Congressional Record dated Wednesday, April 28, 1999
House Section
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Remarks by EHRLICH (R-MD) on H.R. 1601: BLIND EMPOWERMENT ACT
[CR page H-2454, 63 lines]
Attributed to EHRLICH (R-MD)
BLIND EMPOWERMENT ACT
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman
from Maryland (Mr. Ehrlich) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. EHRLICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Blind Empowerment
Act, which will impact the lives of nearly a quarter of a million blind
people.
The Blind Empowerment Act, Mr. Speaker, restores the long-standing linkage
between blind people and senior citizens under the Social Security Act. This
bipartisan legislation, which currently has over 230 cosponsors, will restore
this historic link and empower blind people.
For nearly 20 years, the blind and senior citizens were linked for purposes
of the Social Security earnings test. Generally, the test has been a part of
our Social Security program since its inception. The test reduces the
benefits of recipients who earn above a certain amount of income from their
work.
In 1977, the Social Security amendments established the earnings limit for
the blind who receive disability benefits. This exempt amount was linked to
the identical exempt amount as applied to seniors 65 and over.
In 1996, we did the right thing by raising the earnings limit for seniors
from $11,500 to $30,000 by the year 2002. That was the Senior Citizens
Freedom To Work Act. Giving seniors the opportunity to increase their
earnings and keep their benefits was the right thing to do.
During the process, however, this historic link between the blind and the
seniors was ended, which aided in balancing the budget. As a result, by 2002,
when the exemption for seniors becomes $30,000, the lower limit set by
Congress for the blind will be half that amount.
It is also important to note that when blind individuals earn more than the
earnings limit threshold, they lose all of their benefits. The senior
citizens in the same situation would only have their benefits reduced by a
rate of $1 for every $3 earned over the limit.
We should not roll back the progress of the last 2 decades by continuing a
policy which discourages working individuals from becoming self-sufficient
and making a contribution to their communities.
It is my belief that "delinkage" occurred because our priorities in 1995
were to rein in deficit spending and not to provide a disincentive to the
working blind. The blind want to work and take pride in doing so.
In an era of budget surplus, need for capable workers in a tight labor
market, and a clear opportunity to demonstrate fairness and equity, it is
time for Congress to restore this historic link. The increasing number of
working blind Americans will produce additional tax revenue and contributions
to the Federal Treasury and the Social Security Trust Fund.
Approximately 70 percent of working-age blind people are underemployed or
unemployed. Accordingly, blindness is often associated with adverse social
and economic consequences. It is difficult for blind individuals to find
sustained employment or, for that matter, employment at all.
(Time) 2045
This is especially good, common-sense legislation during this favorable
economic time. When I listen to business owners back in my district, one
thing they tell me is that their priority is to find and keep quality
workers.
Mr. Speaker, I urge this House, the rest of my colleagues in this House, to
join me in sponsoring the Blind Empowerment Act. I am confident Congress will
do the right thing and restore fairness and trust by reestablishing this
historic link and return to the blind the vital economic freedom which will
empower them to provide for themselves and their families and contribute to
the health of this Nation.
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H.R.1601 As introduced in the House, April 28, 1999
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I
106th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1601
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to restore the 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.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 28, 1999
Mr. Ehrlich (for himself, Mrs. Thurman, Mr. Cooksey, Mr. Larson, Mr. Watts of
Oklahoma, Mrs. Northup, Mr. McIntosh, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Young
of Alaska, Mr. Bereuter, Ms. Hooley of Oregon, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr.
Wynn, Mr. Oberstar, Mr. Weygand, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mr. Barrett of
Wisconsin, Mr. Hall of Ohio, Mr. Horn, Mr. Traficant, Mr. Sanders, Mr.
Salmon, Mr. Clement, Mr. Meehan, Mr. Hefley, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts,
Mrs. Meek of Florida, Mr. Towns, Mr. Shays, Mrs. Mink of Hawaii, Mr.
Snyder, Mr. Berman, Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. Boucher, Mr. Rothman, Mr.
McNulty, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Bentsen, Mr. Baldacci, Ms.
DeLauro, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Neal of Massachusetts, Mr. Diaz-Balart, Mr.
Frost, Mr. Dixon, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Bonior,
Mr. Underwood, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Romero-Barcelo, Mr. Stump, Mr. Taylor of
North Carolina, Mr. Tierney, Mr. LaTourette, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Walsh, Mr.
