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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 172 October 3, 2006 For Your Information WIA Update and More To: Members of the Legislative Network From: Patricia Leahy, Director of Governmental Affairs Date: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 For those who read on the run, this Washington Wire deals with three issues of importance to our membership: A Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Rehabilitation Act Reauthorization Legislative Update; Tomorrow's Teleconference on the ADA and Small Businesses; and the General Accountability Office (GAO) and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) Reports on Health Savings Accounts. First, an update on WIA and the Reauthorization of the Rehab Act. As everyone is aware, both House of Congresses have passed their respective WIA bills, which are now awaiting appointment of Conferees (Members of Congress) and a Conference between the two bills, which are distinctly different from one another. One of the issues that have stymied both bills from conferencing has been -- and continues to be -- faith-based language in the House WIA bill, which some in the House and Senate believe would allow discrimination in employment based on an individual's religious beliefs. With only a few days remaining in the Second Session of the 109th Congress before the Congress recesses for the mid-term elections, it is unlikely that Conferees will be appointed and that a Conference will occur before the Congress recesses. That said, the House and Senate plan to be back in session on November 13, 2006, for a lame duck session of Congress, which among other issues, will deal with most of the appropriations' bills which have yet to pass both or at least one House of Congress. There is some possibility, depending upon the outcome of the mid-term elections, that a compromise might be reached on the faith-based issue during the lame duck session of Congress. A Continuing Resolution (CR) which provides stopgap funding for the Federal government to remain operational until all of the appropriations bills are passed by the Congress and signed by the President into law will be passed before the Congress recesses on Friday of this week, or more probably, over the weekend. Funding under a CR is almost always at present funding levels, or the lower of the two funding levels in the Senate and House appropriations' bills. The second issue of importance deals with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and Small Business. The Southwest Disability Business Technical Assistance Center (DBTAC) at ILRU for a Web cast providing an overview of the ADA for small business owners. Aaron McCullough with the Southwest DBTAC will present the Web cast: “Just How Accessible is your business: an Overview of the ADA for Small Business Owners” on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 at 3:00pm Eastern; 2:00pm Central; 1:00pm Mountain; 12:00pm Pacific; 11:00am Alaska; 9:00am Hawaii. Do you know your obligations as a small business owner, a professional with an office open to clients or even as a manager of a non-profit with a facility used by the public? Do you think your building is “grandfathered,” exempt because it is quite old, or historical, or only the landlord’s concern? If so, you may be in violation of the ADA and not know it. This web cast is aimed at you, and giving you an overview of your responsibility running business open to the public, or leasing space to other business operators. The session will include a visual tour of essential accessibility concerns, an overview of simple to tools to assess basic accessibility of your facility, and review of tax programs to make this more affordable for many small businesses. Participants are encouraged to send questions to dlrp@ilru.org in advance of the Web cast. This Web cast is being presented by J. Aaron McCullough, a legal specialist for the Southwest DBTAC. He produces materials on disability law issues, provides training on all aspects of the ADA, and fields technical assistance requests. To link to this Web cast and download accompanying materials visit: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/calendar.html For instructions on how to access a Web cast visit: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/instructions.html Please visit this site ahead of time to test and ensure your computer is configured and updated to participate in the Web cast. For technical assistance, please check out our FAQs (frequently asked questions) at: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/FAQ.html or contact a Web cast team member at webcast@ilru.org or 713.520.0232 (v/tty). This Web cast is supported through the Southwest DBTAC, a project of ILRU. The Southwest DBTAC (www.dlrp.org) is one of ten Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs) funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) to provide training, technical assistance and materials on the Americans with Disabilities Act, accessible information technology and other disability-related laws. The third and final issue of this Washington Wire deals with a recently-released report by the GAO Report which confirms that Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) primarily benefit high-income individuals. We are providing the link to both the GAO Report and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities for your information. HOUSE BILL WOULD MAKE HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS MORE ATTRACTIVE AS TAX SHELTERS FOR HIGH-INCOME INDIVIDUALS by Edwin Park, Robert Greenstein and Joel Friedman http://www.cbpp.org/9-26-06health2.htm http://www.cbpp.org/9-26-06health2.pdf 7pp. NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS: CONGRESSIONAL ACTION, MAJOR NEW GAO STUDY http://www.cbpp.org/9-26-06health.htm http://www.cbpp.org/9-26-06health.pdf 4pp. GAO STUDY CONFIRMS HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS PRIMARILY BENEFIT HIGH-INCOME INDIVIDUALS by Edwin Park and Robert Greenstein http://www.cbpp.org/9-20-06health.htm http://www.cbpp.org/9-20-06health.pdf, 9pp. All information regarding WIA and the schedule of the Second Session of the 109th Congress are current as of this time and date |
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