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FOIA Number: 2007-0143-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Group:
Clinton Presidential Records
Subgroup/Office of Origin:
Public Liaison
Series/Staff Member:
William White, Jr.
Subseries:
OA/ID Number:
14203
FolderID:
Folder Title:
President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
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S
31
2
9
2
SCHEDULE PROPOSAL
March 22, 1996
ACCEPT
REGRET
PENDING
TO:
Stephanie Street/ Anne Walley
Directors of Scheduling and Advance
FROM:
Alexis Herman
Assistant to the President and Director,
Fixe
Office of Public Liaison
REQUEST:
To address 3,000 disability leaders at the 49th Annual
Conference of the President's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities in Detroit, Michigan.
PURPOSE:
To give the President the opportunity to reiterate his
strong commitment to civil rights for people with
disabilities and to highlight the Administration's success
in promoting employment opportunities within the
disability community.
BACKGROUND:
The President's Committee, chaired by Tony Coelho,
holds an Annual Conference on May 22-24, 1996 in
Detroit. It is the largest meeting in the country on issues
related to the employment of people with disabilities.
The theme of the Conference will be "Investing in
Ability," and 3,000 representatives of business, organized
labor and government will gather and meet with disability
rights leaders, educators and members of veterans'
organizations to discuss issues that impact employment
opportunities for people with disabilities.
Every President has addressed an Annual Conference of
the President's Committee. Speaking at this year's
Conference would offer the President a unique
opportunity to deliver a message to the over 49 million
Americans with disabilities highlighting the importance of
empowering people with disabilities to participate in the
global economy.
PREVIOUS PARTICIPATION:
None
DATE AND TIME:
Anytime on May 22 or 23;
or the morning of May 24, 1996
BRIEFING TIME:
15 minutes.
DURATION:
One hour.
LOCATION:
Westin Hotel at the Renaissance Center
Detroit, Michigan
PARTICIPANTS:
3,000 national leaders from the disability
community.
OUTLINE OF EVENTS:
Keynote address and photo opportunity with key
leaders in the disability community.
REMARKS:
To be provided by speechwriting.
MEDIA COVERAGE:
Open to the press.
FIRST LADY'S ATTENDANCE:
No.
VICE PRESIDENT'S ATTENDANCE:
No.
RECOMMENDED BY:
Alexis Herman
CONTACT:
Bill White 6-7032
ORIGIN OF PROPOSAL:
Letter attached.
Clinton Presidential Records
Digital Records Marker
This is not a presidential record. This is used as an administrative
marker by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Staff.
This marker identifies the place of a publication.
Publications have not been scanned in their entirety for the purpose
of digitization. To see the full publication please search online or
visit the Clinton Presidential Library's Research Room.
Bill white
49TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
President's
May 22-24, 1996
Committee
Detroit, Michigan
on
Employment
NO
EMPLOYMENT
of People
COMMITE OF PEOPLE WITH
with
Disabilities
THE
Investing in ABILITY
11/15/96
16:27
202376 6219
PCEPD
001
PRESIDENTS
COMPLETE 0
COMMITTEE
LIMITED THERE E
ON EMPLOYMENT
OF PEOPLE
FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION
WITH DISABILITIES
NORMAL DELIVERY
X
URGENT
DATE: 11/15/96
TO: BILL WHITE
FAX NO. 456-6218
TELEPHONE NO.
FROM: ANGIE POWELL
Total number of pages including this page: 8
Please call 202-376-6200 if all pages in this transaction are not received.
Additional comments or messages:
EXECUTIVE BOARD LISTING.
1331 F Street, N.W.
202-376-6200 (Voice)
Washington, DC 20004-1107
202-376-6219 (FAX)
202-376-6205 (TDD)
11/15/96 16:27
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1
EXECUTIVE BOARD
CHAIRMAN
1
Tony Coelho
Coelho Associates, LLC
(Limited Liability Company)
1325 Avenue of the Americas
26th Floor
New York, NY 10019
212/424-2610
212/424-2660 (FAX)
VICE CHAIRS
Neil Jacobson, Vice President
Lenore Miller, President
WELLS FARGO BANK
Retail, Wholesale and Dept.
201 3rd Street
Store Union
San Francisco, CA 94103
30 E. 29th Street
415/477-7778 (OFFICE VOICE)
New York, NY 10016
415/477-7721 (FAX)
212/684-5300
212/779-2809 (FAX)
Dr. I. King Jordan, Pres.
Gallaudet University
Dr. Sylvia Walker, Dir.
800 Florida Avenue, N. E.
Howard University
Washington, DC 20002-3695
Research & Training Center
202/651-5005
2900 Van Ness street, N.W.
202/651-5508 (FAX)
Washington, DC 20008
202/806-8086
Karen L. Meyer, President
202/244-7628 (TDD)
Karen L. Meyer & Associates
202/806-8148 (FAX)
954 West Montana Street
Chicago, IL 60614
Ronald W. Drach
312/528-8533
National Director of Employment
312/477-8411 (TDD)
Disabled American Veterans
312/477-8422 (FAX)
807 Maine Avenue, S.W.
773
Washington, DC 20024
202/554-3501
773
202/554-3581 (FAX)
773
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MEMBERS
Dr. sheila Akabas, Director
* (1997) a
The Workshop Center, Columbia University
School of Social Work
622 West 113th Street
New York, NY 10025
t
212/854-5173
212/854-2975
Joyce A. Bender, President
* (1999) a
Bender Consulting Services, Inc.
Penn Center West III, Suite 223
Pittsburgh, PA 15276
412/787-8567
412/787-7178 (FAX)
John Bollinger, Deputy Executive Director
* (1997) b
Paralyzed Veterans of America
801 18th Street, N. W.
Washington, DC 20006
202/872-1300
202/785-4452 (FAX)
Marca Bristo, Chairman
* (1997) a
NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
1331 F street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
202/272-2004
202/272-2074 (TDD)
202/272-2022 (FAX)
Charles L. Dudley
*(1997) a
Vice President Human Resources
Nordstrom, Inc.
Nordstrom Executive Offices
1321 Second Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
206/233-5700
206/233-5707 (FAX)
206/233-5708 (TDD)
Paul Engels, President
* (1997) b
National Mental Health
Consumers Association
15 Orchard Road
South Burlington, VT 05403-6133
802/862-5428
802/862-5428 (FAX--call first)
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Joseph J. Frank, Consultant
* (1997) a
National Legislative Commission
The American Legion
9933 Hilltop Drive
st. Louis, MO 63128-1509
314/842-3385 (Non-working number)
I
Lex Frieden, Senior Vice President
* (1997) b
Institute for Rehabilitation and Research
1333 Moursund
Houston, TX 77030
713/797-5283
713/799-7095 (FAX)
Fred Grandy
*(1998)a
President & CEO
Goodwill Industries International
9200 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20824-3896
301/530-6500
301/530-1516 (FAX)
Claiborne D. Haughton, Jr.
* (1998) a
Principal Director for Equal Opportunity
1
OASD/FMP/EO, Department of Defense
The Pentagon, Room 3A272
Washington, DC 20301-4000
703/695-0105
703/697-7534
Mrs. Ruth Royal Hill, Administrator
*(1998)]
Rehabilitation Services Administration
800 9th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20024
202/645-5703
202/645-0840 (FAX)
o(CSAVR REPRESENTATIVE)
Anne-Marie Hughey, Executive Director
* (1997)
National Council on Independent Living
2111 Wilson Boulevard - Suite 405
Arlington, VA 22201
t
703/525-3406
703/525-3409 (FAX)
Daniel Jara, President & CEO
*(1997)
Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
482 Broadway
Patterson, NJ 07514
201/881-0738
201/684-2810 (FAX)
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Stephen Joyce, Senior Vice President
*(1997) a
Human Resources
Ross Stores, Inc.
8333 Central Avenue
Newark, CA 94560
510/505-4400
510/505-4169 (FAX)
Paul Marchand, Director
*(1997)b
Governmental Relations
ARC
1730 K Street, N.W., Suite 1212
Washington, DC 20006
202/785-3388
202/467-4179 (FAX).
William M. McLin
*(1997) a
719 Delaware Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20024
I
202/488-8835
202/554-1351 (FAX)
and
1842 Burley Road
Annapolis, MD 21401
410/757-0276
410/757-9650 (FAX)
Gary Meers, Ed.D., Director
*(1997): a
Vocational Special Needs
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Department of Vocational & Adult Education
518 Nebraska Hall
Lincoln, NE 68588-0515
402/472-2365
402/472-5907 (FAX)
Paul Miller, Commissioner
*(7997)a
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
1801 L Street, N. W.
Washington, DC 20507
202/663-4036
202/663-7101
Howard Moses
* (1996) a
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Office of Special Education
& Rehabilitative Services
U. S. Department of Education
330 C Street, S.W. - Room 3006
Washington, DC 20202
202/205-5465
202/205-9252 (FAX)
11/15/96
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Florine L. Mullins
* (1997) a
3812 Washington Woods Drive
Alexandria, VA 22309
703/360-6679 (NO FAX)
Elizabeth Obermayer
* (1996) a
Steering Committee of
Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered
4408 Hamilton Drive
Voorhees, NJ 08043
609/770-0065 (NO FAX)
Joseph Romer
* (1998) a
Executive Vice President
for Public Affairs
National Easter Seal Society
700 13th Street, N.W., Suite 200
Washington, DC 20005
202/628-8480
202/737-7914 (FAX)
Liz Savage, Special Assistant
* (1997) a
to the Assistant Attorney General
Civil Rights Division
U. S. Department of Justice
P. O. Box 65808
(10th & Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. - Rm. 5545)
Washington, DC 20035-5808
202/514-4279
202/514-0293 (FAX)
Heather Whitestone
* (1997) a
No longer represented by Charles Lorant
Richard Womack, Director
* (1997))
Department of civil Rights
AFL-CIO
815 - 16th Street, N. W.
Washington, DC 20006
202/637-5270
202/637-5058 (FAX)
Patrisha Wright, Director
*(1997)a
Government Affairs
Disability Rights Education &
Defense Funds, Inc.
1633 Q Street, N. W., Suite 220
Washington, DC 20009
202/986-0375 (V/TDD)
202/462-5624 (FAX)
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*Appointment code. Year listed indicates year present term ends.
All terms end December 31st. Letter "a" indicates first term.
Letter "b" indicates second term.
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
(Standing Subcomittee Chairs)
Subcommittee on Communications
Donna Noland
Editor/Publisher
NATIONAL FOCUS
10230-2 North 12 Court
Phoenix, AZ 85020
602/542-6276 (Voice)
602/542-6686 (TDD)
602/542-6163 (FAX)
Subcommittee on Disabled Veterans
Blake ortner
Associate Legislative Director
Paralyzed Veterans of America
801 - 18th street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
202/416-7684
202/416-7706 (FAX)
Subcommittee on Employee Disability Concerns
Anthony "Tony" Young
Policy Associate
United Cerebral Palsy Associates
1660 L Street, N.W.
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036-5602
202/776-0406
202/776-0414 (FAX)
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Employer Subcommittee
W. Kenneth Tregenza, Jr.
Employment Relations Administrator
General Motors Corporation
Room 526
3044 West Grand Boulevard
Detroit, MI 48202
313/556-3076
313 974-4392 (FAX)
Subcommittee on Labor
Louise Smothers
International Union of Electronic,
Electrical Salaried, Machine and
Furniture Workers
1126 16th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
202/296-1200
202/785-4563 (FAX)
Subcommittee on State Relations
Patrick (Pat) Cannon, Executive Director
Michigan Commission on Disability Concerns
320 N. Washington Square, Suite 250
P.O. Box 30659
Lansing, MI 48909
517/334-8000 (VOICE/TTY)
517/334-6637 (FAX)
November 13, 1996
EMPLOYMENT
COMMITTEE
PEOPLE
WITH
swb
President's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
MEMORANDUM
July 23, 1996
TO:
John Lancaster
FROM:
Randee Chafkin
SUBJECT:
People with Disabilities at the Poverty Level/Making
Below Minimum Wage
INTRODUCTION
Pursuant to your request, I have been trying to compile data on
people with disabilities who are making below minimum wage, or
who are at the Federal poverty level threshold. Currently, there
is no one existing source of data for this information. I have
been using the following four (4) data reports to develop the
numbers and percentages listed below: "Quarterly Report on SSI
Disabled Workers and Work Incentive Provisions, December, 1995"
(Office of Program Benefits Policy, Division of Program
Management, Research on Benefits Statistics, SSA) ; "Medical
Expenditures for People with Disabilities in the U.S., 1987"
(Disability Statistics Report #5, March, 1996, NIDRR, U.S.
Department of Education, Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services); "Americans with Disabilities: 1991-
1992" (John M. McNeil, Household Economic Studies, U.S.,
Department of Commerce, Economics, and Statistics
Administration, Bureau of the U.S. Census) i and "Digest of Data
on Persons with Disabilities, 1992, If (U.S. Department of
Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services, NIDRR, January, 1993).
SSI BENEFICIARIES AND THE BROADER POPULATION WITH DISABILITIES¹
The National Academy of Social Insurance compiled the following
statistics that are useful:
2. "Recommendations of the Disability Policy Panel, " National
Academy of Social Insurance, Testimony of Jerry L. Marshall,
Chairperson, Disability Policy Panel, Senate Special Committee
on Aging, June 5, 1996.
-2-
O Nearly 30 million working-age Americans (15-64 years of age)
have some type of functional impairment, which may or may not
limit their ability to work ("Survey of Income and Program
Participants, 1994")
o Nearly 16 million working-age Americans report having a work
disability ("Current Population Survey, March, 1994"), of these
16 million, 10.2 million, or 65.5 percent, are not in the labor
force. This compares to 9.7 percent of working age people
without disabilities who are not in the workforce.
O Working-age adults who receive SSI or SSDI benefits, 7.1
million people in 1994, are a subset of the 17 million people
who have a work disability.
O Approximately 50 percent of the 30 million people with
functional impairments, or 15 million people, are employed.
o Approximately one-third of those who report work disabilities
are in the labor force, either working or looking for
employment.
MINIMUM WAGE
It is impossible to accurately project the number of people with
disabilities in the workforce or sheltered workshops who make
below the minimum wage, since DOL and others do not maintain or
report on this data. Anecdotally, most advocates feel that
people with disabilities in sheltered workshops (especially
people with developmental disabilities) are making below the
minimum wage. To win a contract, frequently, the workshop must
bid below the other competitors. One way to keep the contract
cost down is to underpay sheltered workshop clients.
