Information on the Federal Workforce Investment Act

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend of ASO:

Information on the the Workforce Investment Act currently before Congress. While not directly addressing autism, it does affect our population. Please read this information carefully and contact the Ohio Senators and your representative to support the Senate version of the Workforce Investment Act - HR 27 as it heads into conference committee. A quick phone call, brief letter, postcard or fax are most effective.

If you are not sure who your representative is, visit http://www.house.gov/ and enter your zipcode.

Make your voice heard!

Sincerely,

Barbara C. YavorcikPresidentAutism Society of Ohio701 S. Main St.Akron, OH 44311(330) 376-0211fax: (330) 376-1226email: askASO@...home: byavorcik@...web: www.autismohio.org------------------------------------

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Passes in Senate

In a complete about face, the Senate reached agreement with Senator Durbin regarding the faith based language component of WIA causing Senator Durbin to release his hold on the bill. This action allowed the Senate to consider the legislation under a unanimous consent (UC) resolution. The Senate struck all the language in HR 27, replacing it the bill text with the contents of the Senate Bill S 1021. The legislation was then agreed to under the UC resolution. After the July 4th recess, a conference committee will be convened and the differences between the House version and the Senate version of the bill will be debated.

The Vocational Rehabilitation community overwhelmingly supports the Senate version of the bill. While not perfect, the bill does address several key concerns to the VR program and it is important to let the Ohio Congressional delegation know that the Senate version of HR 27 is preferred. Below are some major differences between the bills relevant to VR:

• Infrastructure Cap: The Senate version of HR 27 provides a cap on the amount of funding VR must pay to support the infrastructure costs of one-stop career centers. The cap will only be imposed if the local board, chief elected officials, and one-stop partners cannot agree on funding through a local MOU/Cost Allocation process or a State infrastructure funding mechanism. VR Advocates strongly support the local MOU/Cost Allocation process and are optimistic that state agencies will work diligently to ensure this arrangement. The infrastructure cap is 0.75 percent of the VR allotment in the second program year after WIA is enacted, 1.0 percent in the third program year, 1.25 percent in the fourth program year and 1.5 percent in the fifth and each succeeding program year. The House version of the bill did not provide for a cap, thus potentially allowing funds from the workforce partners (including VR) to be shifted to fund the One-Stops with out any assurances that the money will go to serve people with disabilities.

• Reallotment Funds: The Senate version of HR 27 gives priority for reallotment funds to state agencies that are adversely affected by the funding formula and do not receive a full Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).

• Commissioner’s Status: The Senate version of HR 27 maintains current law on the status of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Commissioner; that being that the RSA Commissioner is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The House version of the bill, H.R. 27 is very concerning because it has the Commissioner downgraded to a Secretarial appointee—which could be seen as reduction of the role persons with disabilities have with the administration.

• Rehabilitation Services Administration: The Senate version of HR 27charges the Secretary of Education with ensuring that the RSA has sufficient staff to provide oversight of, conduct auditing of, and provide technical assistance to, the Designated State Agencies funded under the Rehabilitation Act; and also with ensuring that such staff include individuals who have training in and experience with the provision of vocational rehabilitation services.

Further, the House version of H.R. 27 does not address the need for increased funding for VR, but rather exacerbates current funding shortages by not capping infrastructure taps while, at the same time: 1) removing the requirement that mandatory partners (such as VR) serve on Local Workforce Investment Boards where key decisions are made about funding and service provision; 2) significantly increasing VR’s responsibilities with regard to the provision of transition services for students with disabilities without additional funding; and 3) failing to ensure that each state gets an increase equal to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase for the previous year.

This is the fourth year in a row that Congress has wrestled with the Reauthorization of WIA...we need the conference committee to convene and pass this legislation or it is in jeopardy of having to start anew in the 110th session of Congress next year.

Advocates for the VR program can contact the Ohio Congressional Delegation (via email, phone, or fax) and urge them to support the Senate version of HR 27 as it heads into conference committee. For your convenience attached is a roster of the Ohio Congressional Delegation.

Ohio Congressional Delegation

Member Party and State Phone Number with Area Code 202 Room Number Fax Number

Boehner, A. R-Ohio (8) 225-6205 1011 Longworth Bldg. 225-0704

Brown, Sherrod D-Ohio (13) 225-3401 2332 Rayburn Bldg. 225-2266

Chabot, Steve R-Ohio (1) 225-2216 129 Cannon Bldg. 225-3012

DeWine, Mike R-Ohio 224-2315 140 Bldg. 224-6519

Gillmor, E. R-Ohio (5) 225-6405 1203 Longworth Bldg. 225-1985

Hobson, L R-Ohio (7) 225-4324 2346 Rayburn Bldg. 225-1984

, Tubbs D-Ohio (11) 225-7032 1009 Longworth Bldg. 225-1339

Kaptur, Marcy D-Ohio (9) 225-4146 2366 Rayburn Bldg. 225-7711

Kucinich, Dennis J. D-Ohio (10) 225-5871 1730 Longworth Bldg. 225-5745

LaTourette, C. R-Ohio (14) 225-5731 2453 Rayburn Bldg. 225-3307

Ney, Bob R-Ohio (18) 225-6265 2438 Rayburn Bldg. 225-3394

Oxley, G. R-Ohio (4) 225-2676 2308 Rayburn Bldg. 226-0577

Pryce, Deborah R-Ohio (15) 225-2015 204 Cannon Bldg. 225-3529

Regula, Ralph R-Ohio (16) 225-3876 2306 Rayburn Bldg. 225-3059

, Tim D-Ohio (17) 225-5261 222 Cannon Bldg. 225-3719

Schmidt, R-Ohio (2) 225-3164 238 Cannon Bldg. 225-1992

Strickland, Ted D-Ohio (6) 225-5705 336 Cannon Bldg. 225-5907

Tiberi, Pat R-Ohio (12) 225-5355 113 Cannon Bldg. 226-4523

, R. R-Ohio (3) 225-6465 1740 Longworth Bldg. 225-6754

Voinovich, V. R-Ohio 224-3353 524 Hart Bldg. 228-1382