[Nfbmo] Contacting the Senate about Rehab

[Gary Wunder]

As you have no doubt read in a message from Anil Lewis generated last
evening, The Rehabilitation Act is being considered by the Senate this week,
and the two changes being proposed are detrimental to blind people. In the
hope that it will help, here is what I have sent to Sen. Blunt and Senator
McCaskill. Please do what you can.

 

Warmly,

 

Gary

 

This week or next a bill should come before you concerning the
reauthorization of rehabilitation for people with disabilities. I am blind,
and I'm very concerned about two provisions in that bill. One would move
rehabilitation from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor.
A large component of rehabilitation is, of course, the education of people
who are blind. We receive everything from vocational technical training to
college degrees, both undergraduate and graduate. Education is the place we
belong.

 

My second concern is that section 511 is being proposed for addition to the
act. This would change the work requirement that now exists in the
rehabilitation act which states that a successful closure must be in a
competitive and integrated work setting. I think this is appropriate.
Section 511 would, however, allow credit for placement of blind people in
sheltered workshops, many of which pay less than the federal minimum wage.
This is not an appropriate work placement, and the bar should not be lowered
for rehabilitation agencies in our state federal program to claim success
for a workshop placement.

 

Thank you very much for considering my views. Rehabilitation is one of the
best programs we have. Let's keep it so!