Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago
Date: Thursday, 8 Oct 1992 22:30:24 CDT
From: <U56503@uicvm.uic.edu>
Newsgroups: alt.politics.clinton
Subject: ==> Clinton/Gore On Americans With Disabilities

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Information in the public interest which does not imply that it
is the opinion of UIC.  Contact 75300.3115@compuserve.com for
further information.
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    CLINTON/GORE ON AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES



Bill Clinton and Al Gore have long recognized that
people with disabilities are among the nations
greatest untapped resources.  They believe that all
persons with disabilities must be fully integrated
into mainstream American society, so they can live
fulfilling and rewarding lives. During their years
in public office, they have compiled strong records
of supporting public and private initiatives to
enhance the independence and productivity of
persons with disabilities.

As President and Vice President, they will continue
their efforts.  A Clinton/Gore Administration will
actively involve people with disabilities in
developing a national policy that promotes
equality, opportunity, and community for all
Americans.  Bill Clinton and Al Gore will ensure
that children with disabilities receive a
first-rate education that suits their needs.
People with disabilities will be able to live in
their own homes, in their own communities.  Adults
with disabilities will work alongside their peers
without disabilities.  And people with disabilities
will have access to comprehensive health care and
consumer-driven personal assistance services.

We must not rest until America has a national
disability policy based on three simple creeds:
inclusion, not exclusion; independence, not
dependence; and empowerment, not paternalism.

Americans With Disabilities Act

*    Work to ensure that the Americans with
     Disabilities Act (ADA) is fully implemented
     and aggressively enforced -- to empower people
     with disabilities to make their own choices
     and to create a framework for independence and
     self-determination.

Health care for all Americans

*    Provide all Americans with affordable, quality
     health coverage, either through their
     workplaces or through a government program;
     prohibit insurance companies from denying
     coverage based on pre-existing conditions; and
     contain costs by taking on the health care
     industries.

*    Expand long-term care choices for Americans
     with disabilities.

Expand educational opportunities for children with
disabilities

*    Work to ensure that children with disabilities
     receive a first-rate education, tailored to
     their unique needs but provided alongside
     their classmates without disabilities.

*    Support increased funding for special
     education services and work to improve the
     enforcement of laws that guarantee children
     with disabilities the right to a high-quality
     public education.

*    Support increased efforts to integrate
     children with disabilities into their schools
     regular activities, instead of sectioning them
     off in special programs where they cannot
     socially integrate with other students.

*    Expand early intervention programs in health
     care and education -- such as Head Start -- to
     ensure that children with disabilities live
     full and productive lives.

Improve employment opportunities for Americans with
disabilities

*    Increase special education, professional
     training, and job training efforts to reduce
     the extraordinarily high unemployment rate
     among Americans with disabilities as part of
     national adult education, job training, and
     apprenticeship programs.

*    Sign into law the Family and Medical Leave
     Act, which George Bush vetoed in 1990, so that
     no worker is forced to choose between keeping
     his or her job and caring for a newborn child
     or sick family member.

Expand political participation

*    Sign into law the "Motor-Voter Act," which
     George Bush vetoed this year, to make it
     easier for people with disabilities to
     register to vote.

The Record

*    As Governor, Bill Clinton increased the
     funding of community programs for people with
     disabilities by 220 percent from 1983 to 1990.

*    As Attorney General and Governor,  recruited
     and employed qualified persons with
     disabilities on his staff.  Under Governor
     Clinton's current administration, the State
     Directors of the Division of Rehabilitation
     Services, and the Division of Services for the
     Blind are qualified individuals with
     disabilities.

*    With the legislature in 1985, established the
     Governors Commission on People with
     Disabilities.  The Commission has sparked more
     involvement and participation by persons with
     disabilities.

*    A decade before the Americans with
     Disabilities Act, Governor Clinton supported
     administrative action to permit state agencies
     to secure adequate accommodations for staff
     with disabilities, regardless of costs.

*    During the 1987 legislative session, provided
     key assistance to establish an interim Message
     Relay Center.  The center provides statewide
     telephone accessibility for persons who are
     deaf and hard of hearing.

*    In 1990, established the Governor's Task Force
     on Supported Housing.  Its mission was to
     recommend state legislation, policy changes
     and program initiatives to increase the
     availability of supported housing --
     affordable, accessible housing in integrated
     community settings, with appropriate support
     services for the elderly and people with
     disabilities.

*    In 1991-92, took action to provide additional
     state funds for expansion of Supported
     Employment Services, a vocational
     rehabilitation program for severely disabled
     people who need job coaching services and
     long-term support to obtain or maintain
     employment.

*    In 199, established a Governor's Task Force on
     In-Home and Community-Based Services for
     Persons with Disabilities.  This task force is
     composed of leaders of the disability
     community, state agency officials and private
     business representatives.

*    Senator Gore was an original cosponsor of the
     Americans with Disabilities Act.

*    Voted for the "Motor-Voter" Act, which would
     have made it easier for people with
     disabilities to register to vote.  George Bush
     vetoed the Act.
Newsgroups: alt.politics.clinton,alt.politics.perot