[nfbmi-talk] Fantastic Point About Department of Labor vs. Department of Education

[Kane Brolin]

On 2/5/14, Christine Boone <christineboone2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>  ...  I think that our first priority needs to be asking [Congress] Not to transfer
> Rehabilitation out of the Department of Education. We have a great deal to
> lose. One of our primary obstacles here in Michigan lies in the fact that
> our rehabilitation agency is in a department that is part of the labor
> system. Sadly they have no understanding of vocational rehabilitation
> programs and worse yet, they do not desire to have any.  ...  We may not have a > whole lot now, but we will have less if Senator Harkin's amendment transfering
> RSA to Labor goes through. That same
> amendment strips away all of the professional requirements for direct
> program staff. In other words, any DOL staff person could work in delivery
> of vocational rehabilitation services.

Amazing, Christine.  I had no idea of the scope--just how nefarious
this next edition of the Workforce Investment Act actually is.  As
someone who grew up in Senator Harkin's home state, I am flabbergasted
that he is this ignorant--or this underhanded--and that he would want
to leave office this year with this as his legacy for disabled
Americans.  Makes me wonder what he is getting out of it in terms of
quid pro quo.

This is why I am grateful to be on the Michigan NFB listserv, even
though I am no longer a Michigan resident.  It seems that many active
Federationists up there are extremely passionate, knowledgeable, and
active in speaking truth to power.  Makes me wish I had been active
during the 4-½ years I lived there back in the '90s.  Thank you for
taking time to share.

-Kane