In addition, most persons with severe developmental disabilities
who are in sheltered workshops are working below 100 percent
productivity level. However, providers often deny that (m) any of
their clients earn below the minimum wage.
WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES RECEIVING SSI PAYMENTS/BENEFITS
Information is available for all SSI recipients who are
disabled. This information is divided into three (3) sections:
all workers with disabilities receiving SSI; Section 1619
participants; and workers with disabilities who benefit from
other SSA work incentive provisions (IRWEs, PASS, SEI, BWE).
2. "Quarterly Report on SSI Disabled Workers and Work
Incentives, December, 1995"; and "Consumer Income, II Bureau of
the Census, February, 1995.
-3-
Over the years, Congress has enacted earned income exclusions
and other work incentives for SSI recipients. A person with a
disability who is eligible for SSI Section 1619 (a) benefits is
allowed several months above the substantial gainful activity
(SGA) level of $500 per month. Section 1619 (b) provides
continued Medicaid eligibility for individuals who are blind and
disabled and working when their wages make them ineligible for
cash payments. Medicaid eligibility is continued until the
recipient's wages reach a threshold level which takes into
account the person's ability to afford medical care, in addition
to the person's living expenses.
In December of 1995, there were 298,635 recipients with
disabilities who were working; this represents 5.8 percent of
the total SSI caseload, 5,115,014. Included in this figure were
47,002 Section 1619 (b) participants. Almost 8 out of 10, or 78.8
percent, of the workers earned income below the SGA level of
$500 per month; 32.6 percent earned $65 or less per month.
According to the Bureau of the Census ("Consumer Income Report,"
February, 1995), the federal poverty level for one person under
65 years of age is $7,363 per annum. Using this poverty
threshold, approximately 249,173 SSI recipients with
disabilities who are working earn below the federal poverty
level. For the total number of SSI recipients with disabilities
who are working, the average earnings are $322 per month. Of
this figure, 15,941 persons, or 5.3 percent, earned income
through self-employment, with an average monthly earnings of
$174.
The highest federal SSI monthly payment is $470 per month for an
individual. Most SSI beneficiaries live at about 74 percent of
the poverty level. Even including state supplements (and not
every state has an additional supplement), a person with a
disability receives approximately $7,200 per annum. Therefore,
most people with disabilities receiving SSI benefits are below
the federal poverty level.
MEAN MONTHLY EARNINGS OF WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES
Based on a 1991-1992 survey of 30,000 households, 12,480 people
with a "non-severe" disability have mean monthly earnings of
$1,771; for persons with a "severe" disability, this figure
decreases to $1,422 per month.
3. "Americans with Disabilities: 1991-1992"; "Digest of Data on
Persons with Disabilities, 1992"; and "Medical Expenditures for
People with Disabilities in the United States, 1987".
-4-
People less than 35 years of age represent 32 percent (4,856 out
of 16,214) of the total population with disabilities in this
study. People 35-54 years of age represent 46 percent (7,746 out
of 16,214) of the total population with disabilities in this
study. People 55 years and older represent 22 percent (3,623 out
of 16,214) of the total population with disabilities in this
study. These percentages could be used to make projections on
the 49 million people with disabilities in America.
Workers with non-severe disabilities 35 years of age and younger
have monthly mean earnings of $1,281. Workers with a severe
disability 35 years of age and younger have monthly mean
earnings of $955. Workers with non-severe disabilities 35-54
years of age have monthly mean earnings of $2,006. Workers with
severe disabilities 35-54 years of age have monthly mean
earnings of $1,531. Workers 56 years of age and older with non-
severe disabilities have monthly mean earnings of $2,724.
Workers 56 years or older with severe disabilities have monthly
mean earnings of $889.
According to newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau, in
1994 approximately 26.1 percent of working age people with
severe disabilities were working, and approximately 76.9 percent
of people with non-severe disabilities were working. In total,
according to this data, 52.3 percent of working age people with
disabilities (both severe and non-severe) were employed in 1994,
and 47.7 percent of thsi group was unemployed. Based on the
average SSI payments and SGA threshold levels, it can be assumed
that most people with disabilities who are not in the labor
force are living below the federal poverty level. 14 percent of
people with disabilities in the labor force earn below the
federal poverty level. "People with disabilities' incomes who
are working are between 7 percent and 30 percent less than other
workers. In 1987, the average annual wage was $12,253 for people
with disabilities, and $18,951 for people without
disabilities
ESTIMATES OF THE COST OF DISABILITY⁵
There have been several studies which document the cost of
disability in the United States. A 1989 study (using 1980 data)
estimated aggregate disability losses at $177 billion per annum,
4. "ADA: Taking Stock and Looking to Future," Jane West, Civil
Rights Journal, Premier Issue page nos. 42-47.
5. "Medical Expenditures for People with Disabilities in the
United States, 1987."
-5-
including $90.6 billion, 51 percent of the total, for direct
medical, institutional, and hospital care of persons with
disabilities, paid household work, and non-health care spending;
$68.4 billion, 39 percent of the total, for the value of reduced
productivity for persons with disabilities; and $17.7 billion,
10 percent of the total, for the value of productivity losses
for members of the household of a person with a disability.
A 1989 study (using 1986 data) estimated that expenditures for
the population with disabilities, ages 18-64, was $169.4 billion
per annum. This figure includes: $79.3 billion in medical care
expenditures (including Medicare, Medicaid, DOD, VA, and
Workers' Compensation) ; $87.3 billion in transfer programs
(including social insurance programs, individuals and employer
programs; and income support) ; and $2.8 billion in direct
service expenditures (including VR, veterans' services,
employment assistance programs, generic federal programs, and
disability-specific programs/services).
FOLLOW-UP
I hope that this information is useful to you. An interesting
aside--while I was at a recent Special Committee on Aging
Hearing on the SSI/SSDI Program (several CCD Social Security
Task Force members were testifying), the issue of the costs
associated with raising the SGA level if the minimum wage is
increased surfaced. The research that I started may be helpful.
We will need estimates of the cost and numbers of people on SSI
and SSDI who will be impacted if the minimum wage is increased.
If the minimum wage is increased and the SGA threshold level is
not increased, many SSI recipients will no longer be eligible
for SSI.
The other data that is important to compile is the number of
people with disabilities currently in the workforce
longitudinally, SO that there is comparative data over time.
This data can be used to provide for the tracking of the ADA's
successful implementation. Currently only the Census Bureau's
Survey of Income Participation (SIPP), includes sufficiently
detailed questions to reliably identify the number of people
with disabilities. Hopefully, our demographics project will
resolve the problem of compiling accurate data on the number of
people with disabilities in the workforce.
In addition, it is critical to compile data on people with
disabilities as consumer markets. Employers need to know the
demographics of disability (e.g. income, education, type of
disability, age, geographic location, discretionary income,
etc.) SO that they can target their projects, services and
develop new products/services to meet their consumer needs in
the marketplace.
- -6-
Any of the information (percentages) in this memorandum can be
used to develop estimates for populations that are larger than
the sample populations used in these surveys (e.g., 49 million
Americans with disabilities).
Please let me know if you need any additional information, or if
you have any questions. Thank you.
07/03/96
16:07
202 376 6859
PCEPD
001
COMMITTEE = EMPLOYMENT TEDPLE
STATEMENT I
⑉
President's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION
Urgent
Normal Delivery
Date:
July 3, 1996
To: piel white - White House
Fax #: 456-6218
Ofc. #: 456-7032
From:
Ellen Daly
The President's Committee
on Employment of People with Disabilities
1331 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20004-1107
Total number of pages including this page: 2
Please call 202-376-6200 if all pages in this transaction are not received.
Additional comments or messages:
See attached! found this letter w/Tory's note
in my "toberead mail shot" you What
of Heidi is request to visit Doit Kase when
Heili is comingto DC the I Can call Monday afuid out.
are there rules on Low the shotos of the Presedent quate/s
can OPA 8/95 be used, ie: ad's, newsletters aetc. Gata case from
Oregan this AM, told them I'd ask.
1331 F Street. N.W.
Washington, DC 20004-1107
202-376-6200 (Voice)
202-376-6205 (TDD)
202-376-6859 (Fax)
07/03/96
16:08
202 376 6859
PCEPD
1
002
May 24, 1996
Mr. Tony Coelho, Chairman
HEIDI VAN ARNEM
Presidents Committee on Employment of People
FOUNDATION
With Disabilities
1331 F Northwest, 3rd Floor
870 Bowers Road
Birmingham, MI
Washington, D.C. 20004-II07
4 8 0 0 9
810 647 1001
Dear Mr. Coelho:
It was indeed my pleasure to have you present to me the Evan Kemp
Entrepreneurship Award for 1996.
As 1 mentioned in my speech, my name in nomination was unbeknownst to me.
What a wonderful tribute!
I would very much, Mr. Coelho, like to visit Washington, D.C. in July to meet
you again and your staff. 1 feel very honored to be associated with you. As
you made mention of my "Spend A Day In A Wheelchair" program, regionally,
it has become a successful crusade. Our goal is to make our wheelchair
program part of a nationwide awareness in schools throughout the country.
Enclosed is a film that 1 show at the schools that 1 attend after the students
have spent their day in a wheelchair. 1 then answer their questions about what
my life is like as a spinal cord injured victim and how they can hopefully
prevent any injuries to themselves.
I can only imagine how busy President and Mrs. Clinton are. 1 would love to
discuss, with them, my dreams of a national campaign for spinal cord
awareness and hopefully prevention. As we are all aware, the medical costs to
an injured person and their family are astronomical. 1 would not take up much
of their time, but 1 know that this program is having tremendous effects on the
students we present it to. Would this meeting be possible?
And, Mr. Coelho, could 1 ask you to introduce me to Mr. Kemp? It would be
my extreme pleasure to meet the man whose name this award is in honor of.
1 will be anxiously awaiting your reply.
With warmest personal regards,
Ellen city M m Bill white of
Heidi Van Arnem
HVA/kjr
enc.
abriet perse Evan yrs. what
Dedicated To The Cure Of Paralvsis
MAY-24-1996 07:39
P.02
1331 F Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004-1107
COMMITTEE
202-376-6200 (Voice)
&
202-376-6205 (TDD)
202-376-6859 (Fax)
PRESIDENTS
&
President's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Dina Dorich
(202) 376-6200
Local Contact: Press Room
313-568-8607
(This number effective only until
12:00 noon, May 24.)
CLINTON AFFIRMS MEDICAID COMMITMENT TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DISABILITY
(Detroit, MI -- May 23, 1996) President Clinton today called for
"expanding opportunities for every American who is willing to
take responsibility for making the most of his or her God-given
abilities, and announced his continued commitment for guaranteed
Medicaid coverage for people with disabilities.
The President vowed to veto again any legislation that repeals
guaranteed Medicaid coverage for older Americans, pregnant women,
low income children and people with disabilities. "Let me be
clear," he said, "we can balance this budget without repealing
guaranteed Medicaid coverage for the six million Americans with
disabilities who depend upon it -- including one million
children."
The President delivered his remarks at the general session of the
49th Annual Conference of the President's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities. The President spoke via satellite
to more than 2,000 individuals representing business, labor,
veterans, government, education, and national leaders in the
disability community. The conference is being held at the Westin
Hotel Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI.
Focus of the conference was on disability and employment issues.
"Employment is the key to economic security for Americans,"
including America's 49 million citizens with disabilities, the
President said.
more
MAY-24-1996 07:40
P.03
President Clinton -- Add 1
The President also affirmed his support for the reauthorization
of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which
is "preparing students with disabilities to get their share of
the high-wage jobs that are opening up in this new economy."
"It remains a tragedy today that two-thirds of the people with
disabilities are unemployed, he said. "And it's up to all of us
-- employers, labor, people with disabilities, and government --
to work together to change this picture."
He offered several initiatives aimed at addressing this issue.
"Today I'm announcing that federal agencies are now developing a
better system for tracking the unemployment rate of people with
disabilities," he said. "In addition, I've asked the Secretary
of Commerce to work with [the President's Committee] and relevant
federal agencies to recommend to me ways that we can ensure that
people with disabilities are included in all our efforts to
assist entrepreneurs and small businesses."
As he has throughout his term, the President assured a strong
continuing commitment to the enforcement of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), including an increase in ADA enforcement
in his 1997 budget.
President Clinton led a distinguished roster of speakers that
included John J. Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO; Alfred A.
Checchi, Co-Chairman, Northwest Airlines; Claiborne D. Haughton,
Jr., Director for Civilian Equal Employment Opportunity,
Department of Defense; and Tony Coelho, President's Committee
Chairman.
-30-
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
For Immediate Release
May 23, 1996
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
BY SATELLITE
TO THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON
EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CONFERENCE
IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN
9:35 A.M. CDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Tony, for your remarks, your support,
your friendship and your leadership of the committee. I want to say hello to the others who
are there -- to John Sweeney and Al Checchi. I want to say a special word of thanks to my
good friend, Justin Dart who I know had to leave, but who has been a real champion for
Americans with disabilities; indeed, for the rights and interests of all Americans.
I want to say a special word of greeting to the vice chairs of the Committee - Lenore
Miller, I. King Jordan, Karen Meyer, Neil Jacobson, Dr. Sylvia Walker, and Ron Drach.
Thank you, all of you who are there, for your very warm welcome. I'm sorry I
couldn't join you in person today, I have to be in Milwaukee with the German Chancellor.
But I didn't want to miss this opportunity to talk with you about what we must do together to
ensure the full participation of the 49 million Americans with disabilities in the vibrant life
and economy of our great country.
Three and a half years ago, when I took the oath of office, I had a very clear vision of
what I hoped our country could be like as we move into the 21st century. I wanted us to be
a country that offers great opportunities to all who are willing to work for them. I wanted us
to remain the world's strongest force for peace and freedom. And I wanted us to rebuild our
sense of unity and community around the shared ethic of responsibility and a respect for
diversity.
Together we've made great progress toward achieving those goals. Our economic
strategy to reduce the deficit, expand trade, and invest in our people is paying off. The
deficit is now less than half of what it was four years ago. We have 8.5 million more jobs,
the lowest combined rates of inflation, mortgage rates an unemployment in 27 years.
Homeownership is at a 15-year high, and we have all-time highs in exports and new business
formations for each of the last three years.
