--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: F3K00004Date: 03/13/98 From: DAVID ANDREWS Time: 12:57am \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Test From: David Andrews Subject: Test This is a test. Please ignore... David Andrews, Moderator --- # Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045) * Origin: The Playhouse TC's Gaming BBS/www.phouse.com/698.3748 (1:282/4059) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: F3K00005Date: 03/14/98 From: KELLY PIERCE Time: 08:58am \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Access letter to industry partnership From: Kelly Pierce Subject: Access letter to industry partnership There is a whole lot more going on in Washington than Kathleen willie cooperating with the sexgate grand jury and talking with Ed Bradley of CBS News and of course there's Linda Tripp and her interview at a Washington hotel with a reporter from the New York times. *real things are happening on the information access front. On March 9, Judy Heumann, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitation Services at the U.S. Department of Education, and Marca Bristo, Chair of the National Council on Disability, sent the letter below (with several attachments) to the chief executive officers of five major computer companies, which have formed a partnership to coordinate development of next-generation Internet technologies. the two are the highest level appointees in the Clinton administration. This letter was sent before the announcement from Microsoft of new java tools and specifications that will work with and *only with Microsoft windows platforms, operating systems and applications. The letter was addressed to each CEO as follows: Mr. James Barksdale Chief Executive Officer Netscape Communications Corporation 501 East Middlefield Road Mountain View, CA 94043 Mr. Lawrence Ellison Chief Executive Officer Oracle Corporation 500 Oracle Parkway Redwood Shores, CA 94065 Mr. Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Chairman of the Board and CEO IBM Corporation New Orchard Road Armonk, NY 10504 Mr. Scott McNealy Chief Executive Officer Sun Microsystems, Inc. Mailstop UPAL01-501 901 San Antonio Road Palo Alto, CA 94303 Mr. Eric Schmidt Novell Inc. 2180 Fortune Drive San Jose, CA 95131 A copy of the letter went to: Senator Robert Dole c/o Verner, Liipfert et al 901 15th Street, N.W. Suite 410 Washington, DC 20005 Dear : : We are writing to you as leaders of two Federal agencies which have as their over-arching goal the achieving of equality for people with disabilities throughout the country and the world. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), in the U.S. Department of Education, seeks to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities through the provision of special education and vocational rehabilitation services, and the conduct of research on disability-related topics. The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent federal agency with a fifteen member board appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Its mandate is to promote policies and practices that facilitate the personal independence and economic self sufficiency of America's 54 million people with disabilities. BACKGROUND As officials of the Clinton Administration in charge of national disability policy, we have been following with interest the agreement between your company and four others to establish a far-reaching Internet platform based on Java and related technologies. By joining together to realize this outcome, it is no doubt your hope to pivotally influence the computer industry as a whole, and in particular, the direction that connectivity and telecommunications policies and protocols will take into the next century. We are writing to you, and to the other members of your five-member partnership, to request, in the strongest possible terms, that you ensure that this new platform includes, in its core design, provisions that will guarantee its accessibility to individuals with disabilities--including visual, hearing, manual, or cognitive limitations. To put it succinctly, the accessibility of the future Internet to disabled people, if appropriately designed, will have a profoundly positive and far- reaching effect on educational and employment outcomes for the estimated one out of every five Americans who have disabilities. The reverse is also true: if the future Internet moves towards an environment that locks out this nation's 54 million disabled people, the effects on education and employment outcomes will be devastating. It is critical then that any future, Java-based Internet applications be designed according to established and progressing standards of accessibility. We know that at two of the companies involved in this project, IBM and Sun Microsystems, there are dedicated efforts by special needs staff to include accessibility features in present and future releases of Java development kits. We are concerned, however, that given the fast-track nature of plans by the five-company partnership, accessibility as a design