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[an error occurred while processing this directive] Governmental Affairs: Advocacy in action. Read current and previous Legislative Network Alerts. View a listing of the Legislative Network Members. Frequently asked questions about the Legislative Network. |
Legislative Network Alerts Alert Number 154 February 8, 2006 For Your Information The President's 2007 Federal Budget and Much More To: Members of the Legislative Network From: Patricia Leahy, Director of Governmental Affairs For those who read on the run, this Washington Wire deals with three issues of great importance to our community: The President's 2007 Federal Budget and disABILITY programs; the introduction of the Emergency Preparedness and Response for Individuals with Disabilities Act in the House of Representatives; and the National Council on Disability's (NCD) nationwide search for at least four new members of its Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee. The President rolled out his 2007 Federal budget on Monday of this week for all Federal Departments and Agencies. Relatedly, the President stated in his State of the Union speech that his Administration will seek to eliminate 141 non-performing, duplicative and overlapping, and inefficient Federal programs. Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (hereinafter referred to as the Rehab Act) has been rated in past years as 'adequate' by the Office of Management and Budget's Performance Assessment Rating Tool (PART) which is performance piece in the President's annual Federal budget. Some of the highlights of the President's Proposed FY 2007 Fedral budget for all 7 Titles under the Rehab Act include a 4.3 percent Cost-of-Living-Adjustment (COLA) for the Title I formula grants program, which is presently funded at approximately 2.7 billion. With the 4.3 percent COLA increase this year, the Title I programs will increase to a total of approximately 2.8 billion. Because Title I of the Rehab Act is 'mandatorily' funded, it receives the COLA every year. That's the good news. Here's the bad news. The President's 2007 budget PROPOSES TO ELIMINATE (not consolidate) four of the Title VI programs under the Rehab Act. The Projects with Industry (PWIs), currently funded at 22 million; Supported Employment, currently funded at 30 million; Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers, currently funded at 2 million and Recreation programs, currently funded at 3 million. The National Rehabilitation Association has stated in the past -- and continues its strong opposition now -- to these programs being consolidated and, as they are in the President's 2007 budget, to being eliminated. The following discretionarily-funded programs under the Rehab Act are proposed to be level-funded in the President's 2007 budget: Rehabilitation Training Programs, presently funded at 38 million; Independent Living, presently funded at 130 million; Client Assistance Program (CAP), presently funded at 12 million; Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights Programs (PAIR) at 16 million; Evaluation Funds, presented funded at 1 million; and Program Improvement Funds presently funded at 1million. At least one program under the Rehab Act has been reduced and that is Special Projects and Demonstrations would be reduced from 26 million to 7 million in 2007. Also included in the PART component of the President's 2007 budget are a number of programs -- including programs that serve individuals with disabilities -- which have been deemed by the OMB to be programs that have not demonstrated results. This 'Results Not Demonstrated' Rating, is described as programs that have not been able to develop acceptable performance goals or collect data to determine whether the program(s) is performing. These programs include, but are not limited to, Independent Living, Vocational Rehabilitation Demonstration and Training Programs, American Printing House for the Blind, among others. We also note that the U.S. Department of Labor's budget is proposed to be reduced by several millions and that includes reductions in Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funds. The link to accessing the performance of many Federal programs, Agency and Department-wide is: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore/index.html We are continuing to analyze the President's budget and will keep you advised of additional information in this regard in forthcoming Washington Wires. All information on the President's Budget referenced within is deemed reliable at this time and date, but could change as additional information becomes known to us. Now, on to the legislative landscape. On Tuesday, February 7, 2006, H.R. 4704, the Emergency Preparedness and Response for Individuals with Disabilities Act, was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This is the companion bill to the Senate bill, S. 2124, which was introduced on December 16, 2005, by Senator Tom Harkin (D.IA.). Summary of The Emergency Preparedness and Response for Individuals with Disabilities Act H.R. 4704 Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Curt Weldon (R-PA) This legislation offers a comprehensive approach to ensuring that the needs of people with disabilities are met before, during and after a national disaster. Through ongoing education about special needs populations and the implementation of responsible policies, we can lessen the scope of future disasters and decrease the loss of life in a tragedy. The bill would establish a Disability Coordinator