[nfbmi-talk] Fw: Legislative Action Needed: WIA

Fri Mar 28 21:50:56 UTC 2014

Hello All,

Since Tim Walberg from Michigan sits on this committee, I think it is important for us to flood his office with phone calls. In case you do not feel like reading through the list of Representatives who sit on this committee, Tim Walberg's phone number is (202) 225-6276. A call script is posted below in case you are wondering what to say when calling his office.

Let's all step up and take action to change what it means to be blind.

Warm regards,
Elizabeth

From: Sloan,Rose (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>) 
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2014 4:37 PM
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org 
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Action Needed: WIA

  Fellow Federationists:

  I write to ask you to immediately contact your Representatives who are on the House Education and Workforce Committee regarding the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). This bill is currently being pre-conferenced which means the House and Senate are working to resolve the differences between the two versions of the bills.

  As you know, we are adamantly opposed to Section 511 of Title V and the transfer of the Rehabilitation Services Administration to the Department of Labor, which are in the Senate version of WIA. Now is the time to urge House members of the Education and Workforce committee to voice their objections to these two provisions.

  Here is a call script that you can use when contacting your Representatives.Please call as soon as possible, but no later than by next Friday:

  Hi! My name is ________. It is my understanding that discussions are being held to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the Workforce Investment Act. Since Representative ________ is on the Education and Workforce committee, I am calling to voice my objection to Section 511 of S. 1356, which endorses segregated subminimum wage training and employment. I am also concerned with the language that diminishes the quality of rehabilitation services by transferring the Rehabilitation Services Administration from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor. I urge Representative _________ to ensure that these sections are removed before the WIA language is finalized. Thank you!

  If you are asked for the House companion bill number, it is H.R. 803.

  Below is a list of Representatives who are on the Education and Workforce Committee. If your state does not have a member on the committee, please contact Chairman Kline (R, MN). We need him to know how important this issue is to us. His office phone number is: (202) 225-2271.

  Arizona, Matt Salmon, (202) 225-2635

  Arizona, RaÃºl Grijalva, (202) 225-2435

  California, Duncan D. Hunter, (202) 225-5672

  California, Howard "Buck" McKeon,(202) 225-1956

  California, George Miller, (202) 225-2095

  California, Susan Davis, (202) 225-2040

  Colorado, Jared Polis, (202) 225-2161

  Connecticut, Joe Courtney, (202) 225-2076

  Florida, Frederica Wilson, (202) 225-4506

  Georgia, Tom Price,(202) 225-4501

  Indiana, Larry Bucshon, (202) 225-4636

  Indiana, Luke Messer, (202) 225-3021

  Indiana, Susan Brooks, (202) 225-2276

  Indiana, Todd Rokita, (202) 225-5037    

  Iowa, David Loebsack (202) 225-6576

  Kentucky, Brett Guthrie, (202) 225-3501

  Massachusetts, John Tierney, (202) 225-8020

  Michigan, Tim Walberg, (202) 225-6276

  Minnesota, John Kline, (202) 225-2271

  Nevada Joe Heck,(202) 225-3252

  New Jersey, Rush D. Holt, Jr., (202) 225-5801

  New York, Carolyn McCarthy, (202) 225-5516

  New York, Timothy Bishop, (202) 225-3826

  North Carolina, Richard Hudson,(202) 225-3715

  North Carolina, Virginia Foxx, (202) 225-2071

  Northern Mariana Islands, Gregorio â?oKililiâ? Sablan,(202) 225-2646

  Ohio, Marcia Fudge, (202) 225-7032

  Oregon, Suzanne Bonamici, (202) 225-0855

  Pennsylvania, Glenn "G.T." Thompson, (202) 225-5121

  Pennsylvania, Lou Barletta, (202) 225-6511

  South Carolina, Joe Wilson, (202) 225-2452

  South Carolina, Trey Gowdy, (202) 225-6030

  Tennessee, Phil Roe, (202) 225-6356

  Tennessee, Scott DesJarlais, (202) 225-6831

  Texas, Kenny Marchant, (202) 225-6605

  Texas, RubÃ©n Hinojosa, (202) 225-2531

  Virginia, Bobby Scott, (202) 225-8351

  Wisconsin, Tom Petri, (202) 225-2476

  Wisconsin, Mark Pocan, (202) 225-2906

  Feel free to e-mail, fax, and tweet your Representatives as well, but this is a supplement to the calls, not a substitute. See below for a sample letter.

  Thank you for taking just a few minutes to make these calls. Together, we can ensure that WIA will continue to help people with disabilities achieve the competitive integrated employment we strive for.

  Best,

  Rose

  March XX, 2014

  Dear Representative__________:

  I am writing to express serious concerns with two specific provisions under debate as part of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) reauthorization legislation. I am opposed to the following two provisions, which will be extremely detrimental to individuals with disabilities who are eligible for the individualized services and supports provided by highly skilled rehabilitation counselors in the Vocational Rehabilitation program.

  Â§  Section 511, related to employment of individuals with disabilities at a subminimum wage and 

  Â§  The proposed move of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) from the Department of Education (DOE) to the Department of Labor (DOL). 

  These proposals are steps in the wrong direction at a time when it is critical to support career development and self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities. While these provisions originated in the Senate bill (S.1356), pre-conferencing is underway between the House and Senate Committee staff, and it is critical that the House stand firm in opposition to both of these provisions.

  Section 511 will strengthen and give legitimacy to the flawed subminimum wage system and is based on the false premise that people with disabilities cannot be competitively employed. This policy proposal faces strong opposition from the community it is meant to serve. The language endorses the practice of using subminimum wage environments for training or employment, and does not meet the intended goal of reducing the number of young people tracked into subminimum wage work environments.

  Individuals who are tracked into these environments remain there ninety-five percent of the time and are dependent on government subsidies and other state income supports for the rest of their lives.

  The proposed move of RSA to DOL is entirely inconsistent with efforts to improve and increase services to young people transitioning from school to post-secondary educattion or careers. Efforts should be focused on increasing collaboration and partnerships in the DOE between RSA and the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), in order to improve transition services, as opposed to moving RSA to DOL where this focus would be lost. There is no data to indicate that moving the RSA from the DOE to the DOL would improve employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities, particularly those individuals with the most significant disabilities, including transition youth.

  Since the 1992 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act, State VR Agencies have focused on providing community based services and assuring that all individuals with disabilities determined eligible for VR Services have the opportunity to pursue competitive employment in an integrated setting. Opening the door to sheltered employment takes the VR Program and the people they serve backwards. It would undermine the forward progress and success that the program has achieved over the years in pursuing competitive, integrated employment for VR consumers.

  There are far better ways to help ensure that individuals with disabilities can be productive without Section 511, and I believe strengthening VR within the DOE is the best approach to securing access to competitive employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

  I urge you strike these two controversial provisions from the final WIA reauthorization package.

  Sincerely, 

  Your contact information.

Rose Sloan 
Government Affairs Specialist 
National Federation of the Blind 

Rsloan at nfb.org

Sent from my iPhone 
________ 

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