feature will either fall by the wayside or be left out altogether. RELATED EFFORTS The appropriateness of universal design principles in the new connectivity architecture are underscored by a number of recent developments, which have brought accessibility to the forefront of activity both within government and the computer industry. For example, the U.S. Department of Education has issued specific software accessibility requirements for inclusion in all software development contracts. In meeting these obligations to employees and customers with disabilities, any future software developed under contract for the Department must meet these specific accessibility requirements, which we have enclosed for your information. Additionally, in October 1997 Education Secretary Richard Riley signed a ground-breaking "Dear Colleague" letter (copy enclosed), which, along with a technical assistance package on access to technology, has been sent to every school district throughout the country. This material emphasizes the responsibility of school systems under several Federal statutes to provide technology access and stresses the desirability of considering access issues as an early and integral part of technology procurement. We see this work as critical to the success of President Clinton's technology Initiative, which calls for every classroom to be connected to the Internet by the year 2000. The Department has also supported a White House initiative to promote the accessibility of the world wide web. It transferred funds to the National Science Foundation to support the "Web Accessibility Initiative" of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in five areas key to ensuring access to persons with disabilities: (1) technology development--protocols and data formats; (2) tools supporting content in formats useable by persons with disabilities; (3) technology guidelines; (4) educational outreach; and (5) research and advanced development. The W3C's attention to accessibility-related criteria in the release of HTML 4.0, and their drafting of guidance for Web page authors on accessible Web design (press release enclosed) are two positive outcomes of this effort. In February 1996 President Clinton signed the landmark Telecommunications Act. This law makes clear that the millions of Americans with disabilities are entitled to share fully in the benefits of telecommunications services and equipment which have become such an integral element of our educational, social, political, and economic future. In adopting Section 255 of the Act, Congress expressed the clear intent that telecommunications services and equipment be made accessible to and usable by all people with disabilities, whenever readily achievable. Through its Tech Watch Task Force, a cross-disability group of technology advisors, the National Council on Disability has provided policy recommendations at every stage of the Act's implementation. In August 1997 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued regulations concerning the accessibility of video programming delivered by telecommunications providers (copy enclosed). In January 1998 The Access Board published guidelines concerning the accessibility of telecommunications and customer premises equipment (copy enclosed). The National Council on Disability and the Department of Education have also actively promoted the strengthening of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, currently being reauthorized by Congress, which requires Federal agencies to use equipment and data that is accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. Pending legislation assigns new authority to the Access Board for developing technical requirements and new responsibility to the Office of Management and Budget for developing procurement procedures and an enforcement mechanism. Other countries too, especially in Europe, are also paying more attention to deploying accessible technology, so designing for accessibility would no doubt benefit your partnership in the global market as well. And lastly, the enclosed letter from the Department of Justice to Senator Tom Harkin provides clear Congressional intent that the Internet must comply with the accessibility provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. REQUESTED ACTIONS Given the movement toward increased emphasis on accessibility standards in the marketplace, we are asking for your commitment in the following areas: 1. Although two of the members of this consortium (IBM and Sun) have established laudable corporate efforts on access for people with disabilities, there is no indication that the five-member group is utilizing developments in this area in a manner that will ensure platform accessibility by disabled people. Accordingly, we believe it is necessary to implement a comprehensive and meaningful partnership policy on accessibility, including goals, timelines, and resources; this would include the assigning of responsibility for accessibility to a top-level team which reports directly to the partnership leadership, and which can ensure that decisions affecting accessibility are given high priority. This should include a high-level accessibility presence within Netscape, to ensure that future versions of Navigator and related products meet accessibility standards. For example, the Java-based Netscape web browser, reportedly now in development, might implement Sun's Java access protocol in its core design. 