Policy Corner: February 1, 2019

President Signs Bill Ending the Partial Government Shutdown for Three Weeks

The President signed a funding bill Jan. 25 to open government for three weeks. A bipartisan congressional committee has until Feb. 15 to negotiate around the issue of border security. If Congress and the Administration do not reach a deal by then, the federal government would once again face a partial shutdown.

Lawmakers Introduce the Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act

Rep. Anthony Brown (D-M.D.) and his 50 original co-sponsors have introduced H.R.511, the Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act of 2019. The legislation closes fatal loopholes in federal law that allow dangerous dating abusers, stalkers, and those subject to ex parte protective orders to have firearms. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) has introduced similar legislation, S.120.

Last week, Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) introduced H.R. 505 calling for the U.S. Attorney General to identify and describe best practices for state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers and prosecutors in investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases involving the victimization of women with disabilities.

Legislators Announce their Transformation to Competitive Employment Bill

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) introduced the Transformation to Competitive Employment Act Jan. 31 to eliminate the provision known as Section 14(c) in the minimum wage law that allows employers, such as sheltered workshops, to pay workers with disabilities a fraction of the minimum wage. The bills, H.R. 873 and S.260, also include funding to support states and employment to transform business models to support individuals with disabilities as they transition to competitive, integrated employment and tracks their outcomes in a six-year phase-out period.

NIDILRR Publishes New Long-Range Plan

The National Institute of Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) has published a new Long-Range Plan for 2018-2023. The plan extends NIDILRR’s emphasis on the major outcome domains of community living and participation, health and function, and employment. The plan also reinforces the need for investment in three areas that support outcomes across these domains: technology for access and function; disability statistics; and a nationwide network of technical assistance, training, and research centers to support implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 transferred NIDILRR from the U.S. Department of Education to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Specifically, NIDILRR became part of the Administration for Community Living, whose mission is to maximize the independence, well-being, and health of older adults, people with disabilities across the lifespan, and their families and caregivers. Click here to review the plan.

BIAA gratefully acknowledges the Centre for Neuro Skills and Avanir Pharmaceuticals for their support for legislative action.