We've also worked hard to increase educational opportunities for all Americans - from
more positions for children in Head Start, to more affordable college loans, to the national
service program. We've done our part to fight to lower the crime rate by passing a Crime
Bill which is putting 100,000 police officers on the street, banning assault weapons, an
passing the Brady Bill which has kept 60,000 people with criminal records or other disturbing
histories from getting handguns. (Applause.) And we have maintained our commitment to a
clean, safe environment for all Americans.
Compared to four years ago, the world is also a safer and more peaceful place. The
nuclear threat is diminished. No weapons are pointed at the people of the United States.
Peace and freedom are taking hold from Haiti to South Africa, to Northern Ireland, to Bosnia,
to the Middle East. We have moved a long way in three and a half years.
But today I want to talk to you about our country's future, especially in terms of that
first objective - expanding opportunities for every American who is willing to take
responsibility for making the most of his or her God-given abilities. The theme of your
conference is "Investing in Abilities." That's been something we've tried very hard to do and
something I intend to keep on doing.
In 1992, I issued a challenge to our nation. I said we must not rest until America has
a national disability policy based on three simple creeds: inclusion, not exclusion;
independence, not dependence; and empowerment, not paternalism. (Applause.) I remain
committed to that vision, and I want to thank all of you for working so hard with us to make
it a reality. More than ever before in our history, America's greatness in the next century will
depend upon the ability of all our citizens to make the most of their own lives. Americans
with disabilities are an enormous, largely untapped reservoir of that potential.
Employment is the key to economic security for Americans, including people with
disabilities. Even though we have created 8.5 million new jobs, it remains a tragedy today
that two-thirds of people with disabilities are unemployed. And it's up to all of us -
employers, labor, people with disabilities, and government - to work together to change this
picture.
In the past four years, we have made progress. We're fighting to make sure that
people with disabilities have health care and the living wages they need to live independently.
Our strong commitment to the Americans with Disabilities Act has opened up town halls,
schools, transportation systems, workplaces, grocery stores, restaurants and movie theaters to
millions of people with disabilities. Our 1997 budget calls for an increase in funding for
ADA enforcement at the Department of Justice. (Applause.)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is preparing students with disabilities
to get their share of the high-wage jobs that are opening up in this new economy. I know
how much the IDEA means to millions of students with disabilities and to their parents. I
strongly support it. (Applause.)
High school graduates with disabilities who went to school under IDEA have an
employment rate of twice that of the overall population of individuals with disabilities. We're
building on this achievement by supporting efforts like your "High School/High-Tech"
program that is guiding promising students to college and careers in science and technology.
We're making sure people with disabilities are included in our School-To-Work efforts.
No one - no one - should have to go through what Judy Heumann went through to get
an education in our country. She's been a pioneer in the struggle for the rights of people with
disabilities. She developed polio when she was 18 months old and she was denied the right
to attend public school until the fourth grade. She had to sue to get a teaching job that was
denied her because she uses a wheelchair. And during the '70s, she participated in a sit-in
that led to the creation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. As my Assistant
Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the Department of Education,
she now runs IDEA. That is a remarkable story, and we need more of them. (Applause.)
But you and I know the ADA and the IDEA alone will not achieve our vision of
inclusion, independence, and empowerment for people with disabilities. That's why I fought
so hard for measures like the Family and Medical Leave Act.
And today I'm announcing that as a result of your work, federal agencies are now
developing a better system for tracking the unemployment rate of people with disabilities.
This new system will strengthen our ability to include people with disabilities in all our
employment policies and programs. In addition, I've asked the Secretary of Commerce to
work with the President's Committee and relevant federal agencies to recommend to me ways
that we can ensure that people with disabilities are included in all our efforts to assist
entrepreneurs and small businesses. So we are making progress. (Applause.)
But let me say there is more to do. First, we must preserve the guarantee of Medicaid
coverage for people with disabilities. For three decades Americans have stood on common
ground about the need for guaranteed Medicaid coverage for older Americans, pregnant
women, low-income children, and people with disabilities. But last year Congress sent me
legislation to repeal that guarantee - legislation that would have taken away health care
coverage from millions of Americans who need it most. I vetoed that legislation, and if they
send it to me again and they want to repeal the guarantee, I will veto it again. (Applause.)
Let me be clear. We can balance this budget without repealing guaranteed Medicaid
coverage for the six million Americans with disabilities who depend upon it, including one
million children. Medicaid is a family issue, as people with disabilities know, which makes it
possible for more people to get care at home and in their communities. Without the
guarantee, a middle-class family with a child with a severe disability could be forced into
poverty to pay for the child's medical care. Parents could be forced to give up their jobs to
stay home to care for a child. Children and adults who live independently today might be
forced into institutions. I will not let that happen. (Applause.)
The second thing we have to do is to strengthen the health security of people with
disabilities and, indeed, for all Americans, with the passage of the Kennedy-Kassebaum health
insurance reform bill. This legislation would not allow insurance companies to deny coverage
for anybody with a preexisting condition, and will allow people to keep their health insurance
if they change jobs or if someone in the family gets sick. So I urge Congress to stop stalling
and pass the bill now, as one important step forward. (Applause.)
Finally, let me say I've called on Congress to increase the minimum wage, which will
benefit millions of Americans with disabilities who face extra costs for accessible housing and
personal assistance. We need that. (Applause.)
All of you know that America is in the best position to be a winner in the global
economy of the 21st century because of the depths of our values, the strengths of our
diversity, the power of our economy. But we don't have a person to waste. We have to
continue to expand opportunity and demand responsibility from all of our citizens. And that
means inclusion, not exclusion. (Applause.)
Again, let me thank you, all of you, for everything you've done and for everything you
will do. Thank you for the progress we've made and the progress we still will make.
Just last week, I had a very moving visit with Christopher Reeve in the Oval Office,
and I mentioned to Christopher that in 1933 the Oval Office was the first government office
designed specifically to be accessible to accommodate President Roosevelt. He said to me
that it was too bad, that at the time, he had to hide his disability.
I hope with Christopher Reeve that as the Roosevelt Memorial becomes a reality, with
your efforts to remove the stigma of disability, they'll find a way to make sure that the
American people know that this great, great President was great with his disability.
Thank you all, and God bless you. (Applause.)
9:46 A.M. CDT
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
For Immediate Release
May 23, 1996
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
BY SATELLITE
TO THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON
EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CONFERENCE
IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN
9:35 A.M. CDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Tony, for your remarks, your support,
your friendship and your leadership of the committee. I want to say hello to the others who
are there -- to John Sweeney and Al Checchi. I want to say a special word of thanks to my
good friend, Justin Dart who I know had to leave, but who has been a real champion for
Americans with disabilities; indeed, for the rights and interests of all Americans.
I want to say a special word of greeting to the vice chairs of the Committee - Lenore
Miller, I. King Jordan, Karen Meyer, Neil Jacobson, Dr. Sylvia Walker, and Ron Drach.
Thank you, all of you who are there, for your very warm welcome. I'm sorry I
couldn't join you in person today, I have to be in Milwaukee with the German Chancellor.
But I didn't want to miss this opportunity to talk with you about what we must do together to
ensure the full participation of the 49 million Americans with disabilities in the vibrant life
and economy of our great country.
Three and a half years ago, when I took the oath of office, I had a very clear vision of
what I hoped our country could be like as we move into the 21st century. I wanted us to be
a country that offers great opportunities to all who are willing to work for them. I wanted us
to remain the world's strongest force for peace and freedom. And I wanted us to rebuild our
sense of unity and community around the shared ethic of responsibility and a respect for
diversity.
Together we've made great progress toward achieving those goals. Our economic
strategy to reduce the deficit, expand trade, and invest in our people is paying off. The
deficit is now less than half of what it was four years ago. We have 8.5 million more jobs,
the lowest combined rates of inflation, mortgage rates an unemployment in 27 years.
Homeownership is at a 15-year high, and we have all-time highs in exports and new business
formations for each of the last three years.
We've also worked hard to increase educational opportunities for all Americans - from
more positions for children in Head Start, to more affordable college loans, to the national
service program. We've done our part to fight to lower the crime rate by passing a Crime
Bill which is putting 100,000 police officers on the street, banning assault weapons, an
passing the Brady Bill which has kept 60,000 people with criminal records or other disturbing
histories from getting handguns. (Applause.) And we have maintained our commitment to a
clean, safe environment for all Americans.
Compared to four years ago, the world is also a safer and more peaceful place. The
nuclear threat is diminished. No weapons are pointed at the people of the United States.
Peace and freedom are taking hold from Haiti to South Africa, to Northern Ireland, to Bosnia,
to the Middle East. We have moved a long way in three and a half years.
But today I want to talk to you about our country's future, especially in terms of that
first objective - expanding opportunities for every American who is willing to take
responsibility for making the most of his or her God-given abilities. The theme of your
conference is "Investing in Abilities." That's been something we've tried very hard to do and
something I intend to keep on doing.
In 1992, I issued a challenge to our nation. I said we must not rest until America has
a national disability policy based on three simple creeds: inclusion, not exclusion;
independence, not dependence; and empowerment, not paternalism. (Applause.) I remain
committed to that vision, and I want to thank all of you for working so hard with us to make
it a reality. More than ever before in our history, America's greatness in the next century will
depend upon the ability of all our citizens to make the most of their own lives. Americans
with disabilities are an enormous, largely untapped reservoir of that potential.
Employment is the key to economic security for Americans, including people with
disabilities. Even though we have created 8.5 million new jobs, it remains a tragedy today
that two-thirds of people with disabilities are unemployed. And it's up to all of us -
employers, labor, people with disabilities, and government - to work together to change this
picture.
In the past four years, we have made progress. We're fighting to make sure that
people with disabilities have health care and the living wages they need to live independently.
Our strong commitment to the Americans with Disabilities Act has opened up town halls,
schools, transportation systems, workplaces, grocery stores, restaurants and movie theaters to
millions of people with disabilities. Our 1997 budget calls for an increase in funding for
ADA enforcement at the Department of Justice. (Applause.)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is preparing students with disabilities
to get their share of the high-wage jobs that are opening up in this new economy. I know
how much the IDEA means to millions of students with disabilities and to their parents. I
strongly support it. (Applause.)
High school graduates with disabilities who went to school under IDEA have an
employment rate of twice that of the overall population of individuals with disabilities. We're
building on this achievement by supporting efforts like your "High School/High-Tech"
program that is guiding promising students to college and careers in science and technology.
We're making sure people with disabilities are included in our School-To-Work efforts.
No one - no one - should have to go through what Judy Heumann went through to get
an education in our country. She's been a pioneer in the struggle for the rights of people with
disabilities. She developed polio when she was 18 months old and she was denied the right
to attend public school until the fourth grade. She had to sue to get a teaching job that was
denied her because she uses a wheelchair. And during the '70s, she participated in a sit-in
that led to the creation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. As my Assistant
Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the Department of Education,
she now runs IDEA. That is a remarkable story, and we need more of them. (Applause.)
But you and I know the ADA and the IDEA alone will not achieve our vision of
inclusion, independence, and empowerment for people with disabilities. That's why I fought
so hard for measures like the Family and Medical Leave Act.
And today I'm announcing that as a result of your work, federal agencies are now
developing a better system for tracking the unemployment rate of people with disabilities.
This new system will strengthen our ability to include people with disabilities in all our
employment policies and programs. In addition, I've asked the Secretary of Commerce to
work with the President's Committee and relevant federal agencies to recommend to me ways
that we can ensure that people with disabilities are included in all our efforts to assist
entrepreneurs and small businesses. So we are making progress. (Applause.)
But let me say there is more to do. First, we must preserve the guarantee of Medicaid
coverage for people with disabilities. For three decades Americans have stood on common
ground about the need for guaranteed Medicaid coverage for older Americans, pregnant
women, low-income children, and people with disabilities. But last year Congress sent me
legislation to repeal that guarantee - legislation that would have taken away health care
coverage from millions of Americans who need it most. I vetoed that legislation, and if they
send it to me again and they want to repeal the guarantee, I will veto it again. (Applause.)
Let me be clear. We can balance this budget without repealing guaranteed Medicaid
coverage for the six million Americans with disabilities who depend upon it, including one
million children. Medicaid is a family issue, as people with disabilities know, which makes it
possible for more people to get care at home and in their communities. Without the
guarantee, a middle-class family with a child with a severe disability could be forced into
poverty to pay for the child's medical care. Parents could be forced to give up their jobs to
stay home to care for a child. Children and adults who live independently today might be
forced into institutions. I will not let that happen. (Applause.)
The second thing we have to do is to strengthen the health security of people with
disabilities and, indeed, for all Americans, with the passage of the Kennedy-Kassebaum health
insurance reform bill. This legislation would not allow insurance companies to deny coverage
for anybody with a preexisting condition, and will allow people to keep their health insurance
if they change jobs or if someone in the family gets sick. So I urge Congress to stop stalling
and pass the bill now, as one important step forward. (Applause.)
Finally, let me say I've called on Congress to increase the minimum wage, which will
benefit millions of Americans with disabilities who face extra costs for accessible housing and
personal assistance. We need that. (Applause.)
All of you know that America is in the best position to be a winner in the global
economy of the 21st century because of the depths of our values, the strengths of our
diversity, the power of our economy. But we don't have a person to waste. We have to
continue to expand opportunity and demand responsibility from all of our citizens. And that
means inclusion, not exclusion. (Applause.)
Again, let me thank you, all of you, for everything you've done and for everything you
will do. Thank you for the progress we've made and the progress we still will make.
Just last week, I had a very moving visit with Christopher Reeve in the Oval Office,
and I mentioned to Christopher that in 1933 the Oval Office was the first government office
designed specifically to be accessible to accommodate President Roosevelt. He said to me
that it was too bad, that at the time, he had to hide his disability.
I hope with Christopher Reeve that as the Roosevelt Memorial becomes a reality, with
your efforts to remove the stigma of disability, they'll find a way to make sure that the
American people know that this great, great President was great with his disability.
Thank you all, and God bless you. (Applause.)
9:46 A.M. CDT
May 22, 1996
TO:
LAURA SCHWARTZ
FROM:
Bill White
Office Of Public Liaison
SUBJECT:
POTUS Briefing for Remarks to the President's Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities.
Some political background, that I did not include in the President's briefing memo, may
provide context for briefing the President before he delivers remarks via satellite to the
President's Committee:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Tony Coelho chairs the President's Committee. We have been working closely with
him on the speech, and he reports that the now 2,200 (not 1,500 reported in memo)
people attending the conference are fire-up to hear the President's remarks.
