[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 13 (Thursday, February 10, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 10, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
THE TECHNOLOGY-RELATED ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACT 
                           AMENDMENTS OF 1994

 Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I rise in strong support of the 
reauthorization of the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals 
With Disabilities Act of 1988, or the Tech Act.
  This legislation reauthorizes and builds on a visionary program of 
technology-related assistance for individuals with disabilities enacted 
in 1988 with strong bipartisan support. As the author of this bill in 
the House of Representatives, I believed that this legislation was 
important to advancing our Nation's disability policy. Working with 
Senator Harkin in the Senate, we crafted a bipartisan bill that 
unanimously passed both the House and Senate.
  At the core of the act is a competitive grant program which provides 
seed money to States to set up programs to assist individuals with 
disabilities in acquiring assistive technology devices and services. 
The availability of assistive technology to people with disabilities 
leads to greater mobility and independence in daily living. It helps 
make life's tasks easier. In essence, it means more freedom and greater 
control over one's own life.
  This legislation will reauthorize the competitive grant program for 
another 5 years, keeping the intent of the original act, especially 
with respect to State flexibility. It recognizes the advances that many 
States have made in the first 5 years of the program. However, it also 
acknowledges there is still more to do, with a strong need to support 
ongoing systems change and advocacy activities. I am pleased that 
States will retain discretion over how their projects are run, wild 
supporting fundamental systems change and advocacy.
  Many States, such as my own State of Vermont, are well on their way 
to consumer responsive comprehensive systems change through innovative 
projects. The Vermont Assistive Technology Project has made remarkable 
progress in expanding access to assistive technology in Vermont. It is 
using interactive TV to bring assistive technology demonstrations from 
the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont in Burlington to the remote 
Northeast Kingdom. It has used grant money to establish alternative 
funding mechanisms including a loan fund, and a statewide recycling 
program for finding, repairing, and distributing used assistive 
technology devices. It has fostered strong consumer advocacy through 
the use of regional consultants throughout the State. Furthermore, the 
project has been instrumental in helping individuals with disabilities 
eliminate barriers to funding. In my mind, this success is directly 
related to the flexibility of the program.
  Assistive technology has made a difference in the lives of thousands 
of Americans with disabilities. It has helped them to lead fuller and 
more productive lives, and it will continue to do so. This is a program 
that has shown results and should be reauthorized.
  Mr. President, in closing I would like to commend Senators Harkin and 
Durenberger, the chairman and ranking member of the Disability Policy 
Subcommittee, for their work in crafting a truly bipartisan bill, and 
for working out an earnest compromise with our colleagues in the House. 
I think we have a strong piece of legislation, one which enhances the 
concept of a program of technology-related assistance to individuals 
with disabilities I saw when I introduced the original act in the House 
in 1988. I urge my colleagues to support it.

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