[Job-Discussions] Lesser Known National Legislation That Supports Employment Of Persons With Disabilities

Mon Feb 21 01:05:50 UTC 2022

Most of them seem worthy of our support. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 20, 2022, at 6:35 PM, Ericka via Job-Discussions <job-discussions at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Very informative and helpful. Thank you for bringing the information to this list!
> 
> Ericka Nelson
> 
>>> On Feb 20, 2022, at 3:16 PM, Kane Brolin via Job-Discussions <job-discussions at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> 
>> Greetings.
>> 
>> I am  writing to motivate discussion of--or perhaps action on--some
>> information I
>> obtained while attending the most recent Zoom meeting of the Indiana
>> affiliate of the Association of People Supporting Employment First,
>> which is abbreviated using the acronym A.P.S.E. but which is
>> pronounced Appsy. . I first became aware of APSE when Christopher
>> Meyer, a young blind businessperson and civil rights activist in my
>> home state, introduced me to Ms. Tina Skeel, who directs APSE's
>> initiatives in Indiana.  Subsequently, I have kept in touch with
>> Indiana's APSE affiliate ever since, as they have drafted me into the
>> informal role of being a delegate or ambassador from the NFB of
>> Indiana to the Indiana branch of APSE.
>> 
>> APSE promotes the successful employment of all people with
>> disabilities.  APSE is very much onboard with  the Transition to
>> Competitive and Integrated Employment Act (H.R.2373 and S.3238) which
>> played an
>> important role in the NFB Washington Seminar just concluded.  But they
>> are interested in the passage of several other bills, too, which are
>> not on either the NFB's list of legislative priorities or the ACB's
>> list of legislative imperatives.
>> I suggest that those of us who are blind, who are legislatively minded
>> and passionate about employment of the blind, might wish to
>> investigate and consider pitching the following six proposed laws to
>> our representatives and senators.  I highly welcome feedback.
>> 
>> •    National Apprenticeship Act (H.R.447).  This bill already has passed
>> the House of Representatives, so it is positioned better than most
>> disability bills actually to become a law in 2022 while the 117th
>> Congress is still serving.  “.The bill provides statutory authority
>> for the Office of Apprenticeship (OA) within Labor. The OA's
>> responsibilities include (1) supporting the development of
>> apprenticeship models; (2) recognizing qualified state apprenticeship
>> agencies, and operating apprenticeship offices in states without a
>> recognized agency; (3) providing technical assistance to state
>> agencies; (4) periodically updating requirements for each occupation
>> in the apprenticeship program and determining whether to approve new
>> occupations for the program; (5) promoting greater diversity in the
>> national apprenticeship system; and (6) awarding grants provided by
>> this bill.”  H.R.447 does not have a separate Senate bill number, as
>> it already passed the House chamber before being sent to the Senate.
>> It is in front of the Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions         Committee
>> of the U.S. Senate.
>> https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/447/text?r=89&s=1
>> •    Disability Employment Incentive Act (S.630).  This was introduced by
>> U.S. Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and is in front of the Senate
>> Finance Committee, although they’ve not yet held a hearing on it.  A
>> House version does not yet exist.  . “This bill expands tax credits
>> and deductions that are available for employers who hire and retain
>> employees with disabilities. The bill expands the work opportunity tax
>> credit to include the hiring of employees who receive Social Security
>> Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. For employers who hire
>> vocational rehabilitation referrals, Supplemental Security Income
>> recipients, or SSDI recipients, the bill also (1) increases the amount
>> of wages that may be taken into account for the credit, and (2) allows
>> an additional credit for second-year wages.”
>> https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/630?s=1&r=77
>> •    Relaunching America’s Workforce Act (H.R.602 and S.200).  “This bill
>> establishes several grant programs to address employment, the
>> workforce, and education access in response to the COVID-19 national
>> emergency. The Department of Labor must provide grants in response to
>> the COVID-19 national emergency to provide training and employment for
>> dislocated, unemployed, and underemployed workers; support youth
>> employment; establish workforce information systems improvements;
>> provide reentry employment opportunities for justice-involved youth
>> and young adults; and create or expand apprenticeship programs.”
>> H.R.602 is in front of the Education and Labor Committee in the U.S.
>> House.  The Senate version S.200 is in front of the Health, Education,
>> Labor, & Pensions Committee after having been sponsored originally by
>> U.S. Senator Patty Murray of Washington State.
>> https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/200/text?r=1&s=1&format=txt
>> •    ABLE Age Adjustment Act (H.R. 1219 and S.331).  “This bill increases
>> from 26 to 46 the age threshold for tax-favored ABLE (Achieving a
>> Better Life Experience) accounts. (ABLE accounts are designed to
>> enable individuals with disabilities to save for and pay for
>> disability-related expenses. To establish an account, an individual
>> must have a qualifying impairment that began before the individual
>> attained the age threshold.)” The House version H.R.1219 was
>> introduced by Tony Cárdenas of California; it sits in the House Ways
>> and Means Committee.  The Senate version S.331, introduced by Bob
>> Casey from Pennsylvania, sits in the Senate Finance Committee.
>> https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1219
>> https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/331
>> •    Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act (H.R.3824 and S.2065);
>> The House version was introduced by Raúl Grijalva of Arizona.  The
>> Senate version was sponsored by Sherrod Brown of Ohio.  This is in the
>> House Budget Committee and the Senate Finance Committee.  It proposes
>> to amend Title XVI of the of the Social Security Act to update
>> eligibility for the SSI program.  A summary is not yet available for
>> either House or Senate versions; but this is worth watching, according
>> to APSE.  If interested, You can read the full text of this bill at
>> https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2065/text.
>> •    Work Without Worry Act (H.R.4003 and S.2108). John Larson of
>> Connecticut introduced the House version, which is in the House Ways
>> and Means Committee.  Don Wyden of Oregon introduced the Senate
>> version S.2108, which is in the Senate Finance Committee. This
>> proposes To amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate
>> work disincentives for childhood disability beneficiaries.  A summary
>> is not yet available; but again, this is worth watching.  Full text is
>> available at https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr4003/BILLS-117hr4003ih.xml.
>> 
>> Thank you.
>> 
>> Kind regards,
>> 
>> Kane Brolin
>> 
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