[Ncabs] Legislative Action needed

[Alan A. Chase]

We need to contact both of our NC senators as soon as possible.  Anil Lewis
tells us exactly what to say in our calls and e-mails in his letter below
(which begins "Federation") in the paragraph which begins "I am a
constituent of the state. . . "   I would suggest e-mailing each person
listed in the contact info.  When calling please speak to the HELP contact
person listed for each office if possible.

Issue 1:  Section 511 puts into the Rehab Act language which calls for
paying subminimum wages for trainining and employment of people with
disabilities.  This is like clause 14 (c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act
which we are currently fighting.  We must keep this language out of the
Rehab Act.

Issue 2:   By moving  RSA from DOE to DOL it severs the vital link betwen
education and the process of rehabilitation.    We cannot attain
competitive employment without obtaining the skills and education necessary
to reach such a goal, especially in today's world.

If you have questions, please call me: 704-334-8758.

Thank you!
Sharon Newton

Contact information for our senators:.

Sen. Kay R Hagan (D-NC) (202) 224-6342 Chief of Staff: Mike Harney
mike_harney at hagan.senate.gov HELP Contact: Ashley Eden & Josh Teitelbaum
ashley_eden at hagan.senate.gov josh_teitelbaum at hagan.senate.gov
Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) (202) 224-3154 Chief of Staff: Chris Joyner
chris_joyner at burr.senate.gov HELP Contact: Steve Perrotta
steve_perrotta at burr.senate.gov Additional Contact: Anna Abram
anna_abram at help.senate.gov

Anil Lewis's letter:

Federation:This is a call to action for you to make phone calls, send
e-mails, and post to social media to save rehabilitation services for
people with disabilities on Monday, July 29 and Tuesday, July 30. Senate
Bill S. 1356 has been introduced to reauthorize the Workforce Investment
Act (WIA). This bill includes two major policy changes in the language of
the Rehabilitation Act that threaten to send us backwards in our struggle
to acquire the proper education, training, and opportunity to obtain
competitive, integrated employment. (1) The bill has proposed language in
Section 511 of the Rehabilitation Act that requires vocational
rehabilitation (VR) agencies to include training and employment at wages
below the federal minimum wage as a VR service. (1) The bill proposes to
transfer the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) from the
Department of Education to the Department of Labor, severing the essential
link between the provision of quality education and rehabilitation services
for people with disabilities. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions (HELP) Committee is scheduled to discuss and vote on this bill on
Wednesday, July 31, and we need to act to ensure that these two
tremendously flawed proposals are removed. Our initial action is simple,
but it will require all of us to take action. We need all of our members,
family members, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances that reside in
states where their Senator serves on the HELP committee to make calls, send
e-mails, post tweets, and Facebook messages to communicate the following
two straightforward requests to their Senator: I am a voting constituent in
the state and I am respectfully requesting that the WIA reauthorization be
amended to: (1) Remove Section 511 of the Rehabilitation Act. (2) Remove
the language transferring RSA to the Department of Labor. We are
encouraging that only the actual residents make these requests of their
respective Senators. Start recruiting as many individuals as possible now
to begin this action on Monday, July 29 and continue it through Tuesday,
July 30. Use the information below to make calls to your particular
Senator’s office and send e-mails to each of the e-mail addresses listed
for your Senator. Please contact me with any questions, and keep me posted
on your progress. The only way we will be able to prevent a dismantling of
the essential training and employment services for all people with
disabilities is to act now. Remember, once you have made your calls, sent
your e-mails, posted your tweets and Facebook messages, get others to do
the same.

-- 
 *Alan A. Chase, M.Ed.*
Special Education Teacher, Wake County Public School System
Program Coordinator, Envisioning Youth Empowerment Retreat
President, North Carolina Association of Blind Students
Secretary, Governor Morehead School Alumni Association