[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 145 (Friday, October 7, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 7, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
              NEW STRATEGIES NEEDED TO EMPLOY THE DISABLED

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, the National Organization on Disability 
recently released an update of the groundbreaking 1986 Louis Harris 
survey of disabled Americans. The 1986 survey asked people with 
disabilities for the first time how they saw their lives and what was 
important to them. Taken together, the 1986 and 1994 Harris surveys 
allow us to determine America's progress in closing the gap in 
participation by those with disabilities--and the work that remains.


                         good news and bad news

  There is both good and bad news. First, the good news. Education 
levels have risen--the percentage of people with disabilities who have 
completed high school has grown from 60 to 75 percent. And fully 60 
percent say things have changed for the better--including access to 
businesses, attitudes, public transportation, and portrayal of people 
with disabilities.
  But there is bad news as well. In 1986, 33 percent of disabled 
Americans were working. In 1994, 31 percent. That is right--over the 
past 8 years employment among people with disabilities has not 
improved.
  Mr. President, Humphrey Taylor, CEO of Louis Harris, presented other 
survey findings at a congressional briefing. I ask unanimous consent 
that his remarks be included in the Record at the end of my statement.
  (See Exhibit 1.)


                             what's wrong?

  Mr. President, these employment findings have particular significance 
this month. In 1945 Congress first designated October as ``National 
Disability Employment Awareness Month.'' Frankly, after 49 years, I 
would hope we would not still need a reminder of the importance of 
employing people with disabilities.
  Something is wrong. Indeed, 10 years ago, I created the Dole 
Foundation because of my concerns, which is the only private foundation 
devoted to employment of people with disabilities.
  Mr. President, we have to start by asking how well the Federal 
Government is doing its job. Today, it spends billions to promote 
employment of people with disabilities. We fund vocational 
rehabilitation programs run by the States, the Social Security 
Administration, and the VA. We give tax credits and contract 
preferences to businesses that hire the disabled. The Small Business 
Administration makes loans to businesses operated by or for people with 
disabilities. And since 1973, Congress has required nondiscrimination 
and even affirmative action in Federal hiring and hiring by Federal 
contractors.
  Perhaps all these programs work great. I do not know. But I do know 
that too few people with disabilities have jobs. If the Federal 
Government passed out a lot of medicine and not many people got well, 
we might think new medicine was needed.


                      we need a national strategy

  In my view, the new medicine we need is a national strategy on 
employment of people with disabilities. A year ago, I suggested we 
translate our good intentions into a national goal. Consider again that 
goal--by the year 2000, employment among the disabled will increase to 
that of the nondisabled. That would involve putting perhaps 8 million 
people to work.
  Alan Reich, president of the National Organization on Disability, has 
called for a goal of 2 million. Less ambitious, but maybe more 
realistic.
  But the point is the same. Let us set a goal, then figure out how to 
reach it. If a program makes a difference, fine, let us keep it. If 
not, let us spend our money another way and try something else.


                               next year

  Mr. President, in my maiden Senate speech 25 years ago I said, ``We 
in America are far from the half-way point of assuring that every 
[person with a disability] can become as active and useful as his 
abilities will allow.''
  In my view, we still have not reached that halfway point--and we will 
only reach it when employment among people with disabilities is at 
least half that of people without disabilities.
  Next year, I understand it is the intention of the Labor Committee to 
undertake a sweeping reexamination of the Nation's employment and 
training programs. I encourage them to look at the effectiveness of 
these programs for people with disabilities.

                               Exhibit 1

    Remarks by Humphrey Taylor, Chairman and CEO, Louis Harris and 
                       Associates, July 21, 1994

