From: Kelly Pierce
Subject: Senator McCain introduces S. 375
Congressional Record dated Thursday, February 27, 1997
Senate Section
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Remarks by MCCAIN (R-AZ) on S. 375: Social Security Act, Amendment
[CR page S-1747, 94 lines]
Attributed to MCCAIN (R-AZ)
By Mr. McCAIN (for himself, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Ford, Mr.
Warner, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Reed, Mr. DeWine,
Mr. Wellstone and Mr. Hagel):
S. 375. A bill to amend title II of the Social Security Act to restore
he
link between the maximum amount of earnings by blind individuals permitted
without demonstrating ability to engage in substantial gainful activity and
the exempt amount permitted in determining excess earnings under the
earnings
test; to the Committee on Finance.
THE BLIND PERSONS EARNINGS EQUITY ACT
Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I rise today with my good friend, Senator
odd,
to introduce an important piece of legislation which would have a
remendous
impact on the lives of many blind people. Our bill restores the 20-year
ink
between blind people and senior citizens in regard to the Social Security
earnings limit which has helped many blind people become self-sufficient
nd
productive.
Unfortunately, by passing the Senior Citizens Freedom to Work Act last
year, Congress broke the longstanding linkage in the treatment of blind
people and seniors under Social Security, which resulted in allowing the
earnings limit to be raised for seniors only and did not give blind people
the same opportunity to increase their earnings without penalizing their
Social Security benefits.
My intent when I sponsored the Senior Citizens Freedom to Work Act was
ot
to permanently break the link between blind people and the senior
population.
Last year, time constraints and fiscal considerations forced me to focus
solely on raising the unfair and burdensome earnings limit for seniors. I
m
happy to say that the Senior Citizens Freedom to Work Act became law last
year, and the earnings exemption for seniors is being raised in annual
increments until it reaches $30,000 in the year 2002. This law is allowing
millions of seniors to make their lives better and continue contributing to
society as productive workers.
We now should work in the spirit of fairness to ensure that this same
opportunity is given to the blind population. We should provide blind
eople
the opportunity to be productive and" make it on their own. We should not
continue policies which discourage these individuals from working and
contributing to society.
The bill I am introducing today, along with Senator Dodd, will restore
he
traditional linkage between seniors and blind people and allow them the
ame
consideration as seniors in regard to the Social Security earnings test.
This
bill would reunite the earnings exemption amount for blind people with the
exemption amount for senior citizens. If we do not reinstate this link,
blind
people will be restricted to earning $14,400 in the year 2002 in order to
protect their Social Security benefits, compared to the $30,000 which
seniors
will be permitted to earn.
There are very strong and convincing arguments in favor of reestablishing
the link between these two groups and increasing the earnings limit for
blind
people.
First, the earnings test treatment of our blind and senior populations
as
historically been identical. Since 1977, blind people and senior citizens
have shared the identical earnings exemption threshold under title II of
he
Social Security Act. Now, senior citizens will be given greater opportunity
to increase their earnings without having their Social Security benefits
being penalized; the blind, however, will not have the same opportunity.
The Social Security earnings test imposes as great a work disincentive
or
blind people as it does for senior citizens. In fact, the earnings test
probably provides a greater aggregate disincentive for blind individuals
since many blind beneficiaries are of working age--18-65--and are capable
f
productive work.
Blindness is often associated with adverse social and economic
consequences. It is often tremendously difficult for blind individuals to
find sustained employment or any employment at all, but they do want to
work.
They take great pride in being able to work and becoming productive members
of society. By linking the blind with seniors in 1977, Congress provided a
great deal of hope and incentive for blind people in this country to enter
the work force. Now, we are taking that hope away from them by not allowing
them the same opportunity to increase their earnings as senior citizens.
Blind people are likely to respond favorably to an increase in the
earnings
test by working more, which will increase their tax payments and their
purchasing power and allow the blind to make a greater contribution to the
general economy. In addition, encouraging the blind to work and allowing
them
to work more without being penalized would bring additional revenue into
he
Social Security trust funds. In short, restoring the link between blind
people and senior citizens for treatment of Social Security benefits would
help many blind people become self sufficient, productive members of
society.
I want to stress that it was always my intent that the link between blind
and senior populations would only be temporarily broken. I urge my
colleagues
to join me in sponsoring this important measure to restore fair and
equitable
treatment for our blind citizens and to give the blind community increased
financial independence. Our Nation would be better served if we restore the
work incentive equality provision for the blind and provide them with the
same freedom, opportunities and fairness as our Nation's seniors.
I ask unanimous consent that numerous letters of support from various
community groups and state organizations be included as a part of the
Record.
In addition, I would like to thank the many chapters of the National
Federation of the Blind from throughout the country who have sent letters
f
support for this important piece of legislation including the Arizona
Chapter, Idaho Western Chapter, Minnesota, Alabama, South Carolina,
Shoreline
Chapter of Connecticut, Iowa, Idaho, Minnesota's Metro Chapter, Virginia,
Maryland, Connecticut, New York, Utah, Pennsylvania, California,
Mississippi,
Wisconsin, Idaho s Elmore County, and the Pend Oreille Chapter of Idaho.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:
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Text Inserted by MCCAIN (R-AZ) on S. 375 [CR page S-1748, 18 lines]
National Industries for the Blind,
Alexandria, VA, February 21, 1997.
