    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [October 19, 1999]
    [Pages 1825-1826]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on House Action on Work Incentives Improvement Legislation
    October 19, 1999

        I am extremely pleased that the House, by an overwhelming bipartisan
    vote today, passed legislation that will remove barriers to work for
    Americans with disabilities. Today's impressive vote for the work
    incentives improvement act sends a strong signal that all Americans,
    including people with disabilities, should have the opportunity to work.
    Now I call on Congress to

    [[Page 1826]]

    finish the job so more Americans can start to work.
        My administration has helped create more than 19 million new jobs in
    the last 6\1/2\ years, and unemployment is at a 29-year low. Yet almost
    three out of four Americans with severe disabilities who want to work
    are not working. Since taking office, I have made empowering and
    promoting the independence of people with disabilities a priority.
    Central to this effort is taking down barriers to work for people with
    disabilities. One of the biggest barriers these Americans face is the
    fear of losing their health insurance when they get a job. Under current
    law, many people with disabilities cannot work and keep their Medicaid
    or Medicare coverage, creating a tremendous disincentive to work.
        The work incentives improvement act would help ensure that people
    with disabilities do not lose their health care when they gain a job. It
    would give workers with disabilities the option to buy into Medicaid and
    would extend Medicare coverage for people with disabilities who return
    to work. The work incentives improvement act also modernizes the
    vocational rehabilitation system by creating a ``ticket'' that enables
    an SSI or SSDI beneficiary to go to either a public or private provider
    of vocational rehabilitation.
        In my State of the Union Address 9 months ago, I urged the Congress
    to make this historic legislation a top priority, and I fully funded it
    in the budget I sent to Congress. Like the House, the Senate has
    overwhelmingly passed the work incentives improvement act, thanks to the
    leadership of Senators Jeffords,
    Kennedy, Roth, and Moynihan. The
    bill that passed today has flaws. These include limitations on the
    health options and inadequate and problematic financing provisions,
    particularly one affecting student loans. I urge the Congress to address
    these issues this year and send me this legislation. Americans with
    disabilities who want to work should not have to wait any longer for
    that opportunity.