       In 1986, Louis Harris and Associates conducted what we 
     believe was one of the most important and valuable surveys we 
     have conducted in the firm's 38-year history--the ``ICD 
     (International Center for the Disabled) Survey of Americans 
     with Disabilities.'' This was the first nationwide survey of 
     a cross-section of people with disabilities to measure the 
     quality of their lives their financial and social status, 
     their lifestyles, their needs, their problems and their 
     attitudes.
       That survey has been widely quoted and widely used. It has 
     been presented several times in testimony to Congressional 
     committees. It was widely used in the debate about the 
     Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) and other 
     legislation. Indeed, I have been told that it had a major 
     influence on the passage of the ADA.
       One of the most eloquent and effective users of that survey 
     and other surveys of and about people with disabilities--many 
     of them commissioned by him--has been Alan Reich, President 
     of the National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.). I was, 
     therefore, very delighted to be asked by Alan and N.O.D. to 
     conduct a new study to update and build on our 1986 survey. 
     The result is this new survey, the 1994 ``N.O.D/Harris Survey 
     of Americans with Disabilities.'' Like the 1986 survey, it is 
     based on interviews with just over one thousand (1,021) 
     people with disabilities who are not institutionalized. The 
     definition of disability, as in 1986, was based on various 
     Federal Government definitions (which are described in detail 
     in the report). Fifteen percent of the interviews were 
     conducted with someone else in the household who could speak 
     for the person sampled; many of these ``proxy interviews'' 
     were for people with severe disabilities which made it 
     difficult or impossible for them to be surveyed.
       Our survey was designed to be as representative as possible 
     of all Americans with disabilities aged 16 and over excluding 
     the institutionalized population (whether in nursing homes, 
     hospitals or other institutions).
       I believe this is an important and valuable survey. And on 
     this fourth anniversary of the ADA, it is certainly timely. I 
     would stress that it would not have happened without an 
     enormous effort of will (and fund raising) by Alan Reich. 
     Many others in the disability community had talked about 
     doing a new version of our 1986 survey--to cover new ground 
     and measure changes over the last 8 years. Only Alan Reich 
     and N.O.D. made it happen.
       There is much more in this survey than I can mention today. 
     We asked a total of 256 questions (although no one person 
     answered more than about 120) on many different subjects. 
     What follows, therefore, is my personal summary and selection 
     of findings not, in any sense, a definitive one.


                       A Very Heterogeneous Group

       Americans with disabilities are not a homogeneous group. 
     They differ very widely in many ways and, of course, they 
     include members of all races, gender, ages and every 
     demographic group.
       Our sample of non-institutionalized Americans with 
     disabilities includes people with hundreds of different 
     disabilities:
       40% have multiple disabilities.
       their primary, or most disabling, conditions include 54% 
     with many different kinds of physical disabilities, 8% with 
     sensory impairment, 7% with mental disabilities, 10% with 
     cardiovascular disease, 5% with respiratory disease, 3% with 
     cancer, and 4% with diabetes.
       Twenty-one percent were born with their disability (6%) or 
     had their disability start in adolescence or childhood. At 
     the other extreme, over a quarter (28%) had no disabilities 
     until they were over 55 years old.
       Eleven percent describe their disability as ``slight.'' 
     Most describe their disabilities as either very severe (24%) 
     or somewhat severe (35%).
       Seven percent say their disabilities do not limit their 
     activities at all. Half (49%) say their disability prevents 
     them completely from working, going to school or taking care 
     of the house.
       Given the very heterogeneous population I hope you will 
     forgive me for talking about them as though they are a 
     homogeneous group, which they are not.


                            quality of life

       A finding of fundamental importance--if no surprise and 
     totally consistent with our 1986 survey--is that people with 
     disabilities do not, as a group, enjoy the same quality of 
     life as other people. There are, of course, dozens of 
     different definitions of quality of life. Some of those we 
     measured are
       Americans with disabilities have much lower incomes. Forty 
     percent live in households with incomes of $15,000 or less, 
     compared to 18% of Americans with no disabilities. Only 10% 
     have household incomes of $50,000 compared to 22% of people 
     with no disabilities.
       A quarter (25%) of Americans with disabilities did not 
     graduate from high school compared to 12% of other Americans.
       Only one-third (31%) of Americans with disabilities aged 16 
     to 64 are working although the great majority want to work.
       Only 35% are very satisfied with their lives in general 
     compared to 55% for people without disabilities.
       Two-thirds (64%) say their disabilities prevent them from 
     getting around, attending events, and socializing as much as 
     they would like. Comparisons with surveys of Americans with 
     no disabilities show that indeed they socialize with friends 
     less often (30% vs. 14% for ``less than once a week''), visit 
     supermarkets less often (43% vs. 15% for ``less than once a 
     week''), go to restaurants less often (35% vs. 55% once a 
     week or more often), go to movies less often (42% vs. 71% 
     once or more in the last 12 months), go to sports events less 
     often (28% vs. 56% once or more in the last year), and attend 
     church or synagogue less often (36% vs. 43% once a week or 
     more).
       When asked about the severity of various problems in their 
     lives, fully 40% say that not having enough money is a major 
     problem. Other major problems for substantial numbers of 
     people with disabilities which they mention include 
     inadequate health insurance (26%)--even though fully 86% of 
     people with disabilities have some health insurance--
     inadequate work opportunities (21%) and inadequate 
     transportation (14%).
       Only 47% of people with disabilities believe that others 
     treat them as equals--as opposed to feeling sorry for them or 
     being embarrassed.
       Over half (58%) say they need help from someone else in 
     work, school, housework or other activities (most, I'm glad 
     to report, say they get this help).


