[Blindtlk] WIA Reauthorization Call to Action Update 8/8/2013

[Lewis, Anil]

Federation:

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) reauthorization, S. 1356, has been passed out of committee and may go to the Senate floor in the fall for a vote.  The subminimum wage language of Section 511 of the Rehabilitation Act and the transfer of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to the U.S. Department of Labor were not removed from the bill.  We have work to do to remove these two provisions before the vote is taken.  

We are asking that each affiliate request a meeting with their senators during the current Senate recess, which takes place August 3-September 6.  During the meeting, ask your senators to request and support the following two amendments to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA):

1.	Strike Title V., Section 511, which would incorporate the subminimum wage language of Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) into the Rehabilitation Act.
2.	 Remove the language that would transfer the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to the U.S. Department of Labor. 
 
The inclusion of Section 511 in the WIA reauthorization affords us an opportunity to broaden our subminimum wage advocacy.  So, while we work to ensure that Section 511 is removed from the WIA and to prevent RSA from being transferred to the U.S. Department of Labor, take advantage of this opportunity to encourage your senator to introduce a Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities bill in the U.S. Senate. 

Remember to clarify in your meetings that the support that some disability organizations have expressed for the passage of WIA should not necessarily be interpreted as support for Section 511.  In fact, most if not all of these groups would still support WIA with the removal of Section 511.  

There are two documents that should be helpful in your advocacy efforts:
  
1.	The NFB Position Paper on Section 511 of the WIA reauthorization. This document provides you with a narrative description of the problems we have identified with the language, and will enable you to speak about the issue with your senator or Senate staffer.   
2.	Our detailed policy analysis of Section 511.  This document is helpful if you are interested in a breakdown of the bill language.  In addition, it is a helpful handout you should use when meeting with your senator or Senate staffer. 

The position paper is posted on our Web site as a blog post.  The blog can be accessed at the following Web address: https://nfb.org/blog/vonb-blog/national-federation-blind-position-statement-section-511-title-v-workforce-investment. Please take the time to visit the blog and use the Facebook and Twitter buttons to share it with your social media network.  You can access the analysis by clicking the Policy Analysis of Section 511 link within the blog post. 

I would like to express my appreciation to the members who participated on the strategy call last night.  Any affiliate president or legislative director who was unable to make the call should contact me at your earliest convenience with any questions.  

This will be a true test of our grassroots advocacy.  I remain confident in the fact that no organization moves a public policy agenda like the National Federation of the Blind.  We will succeed in our efforts to prevent the Rehabilitation Act from being sabotaged, and we will see the eventual elimination of the unfair, discriminatory, immoral subminimum wage provision of Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).  In the words of Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, "Come join with me on the barricades, and we will make it all come true." 



Mr. Anil Lewis, M.P.A.
Director of Advocacy and Policy

"Eliminating Subminimum Wages for People with Disabilities" 
http://www.nfb.org/fairwages

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, Maryland   21230

(410) 659-9314 ext. 2374 (Voice)
(410) 685-5653 (FAX)
Email: alewis at nfb.org
Web: www.nfb.org
twitter: @anillife