Justin Dart is the former Chair of the President's Committee. He is a Republican who
served under Reagan and Bush. Probably the most powerful statesman from the
disability community. He is traveling the country and making the case to the
disability community on why he has decided to support the President. I'm told he had
to returned to Washington for health reasons (nothing life-threatening), but the
President should still recognize him.
There are six Vice Chairs of the President's Committee appointed by the President.
(List Attached)
John Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO, will be speaking about a half hour before
the President on what organized labor must do to increase employment opportunities
for people with disabilities.
Al Checchi, Co-Chairman of Northwest Airlines, will speak about 15 minutes before
the President and announce a new Northwest Airlines initiative involving individuals
with disabilities.
THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY:
1994 Census estimates there are 49 million Americans with disabilities. In 1992, 10%
of all voters were individuals with disabilities. An April Lou Harris Poll of people
with disabilities showed 54% supporting the President while only 23% for Dole. They
are working through motor-voter to increase their numbers.
Substantively, we win hands-down. The President's stand on Medicaid is the most
powerful reason for the strong support within the community. But Dole, with his
visible disability, is making every effort to reach out to this constituency. This event
will demonstrate that the President is engaged with the community.
This community wants to take responsibility. They want to move off benefits and into
jobs. Coelho often like to say, "We are looking to pay taxes."
FDR MEMORIAL COMMISSION:
The President is the Honorary Chair of the FDR Commission, which is tasked with
overseeing the design of the FDR Memorial. The Commission is coming under
pressure because the design does not depict FDR as a man with a disability.
The disability community and national opinion leaders (President Bush, Doris Kearns
Goodwin, Time, NYT, George Will, Maureen Dowd) have voiced strong support for
including FDR's disability in the Memorial. A Harris poll indicates that 73% of
Americans said the Memorial should include "visible recognition of FDR's disability."
Leon Panetta held a meeting on the subject today (Tuesday) and approved a statement
by the President to support capturing FDR's disability in the FDR memorial. John
Hilley consulted Senator Inouye (D-HI) (Co-Chairs the FDR Commission) and Senator
Levin (D-MI).
The Roosevelt grandchildren have been split on the subject. Today, I spoke to David
Roosevelt, FDR's Grandson and member of the FDR Commission, and he said he
supported the statement as long as we don't further delay the Memorial. I also spoke
to another grandson, Jim Roosevelt, who was totally supportive.
We use the Christopher Reeve visit to the Oval Office last week to transition into the
announcement.
As noted in the attached, other elected officials may be taking a position on this
subject in the near future.
Front: Frederick A. Fay To: Bill White
Date: 5/20/96 Time: 01:29:32
Page 15 of 19
05/17/96
16:17
617 589 4657
SRH/PHYS OFFICE
I
014/015
TIME MAGAZINE MAY 23m
NATION
THE PRESIDENCY
its news programs. CNN anted up with five
minutes a week for four weeks on Inside
Hugh Sidey
Politics. And Fox's Rupert Murdoch last
year opened the bidding with an hour of
prime time on election eve.
Oddly enough, the proposals all come
Truth in Memory
just as events overtake the imperative.
Thanks to the Internet, talk radio, C-SPAN
Omission of F.D.R.s handicap is a crime against his spirit
and cable talk shows, voters this year have
more direct access to candidates than ever
HERE WAS A FUND RAISER FOR THE CONTROVERSIAL F.D.R MEMORIAL THE
before. The very day that ABC announced its
offer of an hour in prime time, Bill Clinton
T
other day that traveled all over Washington and included real Roosevelt
martinis (3 to 1) at the Tidal Basin construction site. It ended with a private
was live on CNBC discussing Senate gridlock
White House dinner of lamb and artichokes at $10,000 a plate and grossed
over the minimum wage. Then, minutes lat-
about half a million. Bill and Hillary Clinton were eloquent in praise of their he
er, C-SPAN-the All Dole All the Time net-
roes Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt to their black-tie audience of 200. Actors Jane
work when the Senate is in session-showed
Alexander and Edward Herrmann, who had played the Roosevelts on television.
the majority leader rebutting the President.
gave readings, and there was a scratchy old recording of the real Eleanor singing
Internet Websites like TIME-CNN'S AllPoli-
(sort of) High Hopes, which brought both gales of laughter and misty eyes.
tics (http:www.allpolitics.com/) routinely
The problem was that the crucial and defining fact that Roosevelt conduct-
include the full text of campaign speeches.
ed his presidency from a wheelchair became a forgotten footnote to the White
But advocates are quick to retort that a
House proceedings and, indeed, to the whole memorial idea. In the warm glow
third of U.S. households don't have cable
of the White House it was easy to ignore the growing clamor at the gates about
and many that have it don't tune in to pub-
a memorial that is taking $42 million in tax money and has no depiction of
lic-affairs shows. The point is to reach the
Franklin Roosevelt in a wheelchair. (Or,
audience that has dropped out, which is
for that matter, of Eleanor's fur stole, now
why Taylor was hoping for a five-minute
considered too controversial.)
lead-in to Friends instead of a chunk out of
In a Harris poll a while back, 73% of
those asked said the memorial should in-
TED THAI THE
Tom Brokaw.
The pristine new forums certainly won't
clude "visible recognition of F.D.R.'s dis-
replace the dastardly 30-sec. spots. The can-
abilities." The National Organization on
didates will still spend whatever they can af-
Disability, which claims to represent the
interests of 50 million disabled Ameri-
ford, running whatever ads are most effec-
tive. In fact, some commentators argue that
cans. thinks that to ignore F.D.R's dis-
getting rid of negative ads should never have
ability in the monument is a major cultur-
al blunder. "It would be unconscionable to
been a goal in the first place. "Attack is an in-
have schoolchildren visit the memorial
dispensable part of politics. If the attack is
fair, accurate, in context and relevant to gov-
five years from now, or 500 years from
emance, we ought to encourage it," says
now, and have no sense of the challenge
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, dean of the Annen-
F.D.R. faced," says Mike Deland, the or-
berg School for Communication at the Uni-
ganization's chairman.
Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin has
versity of Pennsylvania. "I prefer asking, 'Is
free TV time going to reduce the amount of
become the spokeswoman for a loose
confederation of scholars who likewise
Neil Estern with scale models of his
illegitimate attacks? The answer is yes."
statues for the F.D.R. Memorial
Which raises the question of whether
are appalled at the idea of going ahead
the candidates would be keen on this re-
with the memorial as designed. "Roosevelt's polio made his special relationship
form. In 1992 the candidates were careful
with the American people possible," she said last week. "Not to allow that to be
to limit their appearances to events they
shown would be a fundamental distortion of history, a real loss." The Roosevel
thought they could control. All three were
heirs, who at first seemed supportive of a historically cleansed memorial, seen
invited to appear for an hour on Meet the
to have tipped the other way, with many favoring 2 change. The National Orga
Press, for instance; not one of them accept-
nization on Disability has agreed to pick up any extra cost if a new sculpture i
ed. So while both parties' candidates en-
needed, since the three F.D.R. pieces are already at the foundry.
dorsed the scheme, it remains to be seen
Oddly, the C.O.P.'S soon-to-be presidential nominee, Bob Dole, himsel
whether Dole and Clinton will relish the
partly disabled, while privately supporting a change in the F.D.R. Memorial ha
idea of being locked in a room together
so far not gone public. Nor has his rival of next fall, Bill Clinton. There is a sin
during prime time with no way out except
gular silence about the issue at the White House, even though Clinton is hon
through the tube.
orary chairman of the memorial.
Yet in a TIME/CNN poll last week, 63% of
One guy spoke up. Former President George Bush took two seconds to thin
voters surveyed said they believe free TV
about the issue and whipped off a letter declaring, "I think it would be a sham
time would make for a better race. That by
if at least one of the figures in the memorial did not show him as a man who ha
itself may make it worth a try. For if it re-
a disability a courageous man who had infantile paralysis and still led our na
duces even slightly the cynicism about poli-
tion." Last week, on one of his furtive visits to Washington, Bush summoned De
tics, it could help voters feel more engaged
land and Alan Reich, president of the disability organization, to his guest quar
in the process and perhaps restore their
ters on Jackson Place, across the street from the White House. In those shadow
faith in it.
-Reported by Tom Curry/
old chambers where so much of our early history played out, Bush sat down wit
New York and Mark Thompson/Washington
his two friends in wheelchairs and said, "We've got to keep this one going."
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press secretary
(Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
For Immediate Release
May 23, 1996
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
BY SATELLITE
TO THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON
EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CONFERENCE
IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN
9:35 A.M. CDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Tony, for your
remarks, your support, your friendship and your leadership of the
committee. I want to say hello to the others who are there -- to
John Sweeney and to Al Checchi. I want to say a special word of
thanks to my good friend, Justin Dart who I know had to leave,
but who has been a real champion for Americans with disabilities;
indeed, for the rights and interests of all Americans.
I want to say a special word of greeting to the
cochairs of the committee, the vice chairs -- Norm Miller, I.
King Jordan, Karen Meyer, Neil Jacobson, Dr. Sylvia Walker, and
Ron Drach.
Thank you, all of you who are there for your very
warm welcome. I'm sorry I couldn't join you in person today, I
have to be in Milwaukee with the German Chancellor. But I didn't
want to miss this opportunity to talk with you about what we must
do together to ensure the full participation of the 49 million
Americans with disabilities in the vibrant life and economy of
our great country.
Three and a half years ago, when I took the oath of
office, I had a very clear vision of what I hoped our country
could be like as we move into the 21st century. I wanted us to
be a country that offers great opportunities to all who are
willing to work for them. I wanted us to remain the world's
strongest force for peace and freedom. And I wanted us to
rebuild our sense of unity and community around the shared ethic
of responsibility and a respect for diversity.
Together we've made great progress toward achieving
those goals. Our economic strategy to reduce the deficit, expand
trade and invest in our people is paying off. The deficit is now
less than half of what it was four years ago; we have 8.5 million
more jobs, the lowest combined rates of inflation, mortgage rates
and employment in 27 years. Homeownership is at a 15-year high,
and we have all-time highs in exports and new business formations
for each of the last three years.
We've also worked hard to increase educational
opportunities for all Americans -- from more positions for
children in Head Start to more affordable college loans to a
national service program. We've done our part to fight to lower
the crime rate by passing a Crime Bill which is putting 100,000
police officers on the street, banning assault weapons, and
passing the Brady Bill which has kept 60,000 people with criminal
records or other disturbing histories from getting handguns.
(Applause.) And we have maintained our commitment to a clean,
safe environment for all Americans.
Compared to four years ago, the world is also a
safer and more peaceful place. The nuclear threat is diminished.
NO weapons are pointed at the people of the- United States. Peace
and freedom are taking hold from Haiti to South Africa, to
MORE
- 2
Northern Ireland, to Bosnia, to the Middle East. We have moved a
long way in three and a half years.
But today I want to talk to you about our country's
future, especially in terms of that first objective -- expanding
opportunities for every American who is willing to take
responsibility for making the most of his or her God-given
abilities. The theme of your conference is investing in
abilities. That's been something we've tried very hard to do and
something I intend to keep on doing.
In 1992 I issued a challenge to our nation. I said
we must not rest until America has a national disability policy
based on three simple creeds: inclusion, not exclusion;
independence, not dependence; and empowerment, not paternalism.
(Applause.) I remain committed to that vision, and I want to
thank all of you for working so hard with us to make it a
reality. More than ever before in our history, America's
greatness in the next century will depend upon the ability of all
our citizens to make the most of their own lives. Americans with
disabilities are an enormous, largely untapped reservoir of that
potential.
Employment is the key to economic security for
Americans, including people with disabilities. Even though we
have created 8.5 million new jobs, it remains a tragedy today
that two-thirds of the people with disabilities are unemployed.
And it's up to all of us -- employers, labor, people with
disabilities, and government -- to work together to change this
picture.
In the past four years, we have made progress.
We're fighting to make sure that people with disabilities have
health care and the living wages they need to live independently.
Our strong commitment to the Americans with Disabilities Act has
opened up town halls, schools, transportation systems,
workplaces, groceries, restaurants, and movie theaters to
millions of people with disabilities. Our 1997 budget calls for
an increase in funding for ADA enforcement at the Department of
Justice. (Applause.)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is
preparing students with disabilities to get their share of the
high-wage jobs that are opening up in this new economy. I know
now much the IDEA means to millions of students with disabilities
and to their parents. I strongly support it. (Applause.)
High school graduates with disabilities who went to
school under IDEA have an employment rate twice that of the
overall population of individuals with disabilities. We're
building on this achievement by supporting efforts like your high
school high-tech program that is guiding promising students to
college and careers in science and technology. We're making sure
people with disabilities are included in our school-to-work
efforts.
NO one -- no one -- should have to go through what
Judy Heumann went through to get an education in our country.
She's been a pioneer in the struggle for the rights of people
with disabilities. She developed polio when she was 18 months
old and she was denied the right to attend public school until
the fourth grade. She had to sue to get a teaching job that was
denied her because she uses a wheelchair. And during the '706,
she participated in a sit-in that resulted in the creation of the
Individuals with Disabilities Eduction Act. AS my Assistant
Secretary for special Education and Rehabilitative Services at
the Department of Education, she now runs IDEA. That is her
remarkable story and we need more of them. (Applause.)
But you and I know the ADA and the IDEA alone will
not achieve our vision of inclusion, independence and empowerment
for people with disabilities. That's why I fought so hard for
MORE
- 3
measures like the Family and Medical Leave Act. And today I'm
announcing that as a result of your work, federal agencies are
now developing a better system for tracking the unemployment rate
of people with disabilities.
This new system will strengthen our ability to
include people with disabilities in all our employment policies
and program. In addition, I've asked the Secretary of Commerce
to work with your committee and relevant federal agencies to
recommend to me ways that we can ensure that people with
disabilities are included in all our efforts to assist
entrepreneurs (Applause.) and small businesses. so we are making progress.
But let me say there is more to do. First we must
preserve the guarantee of Medicaid coverage for people with
disabilities. For three decades Americans have stood on common
ground about the need for guaranteed Medicaid coverage for older
Americans, pregnant women, low-income children and people with
disabilities. But last year Congress sent me legislation to
repeal that guarantee -- legislation that would have taken away
health care coverage from millions of Americans who need it most.
I vetoed that legislation, and if they send it to me again and
they want to repeal the guarantee again I will veto it again.
(Applause.)
Let me be clear. We can balance this budget without
repealing guaranteed Medicaid coverage for the six million
Americans with disabilities who depend upon it, including one
million children. Medicaid is a family issue, as people with
disabilities know, making it possible for more people to get care
at home and in their communities. Without the guarantee, a
middle-class family with a child with a severe disability could
be forced into poverty to pay for the child's medical care.
