[nabs-l] Fw: Senate Introduces Independent Living Administration

[Anmol Bhatia]

--- On Sun, 7/3/11, Lissner, Scott <Lissner.2 at OSU.EDU> wrote:

> From: Lissner, Scott <Lissner.2 at OSU.EDU>
> Subject: Senate Introduces Independent Living Administration
> To: NDSU at LISTSERV.UIC.EDU
> Date: Sunday, July 3, 2011, 11:08 AM
> **Accessibility information at
> bottom**
> 
>     National Council on Independent Living -
> 6/24/11
> Senate Introduces Independent Living Administration!
> The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is very
> proud and
> excited to announce that a bill has been filed with the
> Senate HELP
> Committee which creates the establishment of a new
> Independent Living
> Administration (ILA), and strengthens America's Independent
> Living (IL)
> Program. The ILA would elevate the IL Program at the
> federal level, and
> would create an organization independent of the
> Rehabilitation Services
> Administration (RSA) within the Department of Education.
> The creation of
> this new administration marks a truly historic moment in
> the Independent
> Living Movement, and IL advocates across the country have
> much to
> celebrate this week. 
> The ILA is created through the reauthorization of the
> Rehabilitation Act
> of 1973, which is contained in the larger Workforce
> Investment Act
> (WIA). NCIL has been pushing for the reauthorization of WIA
> and the
> Rehabilitation Act for nearly a decade, and the
> introduction of a bill
> to reauthorize both pieces of legislation presents a unique
> opportunity
> to improve the IL Program and substantially increase
> consumer-control at
> the federal level. 
> NCIL is optimistic about WIA's chances for reauthorization,
> and very
> pleased with the rare bipartisan effort to put this bill
> together. Staff
> from the offices of Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Michael
> Enzi (R-WY),
> Patty Murray (D-WA), and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) have been
> working over
> the past two years in an effort to renew and improve WIA.
> NCIL has been working closely with the Senate to create
> legislative
> language that will drastically overhaul America's IL
> Program, and fix
> problems that have frustrated Centers for Independent
> Living (CILs) and
> Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs) for years.
> Although the
> majority of IL fixes and enhancements in this legislation
> cannot be
> listed, here are some of the highlights:
> *    Creation of an ILA: a new organization
> within the Department of
> Education, completely separate and independent of RSA. The
> ILA Director
> will report directly to the Secretary of Education. 
> *    Carryover Authority: CILs will now be
> allowed to carryover Part
> C funds not spent during the first year into a second
> year.
> *    Addition of a 5th Core Service:
> transitioning people with
> disabilities from nursing homes and other institutions to
> home and
> community-based residences.
> *    Clarification of the Role of
> SILC:  Because of RSA's
> interpretations of the Rehabilitation Act, several
> clarifications
> regarding SILC activities are included in the bill -
> providing advice
> and assistance to the designated state unit (DSU),
> facilitating the
> improvement and coordination of services, resource
> development
> activities, and carrying out systems advocacy functions.
> *    Funding Formula Change: Part C dollars
> should be allowed to be
> shared among all states and territories, states with the
> largest
> populations would receive more funding proportionally. 
> *    Accessibility at WIA One-Stop Centers:
> one-stop centers will be
> required to be physically and programmatically accessible,
> regardless of
> disability. 
> After reading the legislative language in the bill
> reauthorizing WIA and
> the Rehabilitation Act, it is obvious that the Senate has
> listened to
> NCIL's concerns and worked hard to create a piece of
> legislation that
> will empower and increase the independence of Americans
> with
> disabilities. It is also clear that we have the bipartisan
> support
> necessary to move this bill forward, but the fight to get
> the votes
> necessary in both chambers of Congress to pass this
> reauthorization into
> law has only just begun.  
> More than ever, IL advocates from across the country must
> now mobilize
> to push this historic legislation through Congress.
> Remember, this bill
> was created for us! We must immediately employ the full
> resources of the
> IL community to reach out to members of Congress and urge
> them to
> support the reauthorization of WIA and the Rehabilitation
> Act,
> specifically the inclusion of Title V language that creates
> an ILA and
> strengthens independent living. 
> Our unique opportunity to advance is now, and the time for
> action is
> today. Our first order of business is to get this through
> the Senate
> HELP Committee. This bill is moving very rapidly, and is
> scheduled for
> markup on June 29th. We need advocates to call Senators on
> this
> committee (see list below) and ask for their committed
> support for
> reauthorizing WIA and the Rehabilitation Act. If we are
> successful in
> our efforts, we will achieve one of the greatest
> advancements in the
> history of the Independent Living Movement. 