                   strong perceptions of improvement

       Given the seriousness and difficulty of the many problems 
     so many people with disabilities face, their positive 
     attitudes are remarkable. For whatever combination of 
     reasons, societal or personal, objective or subjective, there 
     is a strong sense that things have gotten much better for 
     people with disabilities and that they will go on improving. 
     Fully 60% say that in general ``things have changed'' for the 
     better for Americans with disabilities in the last ten years. 
     Only 15% say things have gotten worse.
       More specifically most people with disabilities, when asked 
     about specific changes, see improvements over the last four 
     years:
       75% see better access to public facilities like 
     restaurants, theaters, stores and museums.
       63% see improved public attitudes toward people with 
     disabilities.
       63% see improvements in quality of life.
       60% see improved access to public transportation.
       59% and 56%, respectively, see improvements in the 
     portrayal of people with disabilities by the media and in 
     advertising.
       The future (or their own futures) is somewhat more 
     uncertain. While a plurality of 48% believe the quality of 
     their lives will improve, a large minority (35%) think it 
     will get worse. However, the negative responses mostly come 
     from people aged 45 or older. More than two-thirds of those 
     under 45 expect the quality of their lives will improve.


                       Improved Education Status

       One reason--and it is a very good one--which justifies the 
     sense of improvement and optimism is that people with 
     disabilities are making major gains in education, even if 
     they still compare unfavorably with other Americans. Since 
     1986, the proportion of people with disabilities who did not 
     complete high school has fallen from 40% to 25%, while those 
     with a least some college education has risen from 29% to 
     44%.
       This is probably the most encouraging single finding in the 
     survey--and certainly the best objective (as opposed to 
     attitudinal) one.
       Having said that, it is equally important to note that 
     people with disabilities are, as a group, still substantially 
     less well educated (and, therefore, disadvantaged in the 
     labor market) than other Americans, only 12% of whom did not 
     graduate from high school. But this gap has narrowed since 
     1986.


Most Americans with Disabilities Not Working: No Improvement since 1986

       If the improved educational attainment of people with 
     disabilities is the most positive finding of this research, 
     the failure of this improvement to translate into 
     improvements in employment and, therefore, financial 
     advantage is the most disappointing finding.
       Indeed, the actual survey numbers are slightly worse in 
     1994 than they were eight years earlier even if the 
     difference is well within possible sampling error.
       In 1986, only 33% of disabled Americans of working age 
     (that is, aged 16 to 64) were working. In 1994, only 31% are 
     working.
       Whatever else the ADA may have done, and whatever it may do 
     in the future, it does not seem, as yet, to have resulted in 
     many new jobs for Americans with disabilities.
       However, it is possible that there are other forces here 
     which are working against the employment of people with 
     disabilities. The proportion (of working age people with 
     disabilities) who say that they are unable to work because of 
     their disability has increased from 29% to 35%. And the 
     proportion of people who describe their disability as (very 
     or somewhat) severe has risen from 52% to 59%. One possible 
     trend, therefore, is that--perhaps because of the improved 
     ability of medicine to increase life expectancy--the severity 
     of disability in the population is increasing.


         Barriers to the Employment of People with Disabilities

       Whatever the explanation, the absence of improvement in the 
     employment of people with disabilities is obviously a finding 
     which should trigger further discussion and action. When we 
     reported the 1986 survey results, we highlighted the large 
     gulf that exists between people with disabilities who work 
     and those who do not--a financial and quality of life gulf 
     which caused us to conclude that ``not working is the true 
     definition of disability.'' This is equally true today.
       What can be done to change this dismal state of affairs? 
     The survey points to several barriers to employment which, in 
     turn, suggest possible remedies. But it is important to 
     recognize that some barriers will be very difficult to 
     eliminate. While the great majority of people with 
     disabilities in the working age population want to work, 
     many (the number varies somewhat in reply to different 
     questions) don't believe they could work. Some of those 
     not working (18%) say they don't want to work. Of the 
     remainder half (51%) say they would not be able to work 
     even if ``suitable jobs'' were available in their area. 
     There are many problems which relate to the supply side--
     the supply of labor--not just to the demand side--the 
     demand from employers for workers with disabilities.
       Having said that, this survey highlights substantial 
     problems which discourage the employment of people who want 
     to work. Forty-seven percent of working age people surveyed 
     who are not working (and many of those who are) say employers 
     are insensitive to people with their particular disabilities.
       A quarter (24%) say they have encountered physical barriers 
     which prevented them from working effectively. A third (30%) 
     of working age people with disabilities say they have, at 
     some time, encountered job discrimination because of their 
     disability (but that means that two-thirds have not). Mostly 
     this involved (at least as the job applicant perceived it) 
     the refusal of a job. A third (33%) including a third of 
     those now working, say they have encountered unfavorable 
     attitudes in the workplace, most often from supervisors and 
     co-workers who id not think they could do the job.
       Over a third (38%) say they don't have the skills, 
     education or training they need to get full-time jobs. More 
     than a quarter (28%) cite lack of accessible transportation 
     to get to work, and 18% say they would risk losing benefits 
     or insurance if they worked.
       This question--potential loss of benefits as a disincentive 
     to work--is a very tough one, and I don't want to claim that 
     this survey can provide a definite answer on what motivates 
     people not to work, let along on what policy changes, if any, 
     are called for. However, I note that fully 57% of those of 
     working age who are not working say they would lose some 
     income or insurance coverage if they took a full-time job.


