The loss of health care is the major reason why persons with disabilities are locked out of the workplace.  According to the report issued last fall by the President's Task Force on the Employment of Persons with Disabilities, "(a)ccess to health care is accepted as the primary barrier to keeping people with disabilities outside the world of work."  While 72 percent of persons with disabilities want to work and could be productive members of the community, the loss of health care coverage keeps them from doing so.  H.R. 1180, as originally introduced, corrects this situation.  It would allow persons with disabilities to return to work and retain access to a broad array of services.

The bill before us today, however, is significantly different from H.R. 1180 as introduced.  While I will support this version, I strongly urge the conferees to improve the Work Incentives Improvement in order to bring it closer to the provisions of the original bill.  I am concerned that, despite last minute negotiations, the bill does not provide full funding to ensure that services will be available to Medicaid beneficiaries who return to work.  Because this bill has been rushed to the floor with little chance for review and no chance for amendments, it has been difficult to analyze fully the impacts of those funding sources that have been identified.  There are numerous ways to fully fund the Work Incentives Improvement Act without taking funding from other essential programs.  I hope that the original provisions of H.R. 1180 will be restored in conference, and that we find funding sources that do not jeopardize critical health care programs such as school-based health care.

I am also concerned that, just as we are working to help persons with disabilities move into the workforce, the new 6.3% attorney tax will harm other persons with disabilities receive their Social Security benefits.  Legal representation is critical in Social Security disability cases – it often makes the difference between whether a person receives or does not receive disability benefits.  Taxing the attorneys who help persons with disabilities receive the benefits to which they are entitled may mean that those persons never receive their benefits.  I believe that this is an unwise and dangerous provision, and I hope that the conferees will eliminate it from the final bill.

We can act now to give persons with disabilities the opportunity to be productive members of their community.  We can provide sufficient funding so that those who move into the workforce receive comprehensive, quality health care.  And we can fund this major initiative in a manner that is fair.  I urge my colleagues to work for improvements in H.R. 1180 so that its full promise will be realized.