[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.