Parents could be forced to give up jobs to stay home to care for
a child. Children and adults who live independently today might
be (Applause.) forced into institutions. I will not let that happen.
The second thing we have to do is to strengthen the
health security of people with disabilities and, indeed, for all
Americans, with the passage of the Kassebaum-Kennedy health
insurance reform bill. This legislation would not allow
insurance companies to deny coverage for anybody with a
preexisting condition, and will allow people to keep their health
insurance if they change jobs or if someone in the family gets
sick. so I urge Congress to stop stalling and pass the bill now,
as an important step forward. (Applause.)
Finally, let me say I've called on Congress to
increase the minimum wage, which will benefit millions of
Americans with disabilities who face extra costs for accessible
housing and personal assistance. we need that. (Applause.)
All of you know that America is in the best position
to be a winner in the global economy of the 21st century because
of the depths of our values, the strengths of our diversity, the
power of our economy. But we don't have a person to waste. We
have to continue to expand opportunity, demand responsibility
from all of our citizens. And that does mean inclusion, not
exclusion. (Applause.)
Again, let me thank you, all of you, for everything
you've done and for everything you will do. Thank you for the
progress we've made and the progress we still will make.
Just last week I had a very moving visit with
Christopher Reeve in the Oval Office, and I mentioned to
christopher that in 1933 the Oval Office was the first government
office designed specifically to be accessible to accommodate
President Roosevelt. He said to me that it was too bad that at
the time he had to hide his disability.
MORE
- 4 -
I hope with Christopher Reeve that as the Roosevelt
Memorial becomes a reality, with your efforts to remove the
stigma of disability, they'll find a way to make sure that the
American people know that this great, great President was great
with his disability.
Thank you all, and God bless you. (Applause.)
END
9:46 A.M. CDT
TOTAL P.005
05/17/96
11:51
202 376 6859
PCEPD
002
THURSDAY, MAY 23, 1996
GENERAL SESSION
8:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Script
Focus - What Must Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals, People
with Disabilities, Business and Labor Officials and the Minority
Community Do in the Future to Increase the Employment Rate of
Workers with Disabilities in the Workforce. How Will the White
House Address Disability Employment Issues in the Future.
8:10 a.m.
President's Committee's seal is projected on
two 9' X 12' screens
8:15
Music begins and ballroom doors open
8:45
Videotaping and real time captioning begin
8:45
Participants Miller, Coelho, Sweeney, Haughton and
Checchi enter stage and take seats
8:45 - 8:47
Committee Vice-Chair Lenore Miller opens the
session and welcomes (2 minutes)
8:47 - 8:48
Miller introduces Committee Chairman Tony Coelho
(1 minute)
8:48 - 9:06
Coelho addresses what people with disabilities and
vocational rehabilitation counselors must do in
the future to increase employment opportunities
for individuals with disabilities (18 minutes)
9:06 - 9:07
Miller introduces John Sweeney, President, AFL/CIO
(1 minute)
9:07 - 9:25
Sweeney addresses what organized labor must do in
the future to increase employment opportunities
for individuals with disabilities (18 minutes)
9:25 - 9:26
Miller introduces Claiborne D. Haughton, Jr.
Principal Director and Director, Civilian Equal
Employment Opportunity, Department of Defense (1
minute)
05/17/96 11:52
202 376 6859
PCEPD
9:26 - 9:44
Haughton addresses what the minority
community must do in the future to increase
employment opportunities for individuals with
disabilities (18 minutes)
9:44 - 9:45
Miller introduces Alfred A. Checchi, Co-Chairman,
Northwest Airlines, Inc (1 minute)
9:45 - 9:55
Checchi announces a new Northwest Airlines
initiative involving individuals with
disabilities (10 minutes)
9:55 -
Fudge time if the session is running late.
Otherwise Coelho summarizes past
accomplishments and the necessary future steps
outlined at this session until he receives signal
that the President is ready.
David Cox gives Coelho signal that the President
is ready
White House seal is projected on both
9' X 12' screens
Coelho introduces President Clinton (2 minutes)
Coelho and all other participants leave the stage
President Clinton is projected on both 9'12'
screens
President Clinton speaks (15 minutes)
Coelho thanks President Clinton, Miller, Sweeney
Haughton and Checchi and adjourns the session
President's Committee seal is projected on both 9'
X 12' screens
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
SATELLITE FEED TO THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT OF
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CONFERENCE
DATE:
Thursday, May 23, 1996
LOCATION:
Hotel Pfister, Room 2007
Milwaukee, WI
TIME:
8:50 - 9:10 AM CDT
FROM:
Alexis Herman
Bill White
Laura Schwartz
I.
PURPOSE
To motivate 1,500 national disability leaders by delivering a message of
empowerment, inclusion, and independence; and by highlighting your record of
accomplishments on disability issues.
II.
BACKGROUND
You will deliver remarks via satellite to the 49th Annual Conference of the President's
Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities in Detroit, Michigan. You will
wear a lavaliere microphone and an IFB. There will be one-way video; the audience
will see you on two 9 X 12 rear projection screens, but you will not be able to see
them. The audio is two-way so that you can hear the audience react to your speech.
Tony Coelho, Chair of the President's Committee, will introduce you. You will
address the audience for ten minutes, and there will be no question and answer
session. A teleprompter will be provided for your remarks.
The President's Committee Conference, May 22 - 24, is the largest meeting in the
country on issues related to the employment of people with disabilities. The theme of
this year's conference is, "Investing in Ability." 1,500 representatives of business,
organized labor and government will gather and meet with disability rights leaders,
educators and members of veterans' organizations to discuss issues that impact
employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
The 1994 Census estimates there are 49 million Americans with disabilities. In 1992,
10% of all voters were individuals with disabilities. Outside of the July 26 ADA
Anniversary, this event presents the best opportunity for you to deliver a message to
Americans with disabilities.
Both Tony Coelho and Justin Dart, who has been traveling around the country
speaking to the disability community on your behalf, have urged you to use this
opportunity to broadly articulate your strong record of accomplishments on disability
issues so that your remarks can be replayed to key groups throughout the coming year.
The conference will focus on addressing the many barriers to employment people with
disabilities encounter. An estimated 65% of Americans with disabilities are
unemployed. Solutions include: vigorously enforcing the ADA; improving education
for children with disabilities through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA), the 20-year-old civil rights law that governs special education; including
youth with disabilities in our school-to-work initiative; developing accommodations in
the workplace through the Family and Medical Leave Act; increasing access to
technology for the blind and visually impaired through the Telecommunications Act;
and pushing for an increase in the minimum wage.
The greatest barrier to work for people with disabilities is access to health insurance.
The audience appreciates your efforts to preserve Medicaid and Medicare, to increase
Medicaid home and community-based services, and support of Kennedy-Kassebaum.
We are working internally on two issues of importance to the disability community.
The first involves whether to oppose efforts in Congress to allow schools to expel and
terminate all services to students with disabilities who bring guns or drugs to school.
The second involves whether you should make a public statement of support for
including visible recognition of FDR's disability in the FDR Memorial.
III.
PARTICIPANTS
THE PRESIDENT
Tony Coehlo - Detroit
Laura Schwartz
Technical Crew (5)
IV.
PRESS PLAN
Closed press in Wisconsin, open press in Detroit. Your remarks will be fed to both to
the White House briefing room and press filing in Milwaukee.
V.
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
8:50 - 9:00 AM
Briefing and makeup.
9:00 - 9:10 AM
LIVE remarks via satellite to the President's Committee on
Employment of People with Disabilities Conference.
VI.
REMARKS
To be provided by speechwriting.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
SATELLITE FEED TO THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT OF
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CONFERENCE
DATE:
Thursday, May 23, 1996
LOCATION:
Hotel Pfister, Room 2007
Milwaukee, WI
TIME:
8:50 - 9:10 AM CDT
FROM:
Alexis Herman
Bill White
Laura Schwartz
I.
PURPOSE
To motivate 1,500 national disability leaders by delivering a message of
empowerment, inclusion, and independence; and by highlighting your record of
accomplishments on disability issues.
II.
BACKGROUND
ViDEO.
COMPSSITE
Ann
You will deliver remarks via satellite to the 49th Annual Conference of the President's
Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities in Detroit, Michigan. You will
wear a lavaliere microphone and an IFB. There will be one way video; the audience
will see you on two 9 X 12 rear projection screens( but you will not be able to see
them. The audiolis two-way so that you can hear the audience react to your speech.
Tony Coelho, Chair of the President's Committee, will introduce you. You will
address the audience for ten minutes, and there will be no question and answer
session. A teleprompter will be provided for your remarks.
The President's Committee Conference, May 22 - 24, is the largest meeting in the
country on issues related to the employment of people with disabilities. The theme of
this year's conference is, "Investing in Ability." 1,500 representatives of business,
organized labor and government will gather and meet with disability rights leaders,
educators and members of veterans' organizations to discuss issues that impact
employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
The 1994 Census estimates there are 49 million Americans with disabilities. In 1992,
10% of all voters were individuals with disabilities. Outside of the July 26 ADA
Anniversary, this event presents the best opportunity for you to deliver a message to
Americans with disabilities.
Both Tony Coelho and Justin Dart, who has been traveling around the country
speaking to the disability community on your behalf, have urged you to use this
opportunity to broadly articulate your strong record of accomplishments on disability
issues so that your remarks can be replayed to key groups throughout the coming year.
The conference will focus on addressing the many barriers to employment people with
disabilities encounter. An estimated 65% of Americans with disabilities are
unemployed. Solutions include: vigorously enforcing the ADA; improving education
for children with disabilities through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA), the 20-year-old civil rights law that governs special education; including
youth with disabilities in our school-to-work initiative; developing accommodations in
the workplace through the Family and Medical Leave Act; increasing access to
technology for the blind and visually impaired through the Telecommunications Act;
and pushing for an increase in the minimum wage.
The greatest barrier to work for people with disabilities is access to health insurance.
The audience appreciates your efforts to preserve Medicaid and Medicare, to increase
Medicaid home and community-based services, and support of Kennedy-Kassebaum.
We are working internally on two issues of importance to the disability community.
The first involves whether to oppose efforts in Congress to allow schools to expel and
terminate all services to students with disabilities who bring guns or drugs to school.
The second involves whether you should make a public statement of support for
including visible recognition of FDR's disability in the FDR Memorial.
III.
PARTICIPANTS
THE PRESIDENT
Tony Coehlo - Detroit
Laura Schwartz
Technical Crew (5)
IV.
PRESS PLAN
Closed press in Wisconsin, open press in Detroit. Your remarks will be fed to both to
the White House briefing room and press filing in Milwaukee.
V.
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
8:50 - 9:00 AM
Briefing and makeup.
9:00 - 9:10 AM
LIVE remarks via satellite to the President's Committee on
Employment of People with Disabilities Conference.
VI.
REMARKS
To be provided by speechwriting.
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Talking Points
Annual Conference of the
President's Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities (PCEPD)
I. INTRODUCTION/ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Theme of Conference: "Investing in Abilities"
* Chairman Coelho. I want to thank the Committee's Chairman and my friend -- Tony
Coelho -- for his vision, commitment, and leadership.
* Former PCEPD Chair -- Justin Dart. A champion of the ADA and the civil rights of all
Americans -- Justin Dart.
II. General Big Picture
The following 3 paragraphs are from the "Presidential Message" to the UCP
Conference:
Together we have made considerable progress over the past three years. Together
we've begun to shift our nation's disability policy away from exclusion towards inclusion,
away from dependence towards independence, away from paternalism toward empowerment.
[Last sentence uses terms from Putting People First, that people are familiar with and like to
hear.]
I have committed the bulk of my time as President to the prospect of building a new
and lasting prosperity in America. We don't have a person to waste. I know there are many
millions of talented Americans with disabilities who can contribute, if trained and educated,
and if allowed to give their full talents to building a better tomorrow.
[But it won't happen unless the government accepts the challenge and accepts its
share. That's why we have moved boldly to reduce the deficit, to reform our bureaucracy, to
invest in the health, education and talents of our young people, so that we can compete and
win in the new global economy.]
People with disabilities want to work, but there are many barriers [these are discussed below].
We are working to remove these barriers so that people with disabilities who want to work
are able to do so.
III. Disability Related Accomplishments: How we are removing barriers
A. Americans with Disabilities Act
[From 7/26/95 Roundtable Remarks:
"Because of the ADA, our country is stronger today. Our fellow citizens are
being judged by their abilities to contribute, not by their disabilities. Now all of you and
millions of others all across this country have an opportunity they never had before, to
make the most of their own lives."]
Add statement of support for ADA: "In many ways, the ADA is the perfect example of what
I mean when [I say that] our job is to create more opportunity and demand more
responsibility from all of our citizens."
We have made a real commitment to vigorous ADA enforcement. Our education and
enforcement efforts have opened up town halls, schools, workplaces, grocery stores, hotels,
restaurants, and movie theaters to millions of people with disabilities. Last year alone, 5,000
wheelchair accessible buses were added to our nation's fleet, and all 54,000 buses in urban
areas will be accessible by the year 2003. Creating accessible transportation systems removes
yet another major barrier to work for people with disabilities. We have also insured that the
Olympic Stadium, site of this summer's games, will be the most accessible stadium in the
world.
Although we have made great progress, we still have a long way to go. Our
commitment will not waiver -- even as we make the hard choices necessary to balance the
budget. My 1997 Budget calls for a 3.9% increase in funding for ADA enforcement at the
Department of Justice. We won't let up until all barriers that keep people with disabilities out
of the American mainstream come down.
But the ADA alone will not achieve our vision of inclusion, independence and
empowerment for people with disabilities. We need quality education, good jobs at good
wages (reword this), health care, and services where people need them -- in the community.
B. Education:
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is preparing students with
disabilities to enter the job market and be competitive in our constantly changing economy. I
know how much the IDEA means to the millions of students with disabilities and their
parents.
High school graduates with disabilities who went to school under IDEA have an
employment rate twice that of the overall population of individuals with disabilities, most of
whom did not have the benefit of IDEA.
We are working to increase IDEA's focus on outcomes for children and cutting
unnecessary paperwork for schools, while opposing efforts to weaken the IDEA's fundamental
guarantees.
Mention IDEA budget: 12% increase in state grants from 95 to 97?
We have included young people with disabilities in our School-to-Work Initiative at
every step of the way, so that they can be prepared to make that critical move into the
working world.