Bartlett of Maryland, Mr. Gilchrest, Mrs. Morella, Mr. LaFalce, Ms.
Slaughter, Mr. Costello, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Hobson, Mr. Fletcher, Mr.
Kuykendall, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Clay, Mr. Gutierrez, Ms. Woolsey, Mr.
Dickey, Mr. LoBiondo, Mr. Watkins, Mr. Deutsch, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Coburn,
Mr. Goodling, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Fattah, Mrs. Tauscher, Mr.
Fossella, Mr. Brown of California, Mr. Baker, Ms. Danner, Mrs. Clayton,
Mr. Tauzin, Mr. Stark, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Lampson, Mr. Borski,
Mr. Payne, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Coble, Mrs. Capps, Mr.
Martinez, Mr. Murtha, Mr. Nussle, Mr. Gallegly, Mr. Schaffer, Mr. Istook,
Mr. Largent, Mr. Sawyer, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Watt of North Carolina, Mr.
Talent, Mr. Ballenger, Mr. Vento, Mr. Lucas of Oklahoma, Mr. Baird, Mr.
Kind, Mr. Wise, Mr. Becerra, Mr. Stearns, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Cramer, Mr.
Boswell, Mr. Radanovich, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Brown of
Florida, Mr. Bliley, Mr. Filner, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Kennedy of Rhode
Island, Mr. Greenwood, Mr. Klink, Mr. Kanjorski, Mr. Oxley, Mr. Pastor,
Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Davis of Virginia, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Spence,
Mr. Rush, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Allen, Ms. Carson, Mr. Holden, Mr. Terry, Mrs.
Jones of Ohio, Mr. Burr of North Carolina, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Strickland,
Mr. Sessions, Ms. Pryce of Ohio, Mr. Gejdenson, Mr. McGovern, Mr.
Pascrell, Mr. Ney, Mr. Hilliard, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Sununu,
Mr. Hansen, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Coyne, Mr. Barrett of Nebraska, Mr. Lewis of
Kentucky, Mr. Shows, Mr. Visclosky, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Leach, Mr. Burton of
Indiana, Mr. Dicks, Mrs. Maloney of New York, Mr. Hutchinson, Ms. Kaptur,
Mr. Cook, Mr. Spratt, Mr. Regula, Mr. Peterson of Minnesota, Mr.
Cummings, Mr. Nethercutt, Mr. Latham, Mr. Farr of California, Mr. John,
Mr. Olver, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Whitfield, Mr.
Brown of Ohio, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Clyburn, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Gilman, Mr.
Moran of Virginia, Mr. King, Mrs. Chenoweth, Mr. Sabo, Mr. Thornberry,
Mrs. Emerson, Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Peterson of Pennsylvania, Mr. Chabot, Mr.
Rahall, Mr. Dooley of California, Mr. Skelton, Mr. Minge, Mr. Inslee, Mr.
Kucinich, Mr. Wamp, Mr. Foley, Mr. Scott, Mr. Gary Miller of California,
Mr. Ganske, Ms. Granger, Ms. McCarthy of Missouri, Mr. Jefferson, Mr.
Norwood, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Hoeffel,
Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Matsui, Mr. Gillmor, Mr. Maloney of Connecticut, Mr.
Weiner, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Moore, Mr. Pombo, Mr. Delahunt, Mr. Roemer, Mr.
Davis of Illinois, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Berry, Mr. Hall of Texas, Mr. Quinn,
Mr. Ortiz, Mr. Simpson, and Mr. Condit) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
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A BILL
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to restore the 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.
==============================
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. RESTORATION OF LINK BETWEEN RULES RELATING TO SUBSTANTIAL GAINFUL
ACTIVITY FOR BLIND INDIVIDUALS AND RULES RELATING TO EXCESS EARNINGS
UNDER THE EARNINGS TEST.
Section 223(d)(4)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 423(d)(4)(A))
is amended by striking "No individual who is blind" and all that follows
through "had not been enacted." and inserting "No individual who is blind
shall be regarded as having demonstrated an ability to engage in substantial
gainful activity on the basis of earnings that do not exceed an amount equal
to the exempt amount under section 203(f)(8) which is applicable to
individuals described in subparagraph (D) thereof.".
SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to taxable years
ending after 1995.
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End of Document
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