[NFB-Iowa-Students] National Federation of the Blind Applauds Introduction of Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act

[Jerad S. Nylin]

Good evening my Federation family and friends, 

 

The Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act (TIME) H.R.
1377, was introduced in to the house of representatives by Representative
Gregg Harper (R-MS). We in the National Federation of the Blind have worked
hard over the past few years to get this introduced. 

I would urge you to all contact your congressman, and tell them that H.R.
1377 is an issue that you believe he should stand behind. 

Below is the official press release we put out today.   

 


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

cdanielsen at nfb.org


National Federation of the Blind Applauds Introduction of Transitioning to
Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act


Urges Swift Passage of Legislation to Create Opportunity for Workers with
Disabilities

Baltimore, Maryland (March 8, 2017): The National Federation of the Blind,
the oldest and largest organization of blind Americans, today applauded the
introduction of the Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment
(TIME) Act of 2017 (H.R. 1377) by Representative Gregg Harper (R-MS).
Congressman Harper introduced this legislation to remove barriers to
employment opportunities for people with disabilities by phasing out Section
14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and facilitating the
transitioning of people with disabilities now working in segregated
employment settings into competitive employment opportunities in their
communities.

Congressman Gregg Harper said: "Section 14(c) of the FLSA, enacted out of a
false understanding regarding the true capacity of people with disabilities,
currently prevents nearly two-hundred thousand people with disabilities from
gaining access to the work and training environments that build their
capacity and allow them to acquire meaningful skills and better employment
opportunities. Segregated work, which too often focuses on mundane tasks
that are not transferrable to today's workplaces, is just an expression of
low expectations that instills a false sense of incapacity in individuals
who could become competitively employed with the proper training and
support. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance the
bipartisan goal of increasing and improving employment opportunities for all
Americans with disabilities."

Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
"The National Federation of the Blind and our partners representing the 55
million Americans with disabilities seek only the kind of meaningful,
remunerative work that other Americans take for granted. We applaud
Congressman Harper for rejecting over seventy years of entrenched but false
thinking about the capacity of people with disabilities. We strongly urge
his colleagues in both houses of the United States Congress to transition
from an ineffective employment model to a policy that recognizes the
individuality, interests, and skills of workers with disabilities and allows
them to live the lives they want. I, like Congressmen Harper, want my own
children to be free of the shackles of low expectations and to lead an
employment revolution that empowers people with disabilities in the
twenty-first century." 

###

About the National Federation of the Blind

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.


 

 

Jerad S. Nylin

President: National Federation of the Blind of Iowa

Email:          jerad.nfbi at gmail.com 

Cellphone: (319)535-3723 

Website:     www.nfbi.org 

 

 

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