to the people with disabilities and to the
American taxpayer to accomplish this goal while maintaining our fiscal
discipline,'' Archer said in a statement.
Clinton and Senate backers are hoping Congress can finish work on the
legislation by late July, when they will mark the 9th anniversary of the
Americans with Disabilities Act.
Less than one half of one percent of Americans receiving disability
benefits ever return to work. That's mostly because they fear losing the
health insurance that is often so central to their lives, advocates say.
The bill would also inject competition among those who train the disabled
to work. Those with disabilities could choose to continue getting services
from government rehabilitation programs, or they could go to privately run
programs.
And it would give the trainers an extra incentive to get people to work -
the trainers would get some of the money saved because of decreased
government disability benefits.
The legislation would affect about 9 million adults who collect federal
disability benefits.
Those who use the Social Security Disability Insurance program could keep
their Medicare benefits after returning to work. States would get the
option to extend Medicaid to those in the Supplemental Security Income
program for low-income people, allowing them to buy into the program and
pay premiums that would rise as their income grows.
States will each have to decide whether to extend Medicaid, which is paid
for with a combination of state and federal money. Kennedy predicted
disability activists will soon be flooding state legislatures.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that, because the bill makes the
disability program more attractive, it will attract new people to the
program. That, combined with the changes to rehabilitation services, would
cost the federal government $800 million over five years.
Only Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who is traveling with the president in
Europe, did not vote on the bill
AP-NY-06-16-99 1728EDT
Copyright 1999 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP
news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise
distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press.
--------------------------------
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Paris, France)
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Nearly a year ago, I committed to working with Senators Jeffords and
Kennedy to pass the Work Incentives Improvement Act. In January, in my
State of the Union Address, I urged the Congress make this historic,
bipartisan legislation a top priority and fully funded it in the budget I
sent to Congress. And on June 4th, I challenged the Congress to send the
Work Incentives bill to me by July 26th, so I could sign this legislation
into law on the 9th anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA).
Today, in an overwhelming 99 to 0 vote, the Senate passed the Work
Incentives bill. This impressive vote sends a strong signal that all
Americans, including people with disabilities, should have the opportunity
to work. Americans with disabilities can and do bring tremendous energy
and talent to the American workforce, but the unemployment rate for all
working-age adults with disabilities is nearly 75 percent. One of the most
glaring problems is that people with disabilities frequently become
ineligible for Medicaid or Medicare if they go back to work. This puts
people with disabilities in the untenable position of choosing between
health care coverage and work. The Work Incentives Improvement Act would
improve job opportunities for people with disabilities by increasing access
to health care and employment services.
Senators Jeffords, Kennedy, Roth, and Moynihan deserve special
recognition for their leadership on this historic legislation. I urge the
House to follow their lead. Under the leadership of Congressmen Bliley,
Dingell, Waxman, and Lazio, I am confident that it will. I also hope and
expect the Senate and House to find offsets for this bill that are
acceptable to all parties. This bill will provide critical work
opportunities to people with disabilities, and I look forward to signing
this groundbreaking legislation.
30-30-30
end
In Solidarity,
* Bryon R. MacDonald
- Co-chair, Social Security Subcommittee
National Council on Independent Living
- Community Advocate
The Center for Independent Living - Berkeley/Oakland
436 Fourteenth Street, Suite 218
Oakland, CA 94612
Voice: 510-763-9999, press ext. 19
TDD: 510-444-1837
FAX: 510-763-4910
E-Mail: bryosemite@aol.com
*Alana R. Theriault, Disability Advocate/Consultant
Work Incentives Update Listserv Manager
Berkeley, CA
alrt@igc.org
Write Congress?
http://www.congress.org
US Capitol Telephone Switchboard?
202-224-3121
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The Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999; would like a copy of our
latest legislative summaries; or have other comments, contact Alana R.
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