[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12399]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     IMPROVING ACCESS TO ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH 
                        DISABILITIES ACT OF 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 14, 2004

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 4278, the 
Improving Access to Assistive Technology for Individuals with 
Disabilities Act.
  The bill reauthorizes the Assistive Technology State Grant Program, 
and the State Protection and Advocacy program. It also will help to 
ensure a larger share of the resources distributed under the program 
goes directly to individuals with disabilities. Assistive technology 
devices include a broad range of aids, such as wheelchairs, 
communication devices and computer hardware that help individuals 
compensate for living with a disability.
  The Assistive Technology State Grant program was first enacted in 
1988 as a program to provide states funds to establish an 
infrastructure for increasing access and distribution to assistive 
technology devices. Millions of Americans depend on assistive 
technology devices to remove barriers to education, employment, and 
even daily communication.
  The bill also funds the State Protection and Advocacy programs. Its 
purpose is to assist individuals in overcoming barriers in the 
workplace and in the government and making assistive technology more 
accessible to individuals with disabilities throughout the state.
  I would like to thank Representatives Buck McKeon, John Boehner, Dale 
Kildee and their staffs for working with me to make changes to the bill 
regarding State Protection and Advocacy programs during the committee 
markup process. The bill now includes changes that would allow 
Protection and Advocacy systems to carry over ``program income'' for 2 
additional years. These are funds generated by program activities, 
typically attorneys' fees reimbursements, for 2 additional years.
  Under current law, Protection and Advocacy programs can carry over 
``program income'' for one additional fiscal year past the year in 
which the program income was received. This can be very difficult, 
particularly for small states where the award could be sizes that they 
are not prepared to properly spend and can not budget for. I hope this 
change will enable Protection and Advocacy programs that receive 
``program income'' to invest the funds back into the program. This will 
allow states to put the additional funding to the best use possible for 
people with disabilities without being constrained by time.
  Speaker, I ask my colleague to support this bipartisan bill that will 
provide comprehensive technology-related assistance for adults and 
children with disabilities.

                          ____________________