> Remember: 
> *    The creation of the ILA does not
> require any new or additional
> funding.
> *    The creation of the ILA does not create
> unnecessary new
> bureaucracy. It simply streamlines the IL Program and
> enhances
> consumer-control. 
> NCIL's Rehab Act & IL Funding Subcommittee has worked
> incredibly hard
> over the last few weeks, months, and years to bring us to
> this point. We
> thank them for their efforts and congratulate them on the
> successful
> inclusion of NCIL's priorities in WIA that will now begin
> passage
> through Congress. Although most of our suggestions were
> adopted by the
> HELP Committee at the time of this legislation's
> publication, the NCIL
> Rehab Act & IL Funding Subcommittee submitted comments
> suggesting
> further revisions to the bill. 
> Resources:
> *    NCIL Rehab Act & IL Funding
> Subcommittee Comments
> <http://www.ncil.org/news/rehabactcomments.doc> 
> (Word document)
> *    Redline (Marked Up) Legislative
> Language
> <http://www.ncil.org/news/ILARedline.doc>  (Word
> document)
> Follow this discussion and new developments on NCIL's
> Facebook page
> <http://www.facebook.com/NationalCouncilonIndependentLiving>
> .
> If you have any questions, please contact NCIL Policy
> Analyst Austin
> Walker at (202) 207-0334 (toll-free: 1 (877) 525-3400),
> ext. 1008.
> Austin can also be reached by e-mail at austin at ncil.org.
> Democrats by Rank
> *    Tom Harkin (IA) <http://harkin.senate.gov/> : (202) 224-3254
> *    Barbara A. Mikulski (MD) <http://mikulski.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-4654
> *    Jeff Bingaman (NM) <http://bingaman.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-5521
> *    Patty Murray (WA) <http://murray.senate.gov/> : (202) 224-2621
> *    Bernard Sanders (I) (VT) <http://sanders.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-5141
> *    Robert P. Casey, Jr. (PA) <http://www.casey.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-6324
> *    Kay R. Hagan (NC) <http://www.hagan.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-6342
> *    Jeff Merkley (OR) <http://www.merkley.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-3753
> *    Al Franken (MN) <http://www.franken.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-5641
> *    Michael F. Bennet (CO) <http://bennet.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-5852
> *    Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) <http://whitehouse.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-2921
> *    Richard Blumenthal (CT) <http://blumenthal.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-2823
> Republicans by Rank
> *    Michael B. Enzi (WY) <http://www.enzi.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-3424
> *    Lamar Alexander (TN) <http://www.alexander.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-4944
> *    Richard Burr (NC) <http://www.burr.senate.gov/> : (202) 224-3154
> *    Johnny Isakson (GA) <http://www.isakson.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-3643
> *    Rand Paul (KY) <http://www.paul.senate.gov/> : (202) 224-4343
> *    Orrin G. Hatch (UT) <http://www.hatch.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-5251
> *    John McCain (AZ) <http://www.mccain.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-2235
> *    Pat Roberts (KS) <http://www.roberts.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-4774
> *    Lisa Murkowski (AK) <http://www.murkowski.senate.gov/> : (202)
> 224-6665
> *    Mark Kirk (IL) <http://www.kirk.senate.gov/> : (202) 224-2854
>     
> 
>     
> 
> L. Scott Lissner, Ohio State University ADA Coordinator, 
> Office Of Diversity And Inclusion
>   Associate, John Glenn School of Public Affairs 
>   Lecturer, Knowlton School of Architecture, Moritz
> College of Law &
> Disability Studies 
>   President Elect & Chair, Public Policy
> Committee, Association on
> Higher Education And Disability 
>   Chair, ADA-OHIO
>   Member,  Ohio Governor's Council For People
> With Disabilities
>   Member, Columbus Advisory Council on Disability
> Issues 
> 
>  (614) 292-6207(v); (614) 688-8605(tty) (614)
> 688-3665(fax);
> Http://ada.osu.edu <http://ada.osu.edu/> 
> 
>     
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------
> If you are having trouble accessing this listserv please
> contact Joe Hall at jozhall at gmail.com
> -------------------------------------------------------
> ACCESS IS A CIVIL RIGHT!! Please DO NOT forget to include a
> topic in the subject of every message you send to the NDSU
> listserv.
> 
> NDSU List Topics: CURR, ORG, GOV, DS, and ANN.
> 
> CURR: for current events. Education about current issues.
> ORG: for discussions of organizing. Practical education.
> GOV: Includes legislative, judicial, and executive
> information, organization, and calls to action on government
> issues. Political education.
> DS: for discussions of disability as a political and
> cultural issue. Theoretical education.
> ANN: for any general announcements and housekeeping,
> including discussions concerning accessibility.
> 
> If you would like to change the topics that you are
> currently subscribed to, go to: http://listserv.uic.edu/htbin/wa?LMGT1
> 
> For more information on NDSU visit:
> www.disabledstudents.org
>