Hon. John McCain,
241 Russell Senate Office Building, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Senator McCain: On behalf of National Industries for the Blind and
our
119 associated industries in 38 states, that employ over 5,300 people who
are
blind, I vigorously endorse your proposed legislation to amend title II of
the Social Security Act.
This legislation to re-institute the linkage, between people who are
lind
and senior citizens, if passed, will allow people who are blind to strive
for
full employment.
Please let us know how NIB can be of further assistance to you as you
eek
support of this important legislation.
Sincerely,
Judith D. Moore.
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Text Inserted by MCCAIN (R-AZ) on S. 375 [CR page S-1748, 31 lines]
Rehabilitation Advisory Council
for the Blind,
St. Paul, MN, February 20, 1997.
Hon. John McCain,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Senator McCain: On behalf of the Rehabilitation Advisory Council for
the Blind in Minnesota, I wish to express our strong support for the
restoration of the earnings limits linkage under the Social Security Act
between the blind and age 65 retirees. It is my understanding that you will
be introducing a bill to achieve this restoration. We commend you for your
willingness to exercise leadership on behalf of blind people who want to
work
and participate actively and productively in society. We support your bill.
The Social Security earnings limit for the blind is presently set at
$12,000 per year. As I am sure you are aware, this is a powerful
disincentive
for blind people to leave the Social Security rolls and become self-
supporting citizens. This barrier to self-support will become even more
insurmountable as the gap between the blind and senior citizens widens. It
is
vital, therefore, that the blind achieve parity with age 65 retirees
nsofar
as earnings limits under the Social Security Act are concerned. Using the
figures that apply to senior citizens, this means raising the earnings
imit
for the blind to $30,000 per year by the year 2002.
Thank you for recognizing the problem and taking forthright action to
eal
with it.
Yours sincerely,
Curtis Chong,
Chairperson, Rehabilitation Advisory
Council for the Blind.
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Text Inserted by MCCAIN (R-AZ) on S. 375 [CR page S-1748, 22 lines]
Louisiana Center for the Blind,
Ruston, LA, February 21, 1997.
Dear Senator McCain: Since 1985, the Louisiana Center for the Blind has
provided training and job placement services for hundreds of blind adults
throughout the country. One of our primary goals is to help blind persons
become employed so that they can become productive, tax-paying citizens.
Over
the past twelve years, we have observed that one of the main disincentives
for employment is the earnings limit under Social Security Disability
Insurance.
As the director of the Louisiana Center for the Blind, I want to express
my
strong support for your bill which would restore the linkage between the
blind and retirees for the earnings limit under the Social Security Act.
Since the unemployment rate among the blind is a staggering 70%, I firmly
believe that your bill will decrease this statistic by helping blind
Americans enter the workforce.
Thank you for your efforts on behalf of the nation's blind.
Sincerely,
Joanne Wilson,
Director.
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Text Inserted by MCCAIN (R-AZ) on S. 375 [CR page S-1748, 27 lines]
National Council of State
Agencies for the Blind, Inc.,
Boston, MA, February 25, 1997.
Hon. John McCain,
U.S. Senate, Russell Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Senator McCain: Please accept this letter of support and applause
from
the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind as a testimony to the
reality that your effort to reestablish the link for Blind SSDI recipients
to
the earnings limits of persons who are elderly is both timely and well
grounded as a benefit to the national economy.
There is no question in the view of this organization which has a primary
role of assisting blind persons to return to work, that reestablishment of
the linkage would positively impact the decision of many persons to do so.
Removing the disincentive of lower earnings before a total cut-off of
benefits and reestablishing the linkage of a higher earnings limit would
afford those persons capable of rejoining the national work force with the
powerful personal reason to do so through sustained economic security.
Please be assured of the support and any assistance you may require of
this
organization as you take on this progressive and needed challenge to
estore
the earnings linkage. I may be reached at the above address or by phoning
(617)-727-5550 extension 4503 in the event you wish to communicate further.
Sincerely,
Charles H. Crawford,
President.
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Text Inserted by MCCAIN (R-AZ) on S. 375 [CR page S-1748, 23 lines]
American Council of the Blind,
Washington, DC, February 25, 1997.
Hon. John McCain,
U.S. Senate, 241 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Senator McCain: On behalf of the national membership of the American
Council of the Blind, I write to applaud your efforts to restore the
statutory linkage between the earnings limit for seniors and blind SSDI
beneficiaries. This bill will go a long way to improving employment
opportunities for blind people, who struggle to enter and remain in the
ork
force. In the words of Jim Olsen, a member of the American Council of the
Blind of Minnesota, "restoring the linkage will enable blind people to
continue to work, pay taxes, and believe in the American spirit of the work
ethic."
Our members are urging their Senators to support your bill to restore
linkage, and we are keeping them informed of your efforts on their behalf.
Please let me know how I can be of assistance in this matter.
Thank you.
Very truly yours,
Julie H. Carroll,
Director of Governmental Affairs.
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Text Inserted by MCCAIN (R-AZ) on S. 375 [CR page S-1748, 37 lines]
Metairie, LA,
February 22, 1997.
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