within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Disability Coordinator would be appointed by the Secretary after consultation with organizations representing individuals with disabilities, and report directly to the Secretary. The Disability Coordinator will be responsible for providing guidance and coordination in emergency planning and relief efforts, including: - Educating DHS, other federal agencies, and state and local governmental authorities about the needs of individuals with disabilities in emergency planning and relief - Coordinating and disseminating best practices and model evacuation plans - Developing curriculum and training materials for governmental officials and first responders on the needs of individuals with disabilities - Develop a plan for the temporary loan or replacement of medical equipment such as wheelchairs in the case of a disaster - Ensuring the accessibility of information about evacuation and disaster relief on telephone hotlines, websites and broadcasts - Coordinating accessible transportation options The bill also amends the Stafford Disaster Relief Act, the law that authorizes specific federal assistance in times of an emergency in the following ways: - Authorizes additional financial assistance in reconstruction efforts for homeowners who incorporate enhanced accessibility standards - Requires that 30 percent of temporary housing units provided by the federal government be accessible to, and usable by, individuals with disabilities. - Requires that personnel carrying out federal disaster assistance functions to exert maximum effort to ensure that individuals with disabilities who were living independently before evacuating their homes are offered housing options with similar independence Finally, the bill requires the GAO to do a national study of emergency shelters. While such shelters are covered under Titles II and III of the ADA, it is unclear how many of them are accessible to, and usable by, individuals with disabilities. Turning now to the Washington-based, National Council on Disability (NCD), the independent Federal agency that makes recommendations to both the President and Congress on disability policy, the Council has just issued a Press Release regarding opportunities on its Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee (CDAC). The purposes of the Committee is to identify effective practices in reaching out to and serving individuals with disabilities from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The NCD has opened the application process to receive nominations of individuals who may wish to serve as members of the Cultural Diversity Advisory Council. We are attaching immediately below the NCD Press Release in its entirety for your information. Please note the deadline for applications is February 24, 2006. Thank you. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Mark S. Quigley Mark S. Quigley, Director of Communications, National Council on Disability 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850 Washington, DC 20004 (202) 272-2008 Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee for the National Council on Disability Recruitment Closes February 24, 2006 Washington, DC: At its January 30, 2006 quarterly meeting, the National Council on Disability (NCD) announced the opening of a nationwide search for at least four new members of its Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee (CDAC). The charter that established CDAC under the Federal Advisory Committee Act states that this committee is to provide advice and recommendations to NCD on issues affecting people with disabilities from culturally diverse backgrounds. Specifically, the committee will help identify issues, expand outreach, infuse participation, and elevate the voices of undeserved and unsaved segments of this nation's population that will help NCD develop federal policy that will address the needs and advance the civil and human rights of people from diverse cultures. NCD is an independent federal agency whose work is guided by 15 executive members appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. NCD is authorized to make recommendations to the President and Congress on issues affecting Americans with disabilities. The agency's overall purpose is to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability; and to support the empowerment of people with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society. CDAC's mission is to assist the capacity of NCD to be culturally and linguistically competent in all NCD activities and to promote the development of exemplary cultural and linguistic policies, programs, practices, and procedures in recommendations to the President and the Congress. Recruitment for CDAC will close and all applications must be received by February 24, 2006. To submit a complete application, please send three documents: (1) a resume, (b) a letter of recommendation, and (3) a cover letter pointing out your leadership, diversity and disability related experiences to: Cultural-Diversity@ncd.gov Postal mail can be sent to: Cultural-Diversity CDAC Recruiting National Council on Disability 1331 F Street, Suite 850 Washington, DC 20004 Questions can be directed to Dr. Gerrie Hawkins, NCD's Designated Federal Official at: Cultural_Diversity@ncd.gov in time to allow applicants to meet the February 24, 2006 closing date of the recruitment process. To read more about CDAC, you may wish to access the NCD Website at: http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/advisory/cultural/cultural.htm. |
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