        Computers, Information Technology and Special Equipment

       One set of findings in the survey which suggest new 
     employment opportunities relate to computers, information 
     technology, and special equipment. One-fifth (20%) of those 
     working full-time say they were able to work because they 
     obtained equipment which they needed to work, communicate or 
     get around. A quarter (26%) of the working age population 
     that is working or wants to work say they need special 
     equipment or technology to perform effectively at work. While 
     this refers to many different things, from special furniture, 
     wheelchairs, transportation assistance, respiratory aids or 
     screen enlargers, it refers most often to personal computers 
     or lap-top computers--not unlike many other working people.
       The greater availability and use of such equipment holds 
     promise of increasing the employment of people with 
     disabilities.


               The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

       It may seem strange that I have said so little about the 
     ADA. One reason is that the survey doesn't have very much to 
     say about it. People in Washington may be astounded to learn 
     that in this 1994 survey only 40% of people with disabilities 
     say they have heard or read anything about a law called the 
     Americans with Disabilities Act (42%) or believe that any 
     laws have been passed in the last 4 years to give protection 
     to people with disabilities. Only among people with a college 
     education is there a majority who have heard of the ADA.
       Among those who have heard of it, almost half (49%) do not 
     believe it will make their lives better or worse, 35% think 
     it will make their lives better; only 1% (the real cynics 
     about government) think it will make their lives worse.
       The true impact and value of the ADA will not be known for 
     some years to come, and I have no crystal ball which gives me 
     any special insights as to how well it will work. However, it 
     is possible that the belief we found in this survey that 
     access to public facilities, public transportation, and 
     (among a plurality) work opportunities have all improved in 
     the last four years would not have been as strong if the ADA 
     had not passed.


                               The Future

       Apart from this speculation about the impact of the ADA, 
     this new N.O.D. survey prompts a few other thoughts about the 
     future.
       It underlines the critical importance of employment, and 
     the need to substantially increase it. It points to changes 
     that are needed in the attitudes of employers and co-workers. 
     It underlines the crucial importance of further improvements 
     in education and job training. It highlights the need to 
     change the attitudes and motivation of people with 
     disabilities themselves; if more of them believed they could 
     work and were more assertive, more of them would probably 
     find work. It suggests the use of computers and more special 
     equipment to increase employment. And it underlines the need 
     to change the attitudes of many Americans who, many people 
     with disabilities believe, do not accept them as equals.


                      A Growing Sense of Identity

       While it is critical to stress that Americans with 
     disabilities are a very heterogeneous group, one of the key 
     findings of this survey is that there is a growing sense of 
     common identity among them.
       Some seven years ago, when we presented the results of the 
     N.O.D./Harris research on the Participation in Voting and 
     Elections by Disabled Americans, Alan Reich and I used the 
     phrase ``sleeping giant'' to describe the population of 
     Americans with disabilities. Sleeping because it exerted very 
     little impact on the political process, on elected officials 
     or on policy formation, but had the potential to do so.
       That, it seems, is changing. In 1986, 40% of Americans with 
     disabilities told us that they felt a somewhat (20%) or very 
     (20%) strong sense of identity with other people with 
     disabilities. That 40% has risen over the last eight years to 
     54%. A modest majority now feels a very a strong 25% or 
     somewhat strong (29%) sense of identity with other Americans 
     with disabilities.
       Alan Rich of N.O.D. has perceptively and accurately used 
     the phrase ``the awakening giant'' to describe this new 
     phenomenon--as America's largest disadvantaged minority seeks 
     to participate in, and contribute more fully to, American 
     life.
       My colleagues at Harris are proud of this survey and we are 
     grateful to N.O.D. for asking us to do it.
       On the fourth anniversary of the ADA, I sincerely hope you 
     make good use of it. If you do, all of us, with and without 
     disabilities, will be winners.

                          ____________________