                        LEGISLATIVE ALERT

     This is an updated version of a notice distributed last week
on the same subject.  It concerns a bill--H. R. 1617--which is
now moving toward critical votes in the U. S. House of
Representatives.  The bill would take the place of the existing
vocational rehabilitation services structure.  State agencies
(including separate agencies for the blind) would, for all
practical purposes, be eliminated.  This notice contains the
actual language of relevant portions of the bill and several
other documents related to it.  

     Many people who read this notice will be present, former, or
future clients of the vocational rehabilitation program.  Just
imagine what it would be like if you were told to go down to the
"unemployment office" (or something like it) to ask for personal
adjustment training and other blindness-related services.  What
kind of response do you think you would get from the caseworker
when an authorization for more than just a few thousand dollars
is requested to purchase training services and specialized
technology?

     This would be the situation for blind people if H. R. 1617
is enacted in Congress.  At that point, all specialized services
for the blind, along with all other forms of rehabilitation
service, would be available only through specified, local work
force development offices.  It would be the responsibility of the
people in these offices to help anyone (disabled or not) who is
looking for work.  The state vocational rehabilitation agency
might still exist in name, but it would not include a significant
service program.

     Remember the individualized written rehabilitation program
(IWRP)? It contains the commitments made by the state agency to
provide service.  If the new legislation passes, the IWRP would
not exist, at least with the content presently required.  Perhaps
it would not exist at all.

     This suggests that a serious challenge is immediately before
us.  The legislation in question is designed to consolidate job
training, education, and employment service programs so that all
services must be sought at the local level through so-called
"one-stop" offices.  The leading proponents are William Goodling
of Pennsylvania, in the House, and Nancy Kassebaum of Kansas, in
the Senate.  The earliest version of this same bill in the Senate
was S. 143, but that bill will probably be replaced sometime soon
with a revised version and a different number.  

     Under either bill Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
the basic state/federal program of vocational rehabilitation
services, would be absorbed completely into the generic job-
training, education, and employment service programs which serve
anyone (disabled or not) who is out of work and in need of help. 
The House bill, known as the "CAREERS" Act, is expected to be
considered first, as early as May 17, in a subcommittee "markup"
session.

     The text of H. R. 1617 is the final item in this package.  A
fact sheet, describing the bill and its impact upon the
vocational rehabilitation program, appears before the draft. 
Agencies and organizations in the blindness field have issued a
"joint statement" in opposition to inclusion of the
Rehabilitation Act in the consolidation measure.  The text of
this statement is also presented below.

     The rehabilitation program is certainly not perfect, but the
consolidation bills are not intended to improve it.  If saving
money is the goal, that will most definitely not occur for
several reasons.  Our only and best option under the
circumstances is to seek the removal of vocational rehabilitation
from the consolidation measures.

     All members of the House and Senate should be advised that
legislation which would virtually annihilate specialized
rehabilitation services is bound to cost more money because of
lost jobs and lost opportunities.  Lists of the relevant Senate
and House committees, followed by the appropriate subcommittee in
each case, are presented here after the fact sheet and joint
statement.  Two other letters which could be used for sample text
are also presented.


