Jack Duncan, Legal Counsel CSAVR
March 6, 2003

The first shots at efforts to Reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act, of which the Rehabilitation Act is a part, began today with Senate hearings before the Employment, Safety and Training Subcommittee of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

That Subcommittee, chaired by Senator Mike Enzi, (R-Wy), heard from the Department of Labor in order to see what the Administration plans are regarding the Reauthorization. Not much was revealed.

Other members of the Subcommittee are Senators Jeff Sessions(R-Al) , Chris Bond (R-MO), and Pat Roberts (R-KS). Minority members are Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Chris Dodd (D-CT), and Tom Harkin(D-IA). Independent Senator Jim Jeffords (I-VT) is also a member of the minority side.

Further hearings will be announced later.

Next week on Tuesday, March 11, the House Subcommittee on on 21st Century Competitiveness, of the Committee on Education and the Workforce plan a hearing on "Workforce Investment and Rehabilitation Acts: Improving Services and Empowering Individuals" .

The chair of the Subcommittee is Buck McKeon (R-CA) and the ranking member is Dale Kildee (D-MI).

Other members from the majority are: Representatives Johnny Isakson (R-GA), John Boehner (R-OH), Tom Petri (R-WI), Mike Castle (R-DE), Sam Johnson (R-TX), Fred Upton (R-MI), Vernon Ehlers (R-NE), Patrick Teberi (R-OH), Ric Keller (R-FL), Tom Osborne (R-NE), Tom Cole (R-OK), Jon Porter (R-NV), John Carter (R-TX), Phil Gingrey (R-GA), and Max Burns (R-GA).

Minority members include: John F. Tierney (D-MA), Ron Kind (D-WI), Rush Holt (D-NJ), David Wu (D-OR), Betty McCollum (DFL-MN), Carolyn McCarthy( D-NY), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Timothy Ryan (D-OH), Major Owens (D-NY), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Robert Andrews (D-NJ), and Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX).

Names of witnesses were not confirmed as this report is being written.

Chairman McKeon has indicated that he would like to see the bill to reauthorize the Act be completed before Congress breaks for it Easter recess which begins April 14.