2. Work with organizations representing the interests of people with disabilities to provide training on accessibility issues work-place barriers keep almost 70% of working-age adults with disabilities still unemployed or severely under employed. We are committed to breaking down these many barriers which keep disabled people from taking their rightful place as fully participating citizens, and we are asking for your help to bring this about. >From a marketing standpoint, as individuals with disabilities increasingly participate in the mainstream of work, education and recreation, purchasers of technology are increasingly inclined to consider accessibility issues when making buying decisions. Accordingly, improvements in accessibility, once regarded by many technology developers as a low priority, will quickly become an important source of competitive advantage for those producers who go beyond the minimum requirements of the law. We are thus moving toward a world and an environment in which accessibility for people with disabilities to all facets of life will be a commonplace, naturally-occurring phenomenon. As this happens, the barriers that keep so many people with disabilities from taking their rightful place as fully contributing members of our society will vanish. It is our hope, that through your leadership, you and the other members of your group will help bring this new era about. Sincerely yours, Judith Heumann Marca Bristo Assistant Secretary for Chairperson Special Education and National Council on Disability Rehabilitative Services U.S. Department of Education cc: Honorable Robert Dole, Esq. ---------- End of Document --- # Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045) * Origin: The Playhouse TC's Gaming BBS/www.phouse.com/698.3748 (1:282/4059) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: F3K00006Date: 03/15/98 From: JULIE DAWSON Time: 02:09pm \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: Home Security Systems (fwd) From: Julie Dawson Subject: Re: Home Security Systems (fwd) "Out of many''''one people." We give of ourselves to share with each other. we receive from each other to empower ourselves. Blessed be the Almighty who blesses His people. Julie, AKA Magnolia in NJ. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 15 Mar 1998 14:14:04 -0500 (EST) From: Julie & Dave McLean Reply-To: aernet@fs1.sched.pitt.edu To: AERNET MEMBERS Subject: Re: Home Security Systems We recently had a home security system installed which has a speech module called the EVA1. The model number is NAPCO GEMINI P3200. The speech quality is good and it is very easy to operate. Our system was installed by Northeast Security Systems. Their email address is: alarmist@basshome.com for additional information. On Fri, 13 Mar 1998, WarrenDFig wrote: > Can anyone recommend a home security system that a totally blind person can > use? > > Many have keypads that are easy enough to use but most of the confirming > information comes through lights. Are there any that use beeps to indicate > what has been set? > > Warren > --- # Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045) * Origin: The Playhouse TC's Gaming BBS/www.phouse.com/698.3748 (1:282/4059) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: F3R00000Date: 03/21/98 From: MAIL ADMINISTRATOR Time: 06:44pm \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Mail System Error - Returned Mail From: Mail Administrator Subject: Mail System Error - Returned Mail --===========================_ _= 9297790(1248) Content-Type: text/plain This Message was undeliverable due to the following reason: Your message was not delivered because the Domain Name System (DNS) for the destination computer is not configured correctly. The following is a list of reasons why this error message could have been generated. If you do not understand the explanations listed here, please contact your system administrator for help. - The host does not have any mail exchanger (MX) or address (A) records in the DNS. - The host has valid MX records, but none of the mail exchangers listed have valid A records. - There was a transient error with the DNS that caused one of the above to appear to be true. You may want to try sending your message again to see if the problem was only temporary. DNS for host thuntek.com is mis-configured The following recipients did not receive this message: Please reply to Postmaster@sebring.us1.net if you feel this message to be in error. --===========================_ _= 9297790(1248) Content-Type: message/rfc822 Received: from abq.com (baja.abq.com [205.214.92.244]) by sebring.us1.net (Post.Office MTA v3.1.2 release (PO205-101c) ID# 0-32359U500L100S10000) with SMTP id AAA1293 for ; Sat, 21 Mar 1998 17:44:40 -0700 Received: from MHS by abq.com with MHS id $TE03795 ; Sat, 21 Mar 1998 17:44:48 -0700 Return-Path: nfb-talk@nfbnet.org@abq.com Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 16:24:26 -0700 From: nfb-talk@nfbnet.org Message-ID: Subject: Nonprofit Advocacy Legislation To: jcurtiss@thuntek.com -------------< COMMENTS BY Greg Trapp >-------------- Joan, I thought you might post this on our web page. Greg ----------< END OF COMMENTS BY Greg Trapp >---------- Received: from mixer.visi.com [209.98.98.1] by abq.com with smtp id $TE03076 ; Sat, 21 Mar 1998 09:17:08 -0700 Received: from bbs (host1.nfbnet.org [209.98.54.33]) by mixer.visi.com (8.8.8/8.7.5) with SMTP id KAA19509; Sat, 21 Mar 1998 10:15:03 -0600 (CST) Received: by bbs; 21 Mar 98 16:16:33 From: David Andrews Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 10:08:44 -0600 X-To: nfb-talk@nfbnet.org, blindtlk@nfbnet.org, blindlaw@nfbnet.org Subject: Nonprofit Advocacy Legislation Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19980321100844.007fa100@mail.visi.com> X-Listname: NFBnet NFB-Talk Mailing List To: NFB-Talk@NFBnet.org (Multiple recipients of NFBnet NFB-Talk Mailing List) Reply-To: NFB-Talk@NFBnet.org (Multiple recipients of NFBnet NFB-Talk Mailing List) Errors-To: sysop@NFBnet.org Sender: sysop@NFBnet.org Precedence: bulk X-Delivered-From: mixer.visi.com Posted-Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 10:14:06 -0600 (CST) X-Sender: dandrews@mail.visi.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0.5 (32) This item may be of interest to us... David Andrews >ATTACK ON NONPROFIT ADVOCACY NOW PART OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE BILL > >At around 2:00 p.m. today, OMB Watch received notification >that a 4:00 p.m. mark-up of a bill dealing with campaign finance >would affect nonprofit organizations and directly impact >their ability to advocate for or against federal laws and >regulations. OMB Watch, the Alliance for Justice, and several >other groups, such as the American Association of Museums, >quickly sent letters and/or called offices to express >opposition to the provision that affects nonprofits. >Nonetheless, the provision passed as part of the Chairman's >revisions to the overall bill and is now expected to go to the >House floor next week. > >The provision was added by the Chairman of the House Oversight >Committee as a substitute to a campaign finance bill that >included a "paycheck protection" provision that was focused on >unions. The Chairman, Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA), offered his new >bill today in mark-up as H.R. 3485, the Campaign Reform and >Election Integrity Act. > >The Thomas bill added a provision that requires nonprofit >organizations to annually ask for consent from their members to >use their funds for "political activity." "Political activity" >is defined as activities to influence elections, federal >legislation, federal regulations, or educating individuals >about candidates for federal office or about federal >legislation, law, or regulations. > >Nonprofits would be required to send an annual notice to their >members indicating how much they expect to spend on political >activities in the forthcoming year. Members are then able to >"vote" if they do not want their dues or contributions to be >used for such activities. The amount represented by those >voting in the negative would be reduced from the overall amount >designated by the nonprofit organization. It would be illegal > and enforceable by the Federal Election Commission, not the >IRS to exceed the amount permitted for political activities. > >All nonprofits organized under 501 of the tax code are covered >by this provision. > >501(c)(3) organizations are currently prohibited from >electioneering. But this provision goes beyond electioneering >issues to cover positions taken on federal laws and regulations >and education about such matters. The tax code has limits on >charitable lobbying, but has no limits on participation in the >regulatory process. In fact, nonprofits play a vital role in >the development of regulatory matters ranging from workplace to >environmental protections, from consumer to health safeguards, >and from civil rights to education. The Thomas provision would >directly affect nonprofit participation. > >Moreover, the definition of political activity in the Thomas >bill is different than the IRS definition of lobbying. This >means that charities will need to keep two sets of books, one >for the IRS and one for the FEC. And it means that both the >IRS and the FEC would now be involved in overseeing nonprofit >lobbying activities. > >Democrats on the Committee complained that they, too, did not >receive the Chairman's revisions until 2:00 p.m. As might be >expected, the nonprofit provisions were not discussed at the >mark-up. > >We'll send you more information as it develops. If you have >any questions or comments, contact Patrick Lemmon > (202) 234-5108 or Stephan Kline > (202) 822-6070. > >-------------------------------------------------------- >Name: Gary D. Bass >OMB Watch 1742 Connecticut Ave., N.W. > Washington, D.C. 20009 >TEL: (202) 234-8494 FAX: (202) 234-8584 >Web: >E-mail: Gary D. Bass >Date: 03/18/98 >Time: 19:07:52 >To: Multiple recipients of list >Subject: Nonprofit Advocacy Attack Part of Campaign Finance Bill >X-Comment: To subscribe, email your name,address,phone,work >description to: nonprof-request@RTK.NET >-------------------------------------------------------- > > > --===========================_ _= 9297790(1248)-- --- # Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045) * Origin: The Playhouse TC's Gaming BBS/www.phouse.com/698.3748 (1:282/4059) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: F3R00001Date: 03/21/98 From: DAVID ANDREWS Time: 08:37am \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: White House Executive Order From: David Andrews Subject: White House Executive Order The following Executive Order may be of interest to some of us. Let's hope it starts to make a difference... David Andrews >THE WHITE HOUSE > >Office of the Press Secretary >________________________________________________________________ > >For Immediate Release March 13, 1998 > >EXECUTIVE ORDER > >INCREASING EMPLOYMENT OF ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES > >By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the >laws of the United States of America, and in order to increase the >employment of adults with disabilities to a rate that is as close as >possible to the employment rate of the general adult population and to >support the goals articulated in the findings and purpose section of the >Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, it is hereby ordered as >follows: > >Section 1. Establishment of National Task Force on Employment of Adults >with Disabilities. > >(a) There is established the "National Task Force on Employment of >Adults with Disabilities" ("Task Force"). The Task Force shall comprise >the Secretary of Labor, Secretary of Education, Secretary of Veterans >Affairs, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Commissioner of Social >Security, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of >Transportation, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, >Administrator of the Small Business Administration, the Chair of the >Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Chairperson of the National >Council on Disability, the Chair of the President's Committee on >Employment of People with Disabilities, and such other senior executive >branch officials as may be determined by the Chair of the Task Force. > >(b) The Secretary of Labor shall be the Chair of the Task Force; the >Chair of the President's Committee on Employment of People with >Disabilities shall be the Vice Chair of the Task Force. > >(c) The purpose of the Task Force is to create a coordinated and >aggressive national policy to bring adults with disabilities into >gainful employment at a rate that is as close as possible to that of the >general adult population. The Task Force shall develop and recommend to >the President, through the Chair of the Task Force, a coordinated >Federal policy to reduce employment barriers for persons with >disabilities. Policy recommendations may cover such areas as >discrimination, reasonable accommodations, inadequate access to health >care, lack of consumer-driven, long-term supports and services, >transportation, accessible and integrated housing, tele-communications, >assistive technology, community services, child care, education, >vocational rehabilitation, training services, job retention, on-the-job >supports, and economic incentives to work. Specifically, the Task Force >shall: > >(1) analyze the existing programs and policies of Task Force member >agencies to determine what changes, modifications, and innovations may >be necessary to remove barriers to work faced by people with >disabilities; > >(2) develop and recommend options to address health insurance coverage >as a barrier to employment for people with disabilities; > >(3) subject to the availability of appropriations, analyze State and >private disability systems (e.g., workers' compensation, unemployment >insurance, private insurance, and State mental health and mental >retardation systems) and their effect on Federal programs and employment >of adults with disabilities; > >(4) consider statistical and data analysis, cost data, research, and >policy studies on public subsidies, employment, employment >discrimination, and rates of return-to-work for individuals with >disabilities; > >(5) evaluate and, where appropriate, coordinate and collaborate on, >research and demonstration priorities of Task Force member agencies >related to employment of adults with disabilities; > >(6) evaluate whether Federal studies related to employment and training >can, and should, include a statistically significant sample of adults >with disabilities; > >(7) subject to the availability of appropriations, analyze youth >programs related to employment (e.g., Employment and Training >Administration programs, special education, vocational rehabilitation, >school-to-work transition, vocational education, and Social Security >Administration work incentives and other programs, as may be determined >by the Chair and Vice Chair of the Task Force) and the outcomes of those >programs for young people with disabilities; > >(8) evaluate whether a single governmental entity or program should be >established to provide computer and electronic accommodations for >Federal employees with disabilities; > >(9) consult with the President's Committee on Mental Retardation on >policies to increase the employment of people with mental retardation >and cognitive disabilities; and > >(10) recommend to the President any additional steps that can be taken >to advance the employment of adults with disabilities, including >legislative proposals, regulatory changes, and program and budget >initiatives. > >(d) (1) The members of the Task Force shall make the activities and >initiatives set forth in this order a high priority within their >respective agencies within the levels provided in the President's >budget. > > (2) The Task Force shall issue its first report to the President >by November 15, 1998. The Task Force shall issue a report to the >President on November 15, 1999, November 15, 2000, and a final report on >July 26, 2002, the 10th anniversary of the initial implementation of >the employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of >1990. The reports shall describe the actions taken by, and progress of, >each member of the Task Force in carrying out this order. The Task >Force shall terminate 30 days after submitting its final report. > >(e) As used herein, an adult with a disability is a person with a >physical or mental impairment that substantially limits at least one >major life activity. > >Sec. 2. Specific activities by Task Force members and other agencies. > >(a) To ensure that the Federal Government is a model employer of adults >with disabilities, by November 15, 1998, the Office of Personnel >Management, the Department of Labor, and the Equal Employment >Opportunity Commission shall submit to the Task Force a review of >Federal Government personnel laws, regulations, and policies and, as >appropriate, shall recommend or implement changes necessary to improve >Federal employment policy for adults with disabilities. This review >shall include personnel practices and actions such as: hiring, >promotion, benefits, retirement, workers' compensation, retention, >accessible facilities, job accommodations, layoffs, and reductions in >force. > >(b) The Departments of Justice, Labor, Education, and Health and Human >Services shall report to the Task Force by November 15, 1998, on their >work with the States and others to ensure that the Personal >Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act is carried out in >accordance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as >amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, so that >individuals with disabilities and their families can realize the full >promise of welfare reform by having an equal opportunity for employment. > >(c) The Departments of Education, Labor, Commerce, and Health and Human >Services, the Small Business Administration, and the President's >Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities shall work together >and report to the Task Force by November 15, 1998, on their work to >develop small business and entrepreneurial opportunities for adults with >disabilities and strategies for assisting low-income adults, including >those with disabilities to create small businesses and >micro-enterprises. These same agencies, in consultation with the >Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, >shall assess the impact of the Randolph-Sheppard Act vending program and >the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act on employment and small business >opportunities for people with disabilities. > >(d) The Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development >shall report to the Task Force by November 15, 1998, on their >examination of their programs to see if they can be used to create new >work incentives and to remove barriers to work for adults with >disabilities. > >(e) The Departments of Justice, Education, and Labor, the Equal >Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Social Security >Administration shall work together and report to the Task Force by >November 15, 1998, on their work to propose remedies to the retention of >people with disabilities from successfully exercising their employment >rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 because of the >receipt of monetary benefits based on their disability and lack of >gainful employment. > >(f) The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor and the >Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce, in cooperation with the >Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, the National >Council on Disability, and the President's Committee on Employment of >People with Disabilities shall design and implement a statistically >reliable and accurate method to measure the employment rate of adults >with disabilities as soon as possible, but no later than the date of >termination of the Task Force. Data derived from this methodology shall >be published on as frequent a basis as possible. > >(g) All executive agencies that are not members of the Task Force >shall: > (1) coordinate and cooperate with the Task Force; and (2) >review their >programs and policies to ensure that they are being conducted and >delivered in a manner that facilitates and promotes the employment of >adults with disabilities. Each agency shall file a report with the Task >Force on the results of its review on November 15, 1998. > >Sec. 3. Cooperation. All efforts taken by executive departments and >agencies under sections 1 and 2 of this order shall, as appropriate, >further partnerships and cooperation with public and private sector >employers, organizations that represent people with disabilities, >organized labor, veteran service organizations, and State and local >governments whenever such partnerships and cooperation are possible and >would promote the employment and gainful economic activities of >individuals with disabilities. > >Sec. 4. Judicial Review. This order does not create any right or >benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by a party >against the United States. > >---------- >End of Document > > > > >This list is a proud and grateful part of St. John's University's >Athenaeum project. Learn more about this project at their web site: >http://rdz.stjohns.edu/athenaeum > >Please note that, should you ever wish to leave the BLINDJOB mailing list >in the future, you may do so by sending an e-mail message to >listserv@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU. Leave the subject line blank, and in the body of your >message put the line > >unsubscribe BLINDJOB > > --- # Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045) * Origin: The Playhouse TC's Gaming BBS/www.phouse.com/698.3748 (1:282/4059) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: F3R00002Date: 03/21/98 From: DAVID ANDREWS Time: 09:27am \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: Re: nfbp-l job opening at reading servi09:27:3803/21/98 From: David Andrews Subject: Re: nfbp-l job opening at reading service (fwd) >X-From: From owner-blindjob@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU Fri Mar 20 08:56 CST 1998 >Posted-Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 08:56:24 -0600 (CST) >Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 09:47:27 -0500 >Reply-To: blindjob - Employment Issues Concerning Blind People > >Sender: blindjob - Employment Issues Concerning Blind People > >From: "cgclose.." >Subject: Re: nfbp-l job opening at reading service (fwd) >To: BLINDJOB@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU > >---------- Forwarded message ---------- >Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 09:18:01 -0500 (EST) >From: senkmj@trfn.clpgh.org >Reply-To: NFBP Discussions >Subject: Re: nfbp-l job opening at reading service > > >This comes via Cindy Handel. Any message sent to srac@trfn.clpgh.org with >the word nfbp-l in its Subject line gets automatically forwarded to about >20 members of NFBP. If you know of a chapter member with e-mail, please >let me know. > >-- Mark > >Cindy reports the following --- > > > >Jay Doudna is leaving the Program Director's position at the radio station >operated by the Susquehanna Associaiton for the Blind, here in Lancaster. >Therefore, that position is open. If anyone is interested in the >position, call Dennis Steiner at: (717)-291-5951. > > > >"Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then...find the way." >Abraham Lincoln > > > >We are changing what it means to be blind in Pennsylvania. >Contact us with a message to SRAC@TRFN.CLPGH.ORG with a Subject: line >containing the word: nfbp-l > > > > >This list is a proud and grateful part of St. John's University's >Athenaeum project. Learn more about this project at their web site: >http://rdz.stjohns.edu/athenaeum > >Please note that, should you ever wish to leave the BLINDJOB mailing list >in the future, you may do so by sending an e-mail message to >listserv@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU. Leave the subject line blank, and in the body of your >message put the line > >unsubscribe BLINDJOB > > --- # Origin: NFBnet <--> Internet Email Gateway (1:282/1045) * Origin: The Playhouse TC's Gaming BBS/www.phouse.com/698.3748 (1:282/4059) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 233 NFB BLIND NEWS Ref: F3R00003Date: 03/21/98 From: KELLY PIERCE Time: 10:05am \/To: ALL (Read 0 times) Subj: ticket to work proposal introduced From: Kelly Pierce Subject: ticket to work proposal introduced Legislation that reform Social Security for blind persons and those with disabilities has been introduced recently. It could open up options for training and education for those on Social Security and avoiding the rehabilitation bureaucracy. Analysis of the bill is below from a recent bulliten from the American Foundation for the Blind followed by remarks from the bill's sponsor and the entire text of the bill itself. kelly Words from Washington March 20, 1998 Social Security Reform On March 11, Jim Bunning (R-KY-4)introduced H.R. 3433, the "Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Act of 1998". This bill is the culmination of over three years of activity in the Subcommittee on Social Security to try to provide mechanisms in the Social Security disability programs to get people off the rolls and back to work. The basic thrust of the bill is to encourage primarily private providers of rehabilitation services to provide such services to SSDI or SSI beneficiaries through a voucher system. Most recently, key members of Congress have indicated that they are prepared to move legislation that would implement some of the reform proposals advocated by disability community activists. This legislation is dominated by the provider-based perspective and has not emphasized many consumer-based proposals, such as the elimination of the so-called earnings cliff and other powerful disincentives to work in current law. Although AFB remains committed to the principle of restoring the linkage between seniors and blind SSDI beneficiaries, we recognize this current opportunity to advance our public policy agenda and to make changes in Social Security that would be of great benefit to people who are blind or visually impaired. This legislation is on an extremely fast track and is currently scheduled for mark up on Thursday, March 26. We expect similar legislation to be introduced in the Senate shortly. Congressional Record dated Wednesday, March 11, 1998 Extensions of Remarks Section ---------------------------------------- Remarks by BUNNING (R-KY) on H.R. 3433 THE TICKET TO WORK AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY ACT OF 1998 [CR page E-347, 57 lines] Attributed to BUNNING (R-KY) THE TICKET TO WORK AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY ACT OF 1998 ---------- HON. JIM BUNNING OF KENTUCKY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wednesday, March 11, 1998 Mr. BUNNING. Mr. Speaker, today, on behalf of myself and Barbara ennelly, I am introducing the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Act of 1998. This legislation helps Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability recipients return to a life of economic security and self-sufficiency. Social Security programs are vital to all Americans. The disability program is particularly important because it protects workers and their families against severe financial hardship that occurs when workers sustain severe illnesses or disabling conditions that prevent them from working. Due to advances in medicine, technology, and the field of rehabilitation, there are people who, despite serious disabilities, want to work and who could work if they were provided the kind of rehabilitation services they need. The disability program is like a big black hole--once people fall nto the program they never seem to make their way out. In fact, less than 1 percent of disabled recipients ever leave the rolls because of work. Our legislation is very simple. We remove many of the barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities from climbing out of that hole. The consumer--the recipient with a disability--is number one. They choose the services they want from the providers they want. Generally, the rovider of those services is paid for outcomes and long-term results. The payment process is designed to ensure that as many providers as possible are available to serve the consumer. One of the primary obstacles facing disabled recipients who attempt to leave the Social Security rolls to work is the fear of losing health care. To help alleviate that fear, our bill will extend Medicare coverage for 2 additional years. This means that recipients would have Medicare coverage for a total of 6 years from the time they first make an attempt to work. Due to the nature of their disability, many individuals incur extraordinary costs in trying to get a job and maintaining that Job. This legislation creates a tax credit of 50 percent of impairment-related work expenses up o $10,000 per year. To better help consumers transition into work, the bill includes a requirement that SSA test a gradual offset of SSDI cash benefits by educing monthly benefits $1 for every $2 in earnings over a determined level. Through this legislation we are asking the Social Security Administration to become more than just a disability program administrator, we want them o be an ability program administrator. The Commissioner benefits from the counsel of an advisory panel, made up of consumers, providers, and employer representatives. And the program will be gradually phased in, closely monitored, and thoroughly evaluated over time. I am excited about the possibilities this bill creates for individuals with disabilities. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in suporting this effort. ----====<<>>====----