[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 12 (Thursday, January 28, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DODD (for himself and Mr. McCain):
  S. 2962. A bill to amend title II of the Social Security Act to apply 
an earnings test in determining the amount of monthly insurance 
benefits for individuals entitled to disability insurance benefits 
based on blindness; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today with my colleague from Arizona, 
Senator John McCain, to reintroduce legislation on an issue we have 
worked on together for over a decade. The Blind Persons Return to Work 
Act of 2010 will renove disincentives to work for blind individuals in 
the Social Security Disability Insurance, SSDI, program. Removal of 
these barriers will facilitate the transition of blind Americans from 
SSDI to income-earning, taxpaying, productive members of the American 
workforce.
  Today there are over 1.3 million Americans who are legally blind and 
an estimated 10 million Americans with visual impairments. The 
Americans with Disabilities Act and advances in technology have 
eliminated many barriers for blind individuals. Today blind individuals 
are employed in nearly every type of job and profession. They lead 
businesses and governments. Time and again, they have proven they are 
more than capable. Yet, societal misperceptions, attitudes, and 
barriers persist. Unfortunately, more than 70 percent of working-age 
blind individuals remain unemployed. This is an enormous untapped 
resource of skills and talents for our country, and it is simply 
unacceptable.
  One thing is clear: blind individuals want to work. I don't know how 
you put a price tag on the personal value of work. The dignity it 
provides is priceless. There are many challenges to increasing the 
employment rate of blind individuals. However, one common sense step we 
should take is to correct unintended disincentives and barriers within 
our SSDI program.
  Within the SSDI program are earnings limits for beneficiaries. 
Historically, there was a longstanding linkage between the treatment of 
earnings for blind individuals and seniors. In 1996, Congress passed 
the Senior Citizens Freedom to Work Act. This legislation was adopted 
to encourage seniors to continue working later in life. While it 
significantly reduced restrictions on earnings for seniors, it created 
disparities for individuals who are blind. My friend from Arizona and I 
have worked tirelessly since then to correct this issue of fairness.
  The Blind Persons Return to Work Act will replace the monthly 
earnings limit for individuals who are blind with a gradual phase-out, 
allowing blind individuals to systematically replace benefits with 
earned income. Under the current system, if a blind person earns just 
one single dollar over the limit, they lose their entire SSDI benefit. 
Clearly, this is a drastic reduction in income and disincentive to work 
and earn to the fullest potential. Instead of this ``cash cliff,'' our 
legislation will gradually reduce benefits by $1 for every $3 earned 
over the limit. It also establishes annual versus monthly earnings 
tests and a standard deduction for impairment-related work expenses, 
changes that will reduce administrative burdens for both blind 
individuals and the Social Security Administration.
  As we work to turn our economy around, the Federal Government should 
do everything within its power to support all Americans in returning to 
work. I urge my colleagues to join us in sponsoring this common sense 
approach of removing barriers to employment for blind Americans.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I am pleased today to join my colleague, 
Senator Dodd, in introducing an important piece of legislation that 
will have an enormously positive impact on and improve the lives of 
blind Americans in the workforce. For too long, capable and talented 
blind Americans who have the desire and ability to fully participate in 
the workforce have been discouraged from doing so because of outdated 
federal disability laws.
  Current law stifles earnings opportunities for blind individuals by 
cancelling all disability assistance for the first dollar of earnings 
over the government-set threshold. As a result, blind individuals 
covered by Social Security Disability Insurance, SSDI, which was 
created to provide security and stability to blind workers during 
periods of unemployment, are discouraged from expanding their 
employment opportunities beyond the earnings limitation for fear of 
suddenly losing their benefits.
  Senator Dodd and I have been longtime supporters of legislation that 
would increase the earnings limit for those covered by SSDI. A similar 
policy was enacted for senior citizens with the adoption of the Senior 
Citizens Freedom to Work Act. The act eliminated the earnings limit for 
certain seniors covered by Social Security and thereby encouraged more 
seniors to participate in the workforce.
  The current proposal, the Blind Persons Return to Work Act, is an 
improvement on past policy proposals focusing on modestly increasing 
the earnings limit. Rather than simply increasing the earnings limit 
for blind individuals, the act would allow for a gradual phase-out of 
Federal benefits for every $3 earned over the current limit, providing 
blind individuals the opportunity to increase their earnings as the 
SSDI benefit decreases.
  The unemployment rate for working-age blind people is currently 70 
percent. Many of these individuals are extremely talented and capable 
of fully contributing to the workforce, and we should provide them an 
incentive to reach their full potential while reducing the number of 
federal beneficiaries. The proposal will ease the transition from 
relying solely upon SSDI benefits to becoming active and productive 
members of the workforce.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Blind Americans 
Return to Work Act, to treat blind individuals fairly and to allow them 
to achieve increased financial independence.
                                 ______