From Jack Duncan, President of American RehabAction Network

SEPT. 17, 2003

WITH LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LEFT IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, CONGRESS ONCE AGAIN WILL FAIL TO MEET THE SEPT. 30 DEADLINE FOR COMPLETING LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCT. 1. MOST PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN USE TO THIS INEPTNESS AND DO NOT WORRY.

"THINGS WILL JUST GO ON AS USUAL" THEY WILL SAY, AND PERHAPS THEY ARE CORRECT. BUT IT SEEMS A SHAME THAT THEY CAN SPEND SO LITTLE TIME DOING THE PEOPLES BUSINESS AND GET SO LITTLE CRITICISM FROM THE ELECTORATE!!!

IN ORDER TO PUT OFF MAKING THOSE HARD DECISIONS THAT THEY ARE PAID TO MAKE, LIKE SPENDING YOUR TAX DOLLARS, THE LEADERSHIP IS CONSIDERING SUBMITTING A CONTINUING RESOLUTION, WHICH ALLOWS CURRENT SPENDING TO CONTINUE ,TO THE END OF OCT. WITH SO MANY HOLIDAYS IN OCT., IT IS HOWEVER UNLIKELY THAT THAT WILL BE SUFFICIENT TIME EITHER. ANY BETS?!!

SPECIFICALLY, BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE HAVE PASSED THE LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS BILLS.

WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS, THEY ARE SIMILIAR IN THAT THEY ONLY FUND THE LARGE TITLE I PROGRAM AT THE MANDATORY COST OF LIVING INCREASE.

THE SENATE IS OVERALL LESS GENEROUS FOR A CHANGE. WHILE SENATORS WILL TELL YOU THAT THESE ARE HARD TIMES AND THAT EVEN AN ADDITIONAL $8 MILLION CANNOT BE FOUND TO MAKE SURE ALL STATES RECEIVE AT LEAST A COST OF LIVING, THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND AN EXTRA-EXTRA- $ 1.5 BILLION FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STATE GRANTS.

THE NEXT STEP IS A CONFERENCE TO RESOVED THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE BILLS. NO DATE HAS BEEN SET AT THIS TIME.

REAUTHORIZATION:

SPEAKING OF NOT GETTING THEIR BUSINESS DONE REGARDING APPROPRIATIONS, THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR REAUTHORIZATION OF THE REHABILITATION ACT, AND WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT----AND IDEA.

A BILLTO REAUTHORIZE THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT, OF WHICH THE REHABILITATION ACT IS A PART, HAS BEEN PROMISED FOR MONTHS AND AS THIS IS BEING WRITTEN, A PROMISE OF "ANY DAY" CONTINUES TO BE THE WORD.

CONSIDERING WHAT IS LIKELY TO BE INTRODUCED IN THE SO-CALLED "FRIENDLY" SENATE, PERHAPS THE LONGER IT TAKES, THE BETTER!!!

ONCE THE BILL IS INTRODUCED, IT IS NOT CLEAR AS TO HOW THE SENATE COMMITTEE PLANS TO GO FORWARD TO SENATE PASSAGE.

WITH THE REAUTHORIZATION OF IDEA STALLED FOR MONTHS, AND OTHER MAJOR ISSUES FACING THE CONGRESS BEFORE THEY CALL IT QUITS FOR THIS YEAR, SOME OBSERVORS ARE BEGINNING TO WONDER IF IT WILL BE NEXT YEAR BEFORE THE SENATE CAN WRAP THIS UP AND GO TO CONFERENCE WITH THE HOUSE ON WIA, REHABILITATION, OR IDEA. OF COURSE, WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN CHARGE, YOU HAVE TO ASSUME IT COULD HAPPEN ANY TIME, AND IT , OF COURSE, CAN!

THE BILL, S 1627, THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT AMENDMENTS OF 2003 ( THE REHABILITATION ACT IS TITLE IV) HAS BEEN INTRODUCED TODAY AND CAN BE FOUND ON THOMAS (HTTP:/ THOMAS.LOC.GOV/).

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