The President's Committee is also making a difference through its "High School/High
Tech" program. This effort provides promising students with disabilities with supports that
can lead to college and careers in science and technology.
C. Employment
Employment is the key to economic security for millions of working age Americans
with disabilities. Have to continue to move forward to lift/break down barriers.
We have taken steps towards making the workplace more accommodating to everyone
-- especially to people with disabilities:
The Family and Medical Leave Act guarantees job security for those who, due to their
own or family members' disability, illness or injury, require leave from their work. This
landmark law recognizes that such experiences are a natural part of life that must be
accommodated.
The Telecommunications Act, which I recently signed, will make workplaces more
accessible and insure that access is an integral part of the Information Superhighway by
making telecommunications equipment and services more accessible.
We need to make work pay if we are going to expect people with disabilities to forego
(?) cash assistance and obtain economic security in the labor market.
Increasing the minimum wage is vital to insuring this goal.
Disabled workers disproportionately work for minimum wages -- yet their living costs are
much higher (e.g. need to live on accessible bus routes, in accessible housing, personal care
assistance, etc.). By allowing people with disabilities to earn enough to pay their expenses,
our proposed increase will allow more people with disabilities to enter the workforce.
While we are enforcing the ADA vigorously and effectively, the unemployment rate
among people with disabilities is still painfully high -- estimated at two-thirds. Yet we do not
track this critical figure in a systematic and timely way. We need to know how effective our
efforts are in placing people with disabilities in the workforce.
Today I'm pleased to announce that at the initiative of the President's Committee, and
with the cooperation of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau, a technique is
being devised to track the employment rate of people with disabilities -- just as we track the
employment rate of other groups -- in the employment reports issued by the Department of
Labor. While it may seem like a minor accomplishment to some, you and I know that it is
not. It's one more indication of our resolve to include people with disabilities in all our
employment policies and programs.
[Insert accommodations/CAP announcement here if we have it]
(Probably drop this, or shorten to a phrase:) We are also increasing opportunities in
the Federal government for people with disabilities. For example, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) has reformed its hiring standards to ensure that each applicant (for special
agent positions) is looked at in terms of his or her ability to do the job.
D. Health Care/Medicare/Medicaid
For many people with disabilities, lack of health care coverage is the main obstacle to
employment. Medicaid is too often the only health care coverage available to people with
disabilities.
That's why we have refused to go backwards on health care coverage for people with
disabilities. We have resisted proposals to end the Medicaid guarantee to meaningful health
benefits for the 6 million Americans with disabilities -- including 1 million children.
Without the Medicaid guarantee, a middle class family with a child with a severe
disability could be forced to impoverish itself to pay for their child's medical care. Parents
could be forced to give up jobs to stay home to care for a child. Children and adults who
today live independently in community and family settings with Medicaid supports might be
forced into institutions.
Medicaid touches the lives of these six million Americans with varying types and
levels of disabilities more profoundly and personally than anything else we do in the Federal
Government. Medicaid enables hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities of all ages
to get up in the morning, bathe, eat, go to school or work, and then to bed each night. It has
become the key to increased independence, productivity, and personal responsibility for
thousands of these persons.
Because of our efforts to make the Medicaid program more flexible, more children and
adults now get services at home or in the community, rather than in institutions. For
example, we have doubled the number of individuals with mental retardation and
developmental disabilities served in home and community-based waiver programs since 1992,
from 62,000 to 122,000.
That's also why we are working to enact the Kassebaum-Kennedy health insurance
reform bill. Although this bill would not solve all our health care problems, it is an important
step toward strengthening the health security of the American people. We have suffered some
setbacks on our quest for a fairer health care system, but I am determined to move forward in
an incremental fashion on important goals like increasing access to personal assistance
services. My Medicaid proposal includes a beginning framework to provide more in-home
personal services so that we can increase people's independence.
IV. Big Picture Conclusion Reaffirming commitment to his vision -- inclusion,
independence, empowerment
Of course, there is no clearer way to demonstrate our commitment than by including
people with disabilities as key members of my Administration. I am very proud of the
impressive group of people with disabilities in high-level policy-making positions in this
Administration. We will continue to listen to people with disabilities as we go forward.
Options:
Use State of the Union "Age of Possibilities" to describe the times we live in? -- No one
knows better than those in the disability movement, across our nation, just how rich those
possibilities are.
Quote from ADA 5th: "Opportunity is critical to what we have to do as a nation to meet the
great challenges we face and to move forward into the next century."
Personal Responsibility Theme: We need policies that encourage people with disabilities to
take responsibility for their own lives. Here is some verbiage the DPC has used:
Every day in our country, persons with disabilities are exceeding the expectations that
our society has set for them. In doing so, individuals with disabilities are redefining
what it means to be a fully participating member of the American community.
Indeed, Americans with disabilities and their families often are in the vanguard of
those calling for a New Covenant with their government. They no longer want to be
taken care of by anyone, least of all government. Instead, they expect government at
every level to work alongside them to strengthen policies and programs that increase
their personal and economic independence, while removing barriers that continue to
infringe upon their rights and abilities to lead responsible, productive lives.
Our nation's greatness rests with its people's potential to make the most of their lives
and thereby shape the future of our country. Americans with disabilities represent an
enormous reservoir of such potential. To tap this potential and power, all of us must
heed the President's urgent call to action:
"We must not rest until America has a national disability policy based on three
simple creeds: inclusion, not exclusion; independence, not dependence; and
empowerment, not paternalism." Bill Clinton, 1992
SAJACE
DANiELS
FAY
FORTUNA
DAVT
WHITE
(Ansal LIST
Winna
SEVIGNM
Draft Talking Points
Annual Conference of the
1 JUM
1/3
President's Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities (PCEPD)
I. INTRODUCTION/ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Theme of Conference: "Investing in Abilities"
* Chairman Coelho. I want to thank the Committee's Chairman and my friend -- Tony
Coelho -- for his vision, commitment, and leadership.
* Former PCEPD Chair -- Justin Dart. A champion of the ADA and the civil rights of all
Americans -- Justin Dart.
II. General Big Picture
The following 3 paragraphs are from the "Presidential Message" to the UCP
Conference:
Together we have made considerable progress over the past three years. Together
we've begun to shift our nation's disability policy away from exclusion towards inclusion,
away from dependence towards independence, away from paternalism toward empowerment.
I have committed the bulk of my time as President to the prospect of building a new
The
and lasting prosperity in America. We don't have a person to waste. I know there are many
millions of talented Americans with disabilities who can contribute, if trained and educated,
and if allowed to give their full talents to building a better tomorrow.
But it won't happen unless the government accepts the challenge and accepts its share.
Barias
That's why we have moved boldly to reduce the deficit, to reform our bureaucracy, to invest
in the health, education and talents of our young people, so that we can compete and win in
the new global economy.
III. Disability Related Accomplishments
A, Americans with Disabilities Act
From 7/26/95 Roundtable Remarks:
"Because of the ADA, our country is stronger today Our fellow citizens are
being judged by their abilities to contribute, not by their disabilities. Now all of you and
cur
millions of others all across this country have an opportunity they never had before, to
]
make the most of their own lives."
I Aa COMMITS 2 THE ARA.
We have made a real commitment to vigorous ADA enforcement. Our education and
Yasv 2800 - An WHERICHAI BSSES we BE 5
TRANSPOTATION-
IN NEAS Accessible
THis less, 500
ONE sf THE BILLEST OBSTRUES TO
EMPLOYMENT
enforcement efforts have opened up town halls, schools, transit systems, workplaces, grocery
stores, hotels, restaurants, and movie theaters to millions of people with disabilities. We have
also insured that the Olympic Stadium, site of this summer's games, will be the most
accessible stadium in the world.
Although we have made great progress, we still have a long way to go. Our
commitment will not waiver even as we make the hard choices necessary to balance the
budget. My 1997 Budget calls for a 3.9% increase in funding for ADA enforcement at the
Department of Justice. + also requested a % increase for the EEOC. We won't let up
until all barriers that keep people with disabilities out of the American mainstream come
down.
But the ADA alone will not achieve our vision of inclusion, independence and
empowerment for people with disabilities. We need quality education, good jobs at good
wages (reword this), health care, and services where people need them -- in the community.
B. Education:
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is preparing students with
disabilities to enter the job market and be competitive in our constantly changing economy.
High school graduates with disabilities who went to school under IDEA have an employment
rate twice that of the overall population of individuals with disabilities, most of whom did not
have the benefit of IDEA.
We are working to increase IDEA's focus on outcomes for children and cutting
unnecessary paperwork for schools, while opposing efforts to weaken the IDEA's fundamental
guarantees.
12% INCREDSE
Mention IDEA budget??
We have included young people with disabilities in our School-to-Work Initiative at
every step of the way, so that they can be prepared to make that critical move into the
working world.
The President's Committee is also making a difference through its "High School/High
Tech" program. This effort provides promising students with disabilities with supports that
can lead to college and careers in science and technology.
C. Employment
Employment is the key to economic security for 35 million) working age Americans
with disabilities.
We have taken steps towards making the workplace more accommodating to everyone
especially to people with disabilities:
The Family and Medical Leave Act guarantees job security for those who, due to their
own or family members' disability, illness or injury, require leave from their work. This
landmark law recognizes that such experiences are a natural part of life that must be
accommodated.
The Telecommunications Act, which I recently signed, will make workplaces more
accessible and insure that access is an integral part of the Information Superhighway by
making telecommunications equipment and services more accessible.
We need to make work pay if we are going to expect people with disabilities to forego
(?) cash assistance and obtain economic security in the labor market.
Increasing the minimum wage is vital to insuring this goal. Disabled workers
disproportionately work for minimum wages -- yet their living costs are much higher (e.g.
need to live on accessible bus routes, in accessible housing, personal care assistance, etc.).
By allowing people with disabilities to earn enough to pay their expenses, our proposed
increase will allow more people with disabilities to enter the workforce.
While we are enforcing the ADA vigorously and effectively, the unemployment rate
among people with disabilities is still painfully high -- estimated at two-thirds. Yet we do not
track this critical figure in a systematic and timely way. We need to know how effective our
efforts are in placing people with disabilities in the workforce.
Today I'm pleased to announce a new Federal initiative. At the initiative of the
President's Committee, and with the cooperation of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the
Census Bureau, a technique is being devised to track the employment rate of people with
disabilities -- just as we track the employment rate of other groups -- in the employment
reports issued by the Department of Labor.
I want to thank all parties, especially Secretary of Labor Reich for this new and
important initiative. While it may seem like a minor accomplishment to some, you and I
know that it is not. It's one more indication of our resolve to include people with disabilities
in all our employment policies and programs.
[Insert accommodations/CAP announcement here if we have it]
We are also increasing opportunities in the Federal government for people with
cor.[
disabilities. For example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reformed its hiring
standards to ensure that each applicant (for special agent positions) is looked at in terms of
his or her ability to do the job.
CANCLUSION
I am also proud to say that my Administration includes an impressive group of people
with disabilities in high-level policy-making positions.
D. Health Care/Medicare/Medicaid
Perhaps most important, we have refused to go backwards on health care coverage for
people with disabilities. We have resisted proposals to end the Medicaid guarantee to
meaningful health benefits for the 6 million Americans with disabilities -- including 1 million
children.
Medicaid touches and affects the lives of these six million Americans with varying
types and levels of disabilities more profoundly and personally than anything else we do in
the Federal Government. Medicaid enables hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities
of all ages to get up in the morning, bathe, eat, go to school or work, and then to bed each
night: All the things most others take for granted.
]
For many people with disabilities, lack of health care coverage is the main obstacle to
employment. Medicaid is too often the only health care coverage available to people with
disabilities, because of unfair restrictions on preexisting conditions. That's why we are
working to enact the Kassebaum-Kennedy health insurance reform bill. Although this bill
would not solve all our health care problems, it is an important step toward strengthening the
health security of the American people.
By making Medicaid more flexible, many children and adults now get services at
home or in the community, rather than in institutions. For example, we have doubled the
number of individuals with mental retardation and developmental disabilities served in home
and community-based waiver programs since 1992.
Medicaid is a vital safety net for Americans with disabilities and their families as it is
for other vulnerable individuals. But, it has also become the key to increased independence,
productivity, and personal responsibility for thousands of these persons.
IV. Big Picture Conclusion Reaffirming commitment to his vision -- inclusion,
independence, empowerment
Ideas: Use State of the Union "Age of Possibilities" to describe the times we live in. No one
knows better than those in the disability movement, across our nation, just how rich those
possibilities are.
Quote from ADA 5th: "Opportunity is critical to what we have to do as a nation to meet the
great challenges we face and to move forward into the next century."
CONTINUE TO Listen
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
13- May- 1996 06:29pm
TO:
(See Below)
FROM:
Patrick M. Steel
Scheduling and Advance
ock
SUBJECT: Satellite
)
The Satellite remarks to the President's Committee on Employment is defintely on
for 9am on Thursday, May 23rd, live from Milwaukee, the beer and cheese capital
of the United States. The boss made the call himself so we'll all just have to
grin and bare it (or gin and beer it as the would say in Milwaukee).
Look forward to seeing you all at the trip meetings, which begin tomorrow at
2:30pm in Cosmo's office (Rm 188 for those of you who aren't up on our local pop
culture idol.
Patrick
Distribution:
Room
TO: William White
TO: Paige E. Reffe
TO: Joshua A. King
MA
TO: Andrew Friendly
TO: Jeremy M. Gaines
TO: Andrew D. Sens
CC: Lee A. Satterfield
CC: Anne Walley
CC: Laura D. Schwartz
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16:31
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002
EMPLOYMENT
PEOPLE
I
me SECURITY
President's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
December 12, 1995
The Honorable William J. Clinton
The President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
It is an honor for me to invite you to be the keynote speaker at the 49th Annual Conference of
the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, on May 22, 1996, in
Detroit, Michigan.
As you may know, the President's Committee's Annual Conference is the largest meeting in the
country on issues related to the employment of people with disabilities, attracting over 3,000
attendees annually. Representatives of business, organized labor and government gather with
disability rights leaders, educators and members of veterans' organizations to discuss the full
range of subjects that impact employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Our conference attendees would be eager to hear you reiterate your strong commitment to civil
rights for people with disabilities. I feel that your participation in this Michigan conference
during the primary season represents an outstanding opportunity for you to reach out to a large,
supportive audience with your vision for the future of the country. You and I know that
business, labor and the disability community must work together to maintain America's
leadership in the global economy; this conference will give you a unique platform to express
your direction and goals for the nation.
