[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 7798]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         BLIND EMPOWERMENT ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Ehrlich) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. EHRLICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Blind 
Empowerment Act, which will impact the lives of nearly a quarter of a 
million blind people.
  The Blind Empowerment Act, Mr. Speaker, restores the long-standing 
linkage between blind people and senior citizens under the Social 
Security Act. This bipartisan legislation, which currently has over 230 
cosponsors, will restore this historic link and empower blind people.
  For nearly 20 years, the blind and senior citizens were linked for 
purposes of the Social Security earnings test. Generally, the test has 
been a part of our Social Security program since its inception. The 
test reduces the benefits of recipients who earn above a certain amount 
of income from their work.
  In 1977, the Social Security amendments established the earnings 
limit for the blind who receive disability benefits. This exempt amount 
was linked to the identical exempt amount as applied to seniors 65 and 
over.
  In 1996, we did the right thing by raising the earnings limit for 
seniors from $11,500 to $30,000 by the year 2002. That was the Senior 
Citizens Freedom To Work Act. Giving seniors the opportunity to 
increase their earnings and keep their benefits was the right thing to 
do.
  During the process, however, this historic link between the blind and 
the seniors was ended, which aided in balancing the budget. As a 
result, by 2002, when the exemption for seniors becomes $30,000, the 
lower limit set by Congress for the blind will be half that amount.
  It is also important to note that when blind individuals earn more 
than the earnings limit threshold, they lose all of their benefits. The 
senior citizens in the same situation would only have their benefits 
reduced by a rate of $1 for every $3 earned over the limit.
  We should not roll back the progress of the last 2 decades by 
continuing a policy which discourages working individuals from becoming 
self-sufficient and making a contribution to their communities.
  It is my belief that ``delinkage'' occurred because our priorities in 
1995 were to rein in deficit spending and not to provide a disincentive 
to the working blind. The blind want to work and take pride in doing 
so.
  In an era of budget surplus, need for capable workers in a tight 
labor market, and a clear opportunity to demonstrate fairness and 
equity, it is time for Congress to restore this historic link. The 
increasing number of working blind Americans will produce additional 
tax revenue and contributions to the Federal Treasury and the Social 
Security Trust Fund.
  Approximately 70 percent of working-age blind people are 
underemployed or unemployed. Accordingly, blindness is often associated 
with adverse social and economic consequences. It is difficult for 
blind individuals to find sustained employment or, for that matter, 
employment at all.

                              {time}  2045

  This is especially good, common-sense legislation during this 
favorable economic time. When I listen to business owners back in my 
district, one thing they tell me is that their priority is to find and 
keep quality workers.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge this House, the rest of my colleagues in this 
House, to join me in sponsoring the Blind Empowerment Act. I am 
confident Congress will do the right thing and restore fairness and 
trust by reestablishing this historic link and return to the blind the 
vital economic freedom which will empower them to provide for 
themselves and their families and contribute to the health of this 
Nation.

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