[Coagdu] Fw: TODAY Contact Your Senators!

[melissa R green]

For your information.

Blessings and best wishes,
Melissa R. Green and Pj

COAGDU President
"We love because he first loved us."

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Jessica Beecham
To: j beecham
Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2014 1:24 PM
Subject: TODAY Contact Your Senators!


Hello Everyone!


Today, January 15, 2014 we need to tell our Senators that it is time to 
#FixWIA.  Below is the email I plan to send to my Senators.  I encourage you 
to use this letter as a template (or create your own) to inform your 
Senators about the problems with WIA.

Thanks for all of your work. Let’s get this done!


#######

Dear Senator X,

I am writing to voice my concerns about S. 1356, the reauthorization of the 
Workforce Investment Act (WIA).  Although I know the reauthorization of WIA 
is overdue, I just cannot support the current bill as it is written.

During the 1990s, the disability community fought really hard for language 
that would notallow a vocational rehabilitation case to be closed by a 
placement in a sheltered workshop. The current bill language of Section 511, 
a controversial section among the disability community, will allow 
vocational rehabilitation counselors to successfully close cases by placing 
their clients in subminimum-wage sheltered workshops.  Subminimum-wage 
sheltered work does not come close to adequately training people with 
disabilities for mainstream competitive employment.  In fact, research shows 
that people with disabilities have to unlearnthe habits taught in sheltered 
workshops in order to get a mainstream job.  Ninety-five percent of people 
with disabilities who enter sheltered workshops never obtain the employment 
they are being “trained” for.  In other words, once a person with disability 
is placed in a sheltered workshop, their full potential is almost never 
reached.  They must remain on public assistance for the rest of their lives.

I am also concerned with the bill language moving the Rehabilitation 
Services Administration (RSA) from the Department of Education to the 
Department of Labor. There is no research that shows this move will improve 
the efficiency and outcomes of the RSA.  It is important to keep in mind 
that everyone needs an education before he/she obtains a job.  For many, 
this education comes in the form of college and/or graduate school.  For 
people with severe disabilities, this might mean having access to quality 
rehabilitation services to develop their unique skills and talents.  This 
process is an educational process­RSA should stay in the Department of 
Education.

Senator X, I need your help.  Please consider offering an amendment that 
will strike Section 511 of Title V of WIA, and remove the language that 
transfers RSA from Education to Labor.

Thank you.  I look forward to hearing from you soon.  If you have any 
questions or concerns, feel free to reach me at (add your contact info).

Sincerely,

(Your Name)


These are e-mail addresses for staffers of both Senator Bennet and Udall.


Senator Udall


Stephanie_Cross at MarkUdall.senate.gov


Senator Bennet


Ellen_Steiner at bennet.senate.gov


Savannah_krieg at bennet.senate.gov 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/coagdu_nfbnet.org/attachments/20140114/8f661b7a/attachment.html>