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Inside Town Meetings On Housing — p. 2
Volume 10, Number 4
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Culture Conference — Page 9
SOURCES
April 10, 1999
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“What is not recorded is not remembered.” — Benazir Bhutto
RESOURCES
April 10, 1999
CONGRESS MOVES ON WIIA Federal Work Incentives Bill Makes Steady Progress by Donna McNamara
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Jeff Bangsberg & U.S. Congress member Jim Ramstad
Legislative Update by Charlie Smith, Editor
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he following is an update of legislative initiatives relating to people with disabilities. Many committees are considering disability related legislation. For example, the Direct Care Workers’ cost of living increase and the Waiting List legislation are coming out of the Health and Human Service Committee; funding for Metro Mobility comes out of the Transportation Committee; funding for Common Vision comes out of Jobs and Economic Development, and so on. Action on many of the bills has taken place and they are waiting for inclusion in the various omnibus, or funding, bills. Until a bill is included in the omnibus bill, funding for it is not guaranteed. Each of these committees will combine related initiatives into an omnibus bill, which then must be passed on the House or Senate floor. An omnibus bill is the final bill to come out of a committee, and includes
all the bills passed by that committee. Once omnibus bills are passed, they go to the conference committee, where differences between House and Senate versions of bills are worked out. Prior to a bill becoming law, there must be agreement by both Houses as to the final language of the bill. If differences cannot be resolved, a bill may be dropped from inclusion. Information for this article was provided by disability advocates working on these bills. This is the most up-to-date information as we go to press. The Waiting List Bill S.F. 288/H.F.345 Currently there are about 3300 persons who have been screened and determined eligible for the Mental Retardation/Related Conditions Home and Community Based Services waiver program. There are also 900 people waiting for the Family Support Program, and another 500 are waiting for the Semi-
Independent Living Skills Program. It is common for people to wait five, ten, or more years before they receive the needed services. Most must face a crisis before they get served through these programs. Arc Minnesota is seeking $30 million for the biennium to fund this initiative. The bill has received hearings in policy and finance committees in both the House and Senate. It has been referred to the Finance Divisions for Health & Human Services in both the House and Senate for consideration of funding in the Health & Human Services Omnibus bills. Metro Mobility The Metropolitan Council has proposed $40.1 million to fund Metro Mobility for the next two years, a $5.5 million increase that would result in increased service. The Governor has requested that amount be trimmed to $38.6 million. If the Governor’s proposal passes,
n Thursday March 18, 1999, Congress member Rick Lazio (R-NY) introduced H.R. 1180, the Work Incentives Improvement Act (WIIA), in the U.S. House of Representatives. Just prior to the bill’s introduction, a press conference was held in Washington, DC, called by Representatives Lazio, Diane Johnson (R-CT) and Jim Ramstad (R-MN). Congress member Ramstad personally invited 2 members of Minnesota’s disability community, Jeff Bangsberg, representing Courage Center, and Wendy Brower of The Disability Institute, to attend the press conference. Ramstad spoke passionately about the need for this legislation. “When people with disabilities consider returning to work or even seek vocational rehabilitation, the risk of losing vital federal health benefits often becomes too threatening to their future financial stability and they are literally compelled not to work,” said Ramstad. “Given the sorry state of present law, that’s a reasonable and rational decision for too many people with disabilities.” Bangsberg joined Ramstad and other Congressional representatives making statements. When stressing the significance of this Act, Bangsberg referenced the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). “It is no exaggeration to say that this bill is just as important to people with severe disabilities as the ADA,” said Bangsberg. “Thanks to the ADA, many people with disabilities are being offered jobs, but they cannot take advantage of those jobs because barriers
remain in their way.” During the press conference, Congress member Bilirakis (RFL), one of the bill’s 40 cosponsors, announced he would hold a hearing on the bill in the House Committee on Commerce, Subcommittee on Health, which he chairs, on March 23rd. Because of the power of Bangsberg’s remarks, he was also invited to testify at the March 23rd Congressional hearing. At the hearing, Bangsberg expanded on his statements to the press, including describing the situations of Minnesotans with disabilities who would benefit from this legislation. One is a man in his thirties who has had to turn down his employer’s offer of re-training following an accident that left him paralyzed. He can’t afford to take a job that would disqualify him for Medical Assistance (MA) because he would lose the personal care attendant services that MA pays for. Another is a woman who has turned down pay raises because when her income goes up, so does the amount she has to contribute to MA and to rent, which leaves her with less net income than before. Bangsberg continued, “It is important to remember that most people with severe disabilities who want to return to work already receive Medicaid and Medicare, so these costs are already being incurred.” The Senate version of the WIIA has 70 co-sponsors, and on March 25, the Senate adopted S. 331, an amendment to the federal budget resolution that provides funding for
the WIIA. The House bill must now go through at least 3 more committees before it goes to the House floor. As we go to press, all of Minnesota’s Congressional delegation has agreed to sign on in support of this legislation, with the exception of Gil Gutneckt (R-MN), who indicated interest in the legislation, but is waiting for information on how the bill will be funded before offering his support. H.R. 1180 contains two key provisions. One, it gives states clear direction on interpreting Medical Assistance guidelines regarding people with disabilities who want to work. And second, it includes provisions for states to establish work incentives planning and assistance programs, or advocacy services for individuals seeking to work. A competing bill, H.R. 1091, known as the “Ticket to Work” bill, has been introduced in the House by Rep. Hulshol (RMO). This bill only includes a two-year extension of Medicare coverage, and is further limited because state vocational rehabilitation agencies can opt out of participating in the Ticket program. This bill also does not provide funds for advocacy services to assist people with disabilities whose benefits are negatively impacted by returning to work. Advocates across the country are urging passage of H.R. 1180 and S.331, described by Sallie Rhodes, NAPAS, as “unique pieces of legislation where ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’” For an update on Minnesota’s enabling work incentives legislation, see the article below.