[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 136 (Friday, October 8, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S12317]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE WORK INCENTIVES IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1999

  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, right now, my home state of Vermont is 
celebrating Disability Employment Awareness Month. For that reason, I 
am delighted to speak about the ``Work Incentives Improvement Act of 
1999,'' legislation that I developed with my colleagues, Senators 
Kennedy, Roth and Moynihan. This Act, also known as the Work Incentives 
Improvement Act (WIIA), is the most important piece of legislation for 
individuals with disabilities since the Americans with Disabilities 
Act. This legislation is bipartisan. This legislation was brought to 
the floor of the United States Senate with 80 cosponsors. And, most 
importantly, this legislation passed through the Senate on June 15th 
with a unanimous vote of 99-0.
  The ``Work Incentives Improvement Act'' addresses a fundamental flaw 
in current law. Today, individuals with disabilities are forced to make 
a choice, an absurd choice. They must choose between working and 
receiving health care. Under current law, if people with disabilities 
work and earn over $500 per month, they will lose their cash payments 
and health care coverage under Medicaid or Medicare. This is health 
care coverage that they need. This is health care coverage that they 
can not get in the private sector. This is not right.
  Individuals with disabilities want to work. They have told me this. 
In fact, national surveys over the past 10 years have consistently 
confirmed that people with disabilities want to be part of the American 
workforce. But only one-third of them do work. With the enactment of 
WIIA, these individuals would not need to worry about losing their 
health care if they choose to work a forty-hour week, to put in 
overtime, or to pursue a career advancement. Individuals with 
disabilities are sitting at home right now, waiting for this 
legislation to become law. Having a job would provide them with a sense 
of self-worth. Having a job would allow them to contribute to our 
economy. Having a job would provide them with a living wage, which is 
not what one has through Social Security.
  Currently, there are 7.5 million individuals with disabilities across 
the nation who receive health care coverage and cash payments from the 
federal government. 24,000 of these people live in Vermont. Only, one-
half of one percent of the 7.5 million work to their full potential, 
because, when they earn over $500 per month, they lose their access to 
health care coverage. The first part of my legislation tackles this 
problem. In states that elect to take up this option, WIIA provides 
continuing access to health care for Social Security Income and Social 
Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries who work and exceed the 
income threshold.
  Recognizing that some SSI and SSDI recipients will need job training 
and job placement assistance, the second part of my bill provides these 
incentives. People with disabilities would have more choices in where 
to obtain vocational rehabilitation and employment services. In 
addition, we would increase the incentives to public and participating 
private providers serving these individuals.
  This legislation makes sense. When I came to Congress in 1975, one of 
my legislative priorities was to provide individuals with disabilities 
access to the American dream. Through the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities 
Act, and the Assistive Technology Act, we have consistently improved 
the lives of people with disabilities. Unfortunately, one major flaw 
remains, providing health care to individuals who want to work. The 
enactment of the Work Incentives Improvement Act would diminish this 
flaw in federal policy.
  The Work Incentives Improvement Act reflects what individuals with 
disabilities say they need. Over 100 national organizations have given 
us their input and endorsed our bill. The President has made it clear 
that he would like to sign this legislation into law by the end of the 
current year. The Incentives Improvement Act provides the opportunity 
to bring responsible change to federal policy and to eliminate a 
misguided result of the current system--if you don't work, you get 
health care; if you do work, you don't get health care. The Work 
Incentives Improvement Act makes living the American dream a reality 
for millions of individuals with disabilities, who will no longer be 
forced to choose between the health care coverage they so strongly need 
and the economic independence they so dearly desire.
  I am looking forward to having my colleagues in the House of 
Representatives finish their work on the Work Incentives Improvement 
Act. Let's send this bill to President Clinton by the end of this 
session of the 106th Congress.

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