I know that you will seriously consider this invitation to be with us and to demonstrate your
conviction that "We do not have a single person to waste." I look forward to a favorable reply.
With warmest personal regards,
Sincerely,
Tony Coelho
Chair
TC:EE:BF
1331 F Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004-1107
202-376-6200 (Voice)
202-376-6205 (TDD)
202-376-6219 (Fax)
01/16/96
16:30
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PCEPD
001
OF EMPLOYMENT
PRESIDENTS MINO 314034 COMMITTEE
me SHIPPING
President's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
FAX TO:
Debbie Fine
Your request for information Re on upcoming events
Chris Gruin
@ 456-6682
From:
John A. Lancaster
Subject:
Date:
16 January 1996
3
Xpages
Happy New Year!!!
On January 4th you faxed to this office a request for information on our upcoming events. I
apologize for the lateness of this response, but with the furlough and snow it has just caught up
with me. I trust this response to your questions will still be timely:
49th Annual Conference of the President's Committee on Employment of People with
Disabilities;
Detroit, Michigan at the Westin Hotel at the Renaissance Center;
approximate number of attendees based on recent years attendance - 3,000;
the theme - "Investing in Ability";
contact person: John Lancaster, Executive Director at 202-376-6200, ext. 18.
I should add that at some point in time every President has addressed an Annual Conference of
the President's Committee. Given that this is an election year and the event is in the important
state of Michigan, it would be an excellent opportunity for President Clinton to address our
Conference and get his message out to an important constituency, the disability community. The
President has already been invited to speak at the Conference by our Chairman, Tony Coelho.
Please see the attached letters.
If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me.
1331 F Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004-1107
202-376-6200 (Voice)
202-376-6205 (TDD)
202-376-6219 (Fax)
05/15/96
08:00
202 376 6868
PCEPD
001
WORKERTS am TIM
w STATES
President's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
FACSIMILIE TRANSMISSION
URGENT
NORMAL DELIVERY
DATE: 5/15/96
TO:
BILL WHITE
FAX:#:
456-6218
OFFICE#: 456-2930
FROM:
PAUL HIPPOLITUS
Total number of pages, including this page: 4
NOTE: Please telephone 202/376-6200 if all pages in this
transmission are not received.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Tony Caelho made
some changes to our talking
points for the President's
speech Thursday, May 23Rd
Can They be recluded? ?
1331 F Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004-1107
202-376-6200 (Voice)
202-376-6205 (TDD)
202-3769339 6868 (Fax)
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08:00
202 376 6868
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002
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002
Paul 14
works
the
Talking Points
is
for
President Clinton's Speech
1
at the
Annual Conference of the
President's Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities (PCEPD)
* New PCEPD Executive Order. I'm proud to be able to announce
today that I am signing a new Executive Order for the President's
Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. This new
Executive Order formalizes the new directions that the Committee
has undertaken in the post-Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
era.
Chairman Coelhe. I want to take a moment to thank the
Committee's Chairman and my friend -- Tony Coelho -- for his
vision, commitment, and leadership in bringing the President's
Committee to a new level of effectiveness. When I asked Tony
what he'd like to do in my Administration, he didn't hesitate for
a minute. He told me with fervor and commitment that he wanted
to be Chair of the President's Committee on Employment of People
with Disabilities. He could have selected any number of options.
But once you get to know Tony, you learn quickly about his
passion and sense of ministry for the issues facing people with
disabilities. As a person with a disability himself, his life-
long experiences with discrimination and stigma have only served
to steel him for the fight. He is a magnificent leader -- one I
am very proud to have in this important leadership post.
* Former PCEPD Chair -- Justin Dart. There is one other person
that I want to acknowledge for helping to lay the foundation for
the progress realized under Chairman Coelho. That person is the
Committee's previous Chairman, a champion of the ADA and the
civil rights of American's with disabilities -- Justin Dart.
Justin, thank you for your service to the Committee and for what
you continue to do to inspire us all.
A call to Action. Your President and my Administration is
working hard to advance the employment of people with
disabilities. But, we can't achieve all we want to achieve
without your help. Here are some important efforts that we have
begun. I challenge you to get involved in these programs and help
us to do more.
JOB Accommodation Network. First, the Committee's "Job
Accommodation Network" or JAN is the kind of program that gets
people with disabilities working. During my Administration we
have doubled its capacity. For those of you who don't know about
this program, its a resource center that employers, job
applicants with disabilities and other interested parties can
call to get the information they need to create an accessible and
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003
productive environment for workers with disabilities. Each year
this President's Committee program impacts the employment of at
least 22,000 people with disabilities. It's a free service. When
you hear people complaining that they don't know where to get
good advice, tell them about JAN. Help us get the word out about
this vital service.
* CAP While our JAN program gives out information about how to
accommodate a worker with a disability, the Department of
Defense, has begun an agency wide program that actually
demonstrates for workers with disabilities and supervisors,
needed job accommodations. In addition, this innovative program
also assists with the acquisition OF disability related devices
and equipment. This model program needs to expand and serve the
entire federal government. Moreover, this approach, a job
accommodation training center, is something that the private
sector should consider. I have asked Chairman Coelho to work with
both other federal agencies as well as the private sector to
explore this promising new program.
*Hich school/High Tech. Another Committee initiative that is a
priority of my Administration and is already making a difference
is our "High School/High Tech" program. This effort, now in place
in 10 areas of the country, provides promising students with
disabilities with activities and support that lead to post-
secondary education and careers in science and technology. We
need more companies to come forward -- to provide mentorship and
meaningful hands-on learning experiences to young people
throughout the United States. Join me and the President's
Committee to find out how your company can be part of this team.
= Workforce Recruitment Program. The Committee's "Workforce
Recruitment Program" identifies joh-ready college students with
disabilities who are excellent candidates for jobs in the private
sector. This program, an outgrowth of the Federal Recruitment
Program coordinated by the President's Committee and the
Department of Defense, is an excellent example of combining
federal resolve. Nearly 800 college students with disabilities
have been interviewed and profiled as candidates for internships
and full-time employment opportunities in both the federal
government and the private sector. Last year, about 150 students
got jobs in the federal government. This year, I am proud to be
able to report to you that the federal government will hire
almost 200 college students with disabilities -- but that leaves
a lot of qualified candidates still seeking employment. I ask our
employer friends to take advantage of the talent we've collected
and fill an internship in your company.
Business Leadership Network. Another program started during
this Administration that you can help us with is the Committee's
"Business Leadership Network." Beginning with business
commitments in eight states, this program has the potential to
become a nationwide corps of employers, small, medium and large -
- who will carry the message to their business colleagues about
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004
the bottom-line benefits of hiring employees with disabilities.
Get involved! We need all interested employers to become part of
the network so that you can offer your experiences and expertise
to your community.
* Minority Initiative. One other very critical program of the
Committee needs your involvement and support -- the Minorities
with Disabilities program. Do you realize that more than 80% of
African Americans with severe disabilities are not in the labor
force? I have asked the President's Committee to join forces with
the U.S. Department of Education to address this problem. Within
the next few months we will be announcing a new project to
develop community leaders among minority individuals with
disabilities, who can then take on this important challenge at
the local level. Groups like the NAACP, the Urban League, La Raza
and other minority organizations have made a commitment to
participate in this important effort. Join them and help us to
bring employment and training opportunities to minorities with
disabilities.
* Entrepreneurship. Most of the growth that our economy has
experienced over recent times has been in the area of small
business. I believe people with disabilities should have an equal
opportunity to start their own small businesses, if they wish. I
have asked Chairman Coelho and the President's Committee to begin
a program of support to the disability community which educates
them about small business opportunities and which gives them the
information they need to make an informed choice about their own
potential to start their own businesses.
= Demographics. While the agencies charged with ADA enforcement
are doing their jobs vigorously and effectively, we need to know
how effective our efforts are in placing people with disabilities
in the workforce. Today I'm pleased to announce a new Federal
initiative. At the initiative of the President's Committee, and
with the cooperation of the Bureau of Labor statistics and the
Census Bureau, an accurate technique is being devised to track
the employment rate of people with disabilities, in the
employment reports issued by the Department of Labor.
I want to thank all parties, especially Secretary of Labor Reich,
for this new and important direction. While to some of you this
may seem like a minor accomplishment, let me say that it is not.
It's one more demonstration of National Policy to fully include
people with disabilities in all our employment policies and
programs.
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002
May 16, 1996
MEMORANDUM
To:
Bill White
From:
Mary Kaye Rubin
Subject:
Annual Conference Audience Composition
The audience at the Annual Conference General Session on
Thursday, May 23, 1996 will be comprised of representatives of
all of our constituencies as follows:
Individuals with disabilities, and their families and
friends;
Disability advocates;
Veterans with disabilities;
Employers;
Organized labor representatives;
Minority community members;
Disability press and other media representatives;
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and other service
providers;
Education personnel.
I hope that this will be of assistance. If you have any
questions or need anything else, just call me on (202) 376-6200.
Thank you
(I)
05/16/96
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1
003
THURSDAY, MAY 23, 1996
GENERAL SESSION
8:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Script
Focus - What Must Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals, People
with Disabilities, Business and Labor Officials and the Minority
Community Do in the Future to Increase the Employment Rate of
Workers with Disabilities in the Workforce. How Will the White
House Address Disability Employment Issues in the Future.
8:10 a.m.
President's Committee's seal is projected on
two 9' X 12' screens
8:15
Music begins and ballroom doors open
8:45
Videotaping and real time captioning begin
8:45
Participants Miller, Coelho, Sweeney, Haughton and
Checchi enter stage and take seats
8:45 - 8:47
Committee Vice-Chair Lenore Miller opens the
session and welcomes (2 minutes)
8:47 - 8:48
Miller introduces Committee Chairman Tony Coelho
(1 minute)
8:48 - 9:06
Coelho addresses what people with disabilities and
vocational rehabilitation counselors must do in
the future to increase employment opportunities
for individuals with disabilities (18 minutes)
9:06 - 9:07
Miller introduces John Sweeney, President, AFL/CIO
(1 minute)
9:07 - 9:25
Sweeney addresses what organized labor must do in
the future to increase employment opportunities
for individuals with disabilities (18 minutes)
9:25 - 9:26
Miller introduces Claiborne D. Haughton, Jr.
Principal Director and Director, Civilian Equal
Employment Opportunity, Department of Defense (1
minute)
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004
9:26 - 9:44
Haughton addresses what the minority
community must do in the future to increase
employment opportunities for individuals with
disabilities (15 minutes)
9:44 - 9:45
Miller introduces Alfred A. Checchi, Co-Chairman,
Northwest Airlines, Inc (1 minute)
9:45 - 9:55
Checchi announces a new Northwest Airlines
initiative involving individuals with
disabilities (15 minutes)
9:55 -
Fudge time if the session is running late.
Otherwise Coelho summarizes past
accomplishments and the necessary future steps
outlined at this session until he receives signal
that the President is ready.
David Cox gives Coelho signal that the President
is ready
White House seal is projected on both
9' X 12' screens
Coelho introduces President Clinton (2 minutes)
Coelho and all other participants leave the stage
President Clinton is projected on both 9'12'
screens
President Clinton speaks (15 minutes)
Coelho thanks President Clinton, Miller, Sweeney
Haughton and Checchi and adjourns the session
President's Committee seal is projected on both 9'
X 12' screens
COMMITE ON EMPLOYMENT of
PEOPLE RUIB
3MA DEPARTMENT
President's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
July 30, 1996
Mr. Bill White
Office of Public Liaison
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Bill:
It is my pleasure to share with you a copy of the President's Committee on Employment of
People with Disabilities' 1996 Educational kit. The theme for this year's program is "Ability
For Hire." The kit has been developed to enhance the information available to the public
regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act, job accommodations, and the employability of
persons with disabilities.
The kit will serve as a technical assistance tool to assist employers and others to incorporate
persons with disabilities into the diversified workforce of this nation. President Clinton has
said, "America will not work if Americans cannot work." The educational activities generated
during the year will do much to open doors for the employment of the most underutilized of
America's workforce -- people with disabilities.
If you need additional copies of this information, contact Faith Kirk on 202-376-6200, ext. 13.
Sincerely,
J
Tony Coelho
Chairman
TC:FK:bm
1331 F Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004-1107
202-376-6200 (Voice)
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morvidual 10 TIII me posmon 01
internated
& insurance EXP. prefid. Hexible
Alexandria Liveron
EARN TOP
IMMEDIATELY
property administrato: at a trophy
rep-
hours Fax resume to
benefits. Only qualifi
SET YOUR
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Washington Property. The success-
RESID
computer
persons apply.
Insurance-CSR/Heailh-aor Frix
TEAM PLA
ful candidate must be B creative
Ex-
commercial ins agey seeks exp'd
time
In & titness
for the Catton, VA area
Kay Mgmt.
self starter w/strong administra-
resident mgr
Call
(3+ yrs) CSR w/ strong bith
MAINTENACE
market
TOME
exploding!!
five, communication & organiza-
munity Indl
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bkurnd, excellent writing/proposal
--needed for harder
Nhy We
tional skills. Responsibilities include
supervisory,
6
1.1-
skills. Great grwin potential in dy
Va. Exper. in all PR
ANALYST
secretarial. personnel, insurance &
ershic skills
NEWSPAPER CARRIERS
whole-
name Cr. Stry depend upon exper
Irv. electric, plumni
Buts
SYS.
for
general office plus special projects.
prior exper.
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&
exp. in direct
Must be proficient in Microson
residential li
skills
resume & cvr lir w/ siry hatry &
nwn vehicle. Must 12
Good
response/D
& large scale
CARRIERS NEEDED
Word 1 Excel and other Windows
edge very the
helping
requirements 10: Inger Offer, HIA,
savery & benefits.
membership
DB. $45-$60K.
applications Free pkg. Excellent
benefits 11 y
cumples,
3615-D Chain Bridge Rd., Paintex,
ced
CALL PSP
IMMEDIATELY
salary & benefits. Plansant work
need, send
Virginia 22030. No phone calls ois
MAINTENANCE-
environment. Applicant send re-
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maintenance technick
for
MARKE TIN
sume & calary history to: Wash.
Suite 410. $
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INSURANCE-Mulli-lne Processor/
large garden ap!. a
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OPPO
KNOCKS
Post Box P1937, DC 20071-1900
fax resume
Rater. FFX
caled in ASPED Hill,
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work w/ our
INTERIOR DECORATING
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new Home
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PROPERTY MANAGER
PLEASE E.
