February 28,
2000
Dear Ways
and Means Committee Members,
We are
writing as the Social Security Task Force Co-chairs for the Consortium of Citizens with
Disabilities (CCD) regarding H.R. 5. The
Committee is scheduled to take up H.R. 5, legislation to eliminate the earnings test for
senior citizens. It has come to our
attention that there could be an effort during the mark-up of H.R. 5 to re-link the
substantial gainful activity (SGA) level for people who are blind to the new rules for
senior citizens under the legislation.
SGA is used
to determine both who is eligible for federal disability benefits and to determine when
eligibility for those benefits ends. Without commenting at this time on the new rules
proposed for senior citizens, we believe it is wrong to single out any group of people
with a particular disability for separate treatment from all other people with
disabilities for purposes of SGA.
Further, the
Social Security Subcommittee is committed to a review of Social Security disability
programs. The issue of SGA for people with
disabilities is certain to be discussed and considered at length. We are committed to working with the Members of
the Subcommittee and the Members of the full Ways and Means Committee to address SGA and
other related issues affecting people with disabilities.
We emphasize
that we are not advocating a restriction or a diminishment in the way that Title II
disability benefits are currently calculated for people who are blind. We do advocate fairness. There is no compelling reason to treat one
disability group differently from the rest. As
this Committee recognized last year during consideration of work incentives legislation,
people with disabilities of all types, including physical, sensory, cognitive, or mental
impairments, can experience difficulty in entering or re-entering the work force and can
experience substantial costs associated with their disability not encountered by people without disabilities. We believe that it is time to address need rather
than diagnosis.
We urge you
to include ALL people with disabilities under the new rules in H.R. 5. In the alternative, pass a “clean” bill
and commit to a full and thorough examination of the issues surrounding SGA levels in the
Social Security disability programs. For
further information, please contact Paul Seifert at (410)730-7190.
Sincerely,
Tony Young NISH |
Marty Ford The Arc of
the US |
Paul J. Seifert International
Assoc. of Psychosocial Rehabilitation Svcs. |
Ethel Zelenske National
Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives |