[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 87 (Friday, July 1, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 1, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                       CHAMPION FOR THE DISABLED

 Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, our colleague Senator Harkin, 
chairman of the Subcommittee on Disability Policy, made remarks 
recently to the Council of State Administrators of Vocational 
Rehabilitation. He discussed the reasons why the programs authorized 
under the Rehabilitation Act are essential to the ability to meet the 
goals and objectives of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  I appreciate my colleague's continued championing of this successful 
and vitally important program. He knows he has my support in efforts to 
keep the Rehabilitation Act strong and effective.
  I urge my colleagues to read the Senator's remarks, which follow.
  The remarks follow:

                         Remarks By Tom Harkin


 COUNCIL OF STATE ADMINISTRATORS OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION--MAY 10, 
                                  1994

       Thanks for that kind introduction.
       Thanks also to Joe Owens, your executive director and Jack 
     Duncan, your General Counsel. CSAVR is very fortunate to have 
     two such effective persons representing your organization in 
     Washington.
       I understand that one of your own, Fred Schroeder, will be 
     nominated to serve as our next Commissioner of the 
     Rehabilitation Services Administration. Fred, congratulations 
     and best of luck. You can count on my personal commitment and 
     support to enable you and Judy to succeed in making the 
     state/federal vocational rehabilitation program achieve the 
     goal of gainful employment for its clients.
       Almost four years ago, President Bush signed into law the 
     Americans with Disabilities Act. To me, the ADA sends a 
     simple, but powerful message--disability is a natural part of 
     the human experience that in no way diminishes the 
     fundamental right of people with disabilities to:
       Live independently;
       Enjoy self-determination;
       Make choices;
       Contribute to society;
       Pursue meaningful careers, and
       Enjoy full inclusion and integration in the economic, 
     political, social, cultural, and educational mainstream of 
     American society.
       The ADA sets the promise of equal opportunity. But title I 
     of the Rehabilitation Act--the state/federal vocational 
     rehabilitation program--is the means to turn the promise of 
     equal employment opportunity into a reality.
       For many people with disabilities, a positive vocational 
     rehabilitation can be the most important experience in their 
     lives. Hyperbole? I think not. I believe that work fulfills 
     the needs of an individual to be productive, promotes 
     indepence, enhances self-esteem, and allows for participation 
     in the mainstream of life in America. My words? No, the words 
     of the Rehabilitation Act.
       Every day people with disabilities enter your agency's 
     offices. Most come to you because they want to work; some 
     lack the skills or education they need; others lack the 
     confidence. With your staff's support, expertise, and 
     encouragement you help these clients achieve their dreams, 
     consistent with their strengths, resources, priorities, 
     abilities, and capabilities.
       Employment is a powerful outcome. This means being 
     satisfied with nothing less than ensuring that your clients 
     enter or retain full-time or, if appropriate part-time 
     competitive employment in the integrated labor market, 
     including supportive employment.
       Aim high, Challenge your staff to achieve meaningful 
     employment outcomes. Insist on high expectations. Expand your 
     staff's conception of what is achievable. And never lose 
     sight of the prize--employment.
       Some of you are saying to yourself, ``Sounds good to me, 
     but what about the waiting lists of people who I can't serve 
     because of a lack of federal resources.''
       I want to be honest with you. Each year, I fight for 
     significant increases for this program. Each year I secure 
     increases that are substantially more than proposed by the 
     Executive branch and by the other body.
       I commit to you my continuing support for this program; but 
     you need to help me. You need to get the other body to 
     include in its appropriation bill more than the minimum 
     required by law; you need to work with the Administration to 
     get them to propose more than the minimum required by law. I 
     can't succeed without your help.
       In closing, I urge you to continue your efforts to maximize 
     each client's potential. Let's transform yesterday's 
     impossibilities into tomorrow's employment realities for 
     people with disabilities.

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