No
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Sal
tial 130K/y
& bonuses).
NEWSPAPER CARRIERS
RESORT REI
Seeking y mere career? Love to
blus good benefit
Manageme
Munities. Per
A.J. Dwoskin & Associates, Inc., a
per., will trat
decorate? Init co now acception
in person, Peppertro
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one to OUR 100
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14170 Weening Willo
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CARRIERS NEEDED
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Ar. Young n)
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dential Property Manager. Most
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IMMEDIATELY
qualified candidate will possess a
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MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR
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Residential Really
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11 YOU enjoy wotching prople
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Public Relations- opening.
RESTAURAN
Please state salar
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HEALTH
tectural firm seeks gepher. Call
Join the natio
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tree PRO. me
SIONALS
Ms. baron Gurney at
company
positions
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OPTICAL TECH-ond Recept, pvt
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Looking for
player. Call
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optemetric prac in Southern PG
RESTAURAN
sales in fncl clanning.
Mir
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51-2503
Excerience
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REAL ESTA
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fight
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grams in the nation. Joining U': will
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Chantilly, VA
licensed
202-364
of a Co. car. insur. 101K, vacation &
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AGS.
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RESTAURAN
last advancement oppty. in one of
OPTICIAN MANAGER
202
333-1652.
must.
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mobile dealersnic organizations on
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Mid-sield suburuan MD 1314 arm
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fits Grea' Fa
15 locations in Monts. Co, P.G. Co.
has immed. opening for 20 exper.
phases
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OPTOMETRIC ASST-For Balleys
ailv
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Legal Secretary/Anna Ass: ID
census generation, patient salistac-
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RESTAURAN
Sam Bruner at DARCARS Lanham
RE
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support a partner and associate in
refer pref. For info, cell
tenders, hos
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Ford/Jeep/Easte, 9020 Lanham
CESS
a
Santa Fe E
transactions practice Must have
Severn Rd, Lanisam, MD
CO.
req'd
Alex. VA.
excellent dictating equipment skills
CRISIS RESPONSE COUNSELORS
PAYROLL BENEFITS
benes
ince-
HOW
Including 10/22 5.1, Whee for Win-
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re
to:
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Management Trainees
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ADMINISTRATOR
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expanding for
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evaluations, scheduling admits and
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Candidates must be sell molivered
the D.C. and Md. area has
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!on. Great benes.
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PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
EDUCATIONAL KIT 1996
1331 F Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004-1107
202-376-6200 (Voice)
COMMITE EMPLOYMENT FED#LE
202-376-6205 (TDD)
PLATE
202-376-6219 (Fax)
President's Committee on Employment
of People with Disabilities
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Dina Dorich
Faith Kirk
202-376-6200
FOR RELEASE ON DECEMBER 15, 1995
NEW POLL SHOWS STRONG BUSINESS ENDORSEMENT OF THE ADA
Washington, DC -- December 14, 1995) Almost three fourths (73%) of the top industries
across the United States are currently hiring people with disabilities. And while some
have attacked the value of legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
a sizable majority (54%) of people who make hiring decisions for these companies claim
that the ADA has had a positive impact on corporations. Only 16% believe the ADA
has had a negative effect.
This finding comes from a survey conducted (October 17 to 31, 1995) for the President's
Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities by Global Strategy Group, Inc., a
New York based polling firm. Results were presented to the Executive Board of the
President's Committee on December 15. The survey consisted of a nationwide random
sample of 300 CEO's and Human Resource Managers in Fortune 5000 companies related to
manufacturing, technology, and communications and carries a margin of error of + 5.7%.
Looking at the data by industry, two-thirds (66%) of executives in the field of technology
believe the ADA has had a positive impact as do a majority (52%) in the communications
industry. Slightly less than half (46%) of all manufacturing human resource mangers think
the ADA has made a positive impact on companies across the United States. Regionally,
59% of those in the East and 51% in the South find the ADA to have made a positive impact
while 47% in the Midwest/West say the same.
Technology-based industries are not only the most likely to extol the virtues of the ADA, but
also demonstrate the most impressive record of hiring people with disabilities (76%),
although the manufacturing industry is not far behind (74%). And while the communications
industry personnel are the least likely to be hiring people with disabilities, their record is still
-more-
-2-
impressive (69%). Hiring people with disabilities appears to correlate more with the size of
companies. An inspiring 87% of companies with more than 200 employees are hiring people
with disabilities as are three fourths (75%) of companies employing 51-200 people. More
than half (58%) of companies with less than 50 people are hiring people with disabilities.
The survey revealed several other major findings:
*
A majority (51%) of these companies are looking for access to
qualified applicants so they can move forward with hiring
individuals with disabilities. Another 16% would like job
accommodation information while 9% need awareness training,
and a similar number (9%) need more information on the ADA.
The government (22%) and the media (20%) are the best sources for information on
the ADA. Slightly less than one in five (18%) use their lawyer for information
while 12% attend seminars.
"Data in this survey mirrors information gathered in other recent surveys, and confirms
corporate America's overwhelming support of the ADA," says Tony Coelho, Chairman of
the President's Committee.
A July 1995 Harris Poll, conducted for the National Organization on Disability, showed that
a large majority (70%) of senior corporate executives support the ADA and another 8%
believe it should be strengthened; in the same poll 89% of employers supported policies to
increase the number of people with disabilities in their companies. A January 1995 poll
conducted by Mason-Dixon and funded by the Florida Chamber of Commerce Foundation's
Disability Awareness Project showed that, on the basis of the experience of Chamber
members, 87% of employers who had hired persons with disabilities would encourage other
businesses to do likewise.
According to Jefrey Pollock, a principal of Global Strategy Group and author of the
President's Committee's survey, "There is a great deal of support in critical American
industries for the ADA. The industries which are key to the growth of the American
economy are fully behind the ADA and the success it has enjoyed. There is no industry
support for changing the law whatsoever."
-30-
Americans With Disabilities Act
Prepared by:
Global Strategy Group, Inc
November 30, 1995
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
Methodology
The survey conducted was a sample of 300 CEO's and Human
Resource Directors in three key industries: manufacturing,
communications, and technology.
The margin of error for this survey is +/- 5.7%.
The interviews were conducted from October 17 to October 31,
1995 during business hours.
The interviews were conducted with a CATI (Computer Assisted
Telephone Interview) system.
The analysis and processing were conducted by Global Strategy
Group, Inc.
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
GLOBAL STRATEGY GROUP, INC.
GSG
532 LA GUARDIA PLACE. SUITE 204
NEW YORK, NY 10012
TEL.: 212.260.8813 FAX: 212.260.9058
Americans With Disabilities Act Survey Topline Results
300 Human Resource Managers / CEOs of Fortune 5000 Growth
Industries (Technology, Communications, and Manufacturing)
Margin of Error + 5.7%
Survey Performed October 18 - November 1
Some Results Do Not Add to 100% Due To Rounding Errors
1)
What do you think about the Americans with Disabilities Act? That is, what
impact do you think the American with Disabilities Act (or ADA) has had on
businesses in general? Would you say it has had a very positive impact,
somewhat positive, somewhat negative, very negative impact, or has the act had
no impact at all. If you have never heard of the act, just say so.
17%
Very positive impact
54% TOTAL POSITIVE
37%
Somewhat positive impact
13%
Somewhat negative impact
3%
Very negative impact
16% TOTAL NEGATIVE
16%
No impact at all
1%
Never heard of
13%
Don't know / Refused
2)
Some businesses are hiring people with disabilities for work while others are not.
In general, is your business hiring people with disabilities?
73% Yes
14% No
13%
Don't know / Refused
3)
(IF NO FROM QUESTION 2, ASK:) Why not?
50%
Unsure where to find qualified people with disabilities
* %
Personal discomfort
0%
Health insurance for the disabled
0%
Costs of hiring the disabled
0%
Fear of law suits or legal action
50%
Don't know / Refused (DO NOT READ)
4)
What would be most helpful to you in hiring people with disabilities?
51%
Access to qualified applicants
16%
Information on how to arrange job accommodations
9%
Awareness training
7%
Accurate information on the Americans with Disabilities Act
3%
Tax incentives
13%
Don't know / Refused
5)
How do you get your information regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act?
22%
The government
20%
The media - newspaper and broadcast
18%
A lawyer
12%
Training or educational seminars
8%
Business magazine
6%
A consultant
13%
Don't know / Refused
6)
What is your title
87%
Human Resource / Personnel Manager
13%
CEO
* % = Less than 1 %, greater than 0%
What Impact Do You Think The Americans With
Disabilities Act Has Had On Corporations In General?
50%
37%
40%
30%
17%
20%
16%
13%
14%
10%
3%
0%
Very
Somewhat
Somewhat
Very
No impact
DK/NR
positive
positive
negative
Negative
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
What Impact Do You Think The Americans With
Disabilities Act Has Had On Corporations In General?
Regional Breakdown
50%
39%
40%
37%
33%
37%
30%
20%
19%
17%
20%
17%
16%
16%
14%
15%
15%
14%
13%
10%
10%
5%
3%
3%
3%
0%
Very
Somewhat
Somewhat
Very
No impact
positive
positive
negative
Negative
Total
East
West/Midwest
South
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
What Impact Do You Think The Americans With
Disabilities Act Has Had On Corporations In General?
Industry Breakdown
50%
40% 38%
40%
37% 34%
28%
30%
21%
18%
20%
17%
16%
17%
16%
12%
13%
12%
8%
10%
6%
5%
3%
3%
1%
0%
Very
Somewhat
Somewhat
Very
No impact
positive
positive
negative
Negative
Total
Manufacturing
Communications
Technology
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
How Do You Get Your Information Regarding The
Americans With Disabilities Act?
40%
30%
22%
20%
18%
20%
13%
12%
8%
10%
6%
0%
The media
Business
Lawyer
Consultant
Seminars
Govemment
DK/NR
magazine
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
How Do You Get Your Information Regarding The
Americans With Disabilities Act?
Industry Breakdown
40%
32%
30%
25%
25%
24%
22%
18%
20%
18%18%
19%
20%
15%
13%
12%
12%
11%
8% 8%
9%
10%
8% 7%
6%
6%
6%
4%
0%
Media
Business
Lawyer
Consultant
Seminars
Govemment
magazine
Total
Manufacturing
Communications
Technology
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
How Do You Get Your Information Regarding The
Americans With Disabilities Act?
Gender Breakdown
40%
30%
30%
23%
22%
19%
20%
18%
20%
18%
17%
17%
16%
12%
9%
10%
8%
6%
7%
6%
7%
5%
0%
Media
Business
Lawyer
Consultant
Seminars
Government
magazine
Total
Men
Women
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
Is Your Company Hiring People With Disabilities?
100%
80%
73%
60%
40%
14%
13%
20%
0%
Yes
No
DK/NR
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
Is Your Company Hiring People With Disabilities?
Regional Breakdown
100%
79%
80%
73%
72%
70%
60%
40%
15%
20%
14%
14%
13%
0%
Yes
No
Total
East
West/Midwest
South
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
Is Your Company Hiring People With Disabilities?
Industry Breakdown
100%
74%
76%
80%
73%
69%
60%
40%
15%
18%
20%
14%
10%
0%
Yes
No
Total Manufacturing Communications . Technology
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
Is Your Company Hiring People With Disabilities?
Company Size Breakdown
100%
87%
75%
80%
73%
58%
60%
40%
28%
20%
14%
11%
6%
0%
Yes
No
Total
50 or
less employees
51 to 200 employees
More than 200 employees
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
What Would Be Most Helpful To You In Hiring People
With Disabilities?
60%
51%
50%
40%
30%
20%
16%
13%
9%
9%
10%
3%
0%
Access to
Job accom.
Awareness
A.D.A.
Tax
DK/NR
Applicants
information
training
Information
incentives
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
What Would Be Most Helpful To You In Hiring People
With Disabilities?
Industry Breakdown
80%
70%
59%
60%
51%
43%
51%
50%
40%
30%
20%
18%
20%
16%
11%
14%
11%
9%
8%
7%
7%
10%
5%
4%
0%
Access to
Job accom.
Awareness
A.D.A.
Applicants
information
training
Information
Total
Manufacturing
Communications
Technology
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
What Would Be Most Helpful To You In Hiring People
With Disabilities?
Company Size Breakdown
80%
70%
60%
56%
51%
51%
50%
46%
40%
30%
23%
20%
15%
16%
12%
14%
12%
9%
7%
7%
7%
6%
8%
10%
3%
3%
2%
0%
0%
Acces S to
Job accom.
Awareness
A.D.A.
Tax
Applicants
information
training
Information
incentives
Total
50 or less employees 51 to 200 employees More than 200 employees
GSG
Global Strategy Group, Inc.
ENPLOYMENT & COMMITTEE OF PEOPLE
WITH
3MJ SERVICES
President's Committee on Employment
June 25, 1996
of People with Disabilities
Mr. William White
Associate Director
Office of Public Liaison
The White House
OEOB-111 1/2
Washington, DC 20501
Dear Bill:
I am writing to thank you for all of your hard work in furthering the goals of the
President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.
I am particularly appreciative of the crucial rule you played in President Clinton's
address to the attendees of our 49th Annual Conference. We were delighted that the
President could address us via live satellite. Your commitment to the aims of the
Committee helped ensure that the President's speech recognized several of our
important projects and initiatives.
Immediately following the Conference, you played an instrumental role in
orchestrating the Oval Office ceremony for Susan Sygall, the recipient of the 1995
President's Award. Meeting the President and receiving the Award directly from him
meant so much to Susan and her family.
Again, thank you for your continued support of the President's Committee's
endeavors. I look forward to continuing to work together to promote the
employment of people with disabilities.
Sincerely,
Tony \ Coelho
Chairman
cc: Alexis M. Herman
TC:el
1331 F Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004-1107
202-376-6200 (Voice)
202-376-6205 (TDD)
202-376-6219 (Fax)
Clinton Presidential Records
Digital Records Marker
This is not a presidential record. This is used as an administrative
marker by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Staff.
This marker identifies the place of a publication.
Publications have not been scanned in their entirety for the purpose
of digitization. To see the full publication please search online or
visit the Clinton Presidential Library's Research Room.
Bridge to the Future
8pgs
Annual Conference
BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE
Annual Conference
Washington, D.C.
June 4 - 6, 1997
50
YEARS
No
EMPLOYMENT
COMMITE THE 06/17/1990 OF PEOPLE WITH
New This Year!
EMPLOYMENT FAIR
June 6, 1997