Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - January 25, 2008)

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Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today with my colleague from Arizona, Senator John McCain, to reintroduce legislation that we've sponsored in the past, the Blind Persons' Earnings Fairness Act of 2008. This legislation would restore the 20-year link between the earnings limits under Social Security for blind people and senior citizens. Restoring this connection would have a tremendous impact on the lives of many blind people, helping them become more self-sufficient and productive members of society and giving them the chance to live fuller lives.

Today there are nearly 1.3 million Americans who are blind, with 75,000 more becoming blind each year. With today's technology, blind and visually-impaired individuals can do just about anything. Blind people today are employed as farmers, lawyers, secretaries, nurses, managers, childcare workers, social workers, teachers, librarians, stockbrokers, accountants, and journalists, among many other things. Unfortunately the unemployment rate among the blind is still at an unconscionable 74 percent. The Federal Government should do all within its power to facilitate and encourage the blind and visually-impaired to enter the workforce. A variety of public and private initiatives have been launched over the years to provide the technologies and assistance necessary to educate and employ the blind at the same level as their sighted peers. For example, the National Federation of the Blind, NFB, has created an institute to utilize technological advancements for the blind in an effort to promote employment of the blind throughout the Nation. The NFB helps employers provide adaptive technology, consultation, and training so that they can better accommodate the needs of blind and visually-impaired employees. Now the challenge goes beyond giving the blind the tools to compete in the workforce, now we need to give hem the freedom to do so without fear of losing their essential Social Security benefits.

In 1996, Congress passed the Senior Citizens Freedom to Work Act, which broke the longstanding linkage between the treatment of blind people and seniors under Social Security. This allowed the earnings limit to be raised for seniors at a far faster rate than for the blind. As a result, the earnings limit for blind people has not kept up with modern day costs and earnings. So, blind people do not have the opportunity to increase their earnings without jeopardizing their Social Security benefits. In 2008, that limit was at $18,840. If a blind individual earns more than that, his or her Social Security benefits are not protected.

The purpose of the Senior Citizens Freedom to Work Act was to allow seniors to continue contributing to society as productive workers while still receiving needed social security benefits. Historically, the earnings test treatment of seniors and blind people was identical under Title II of the Social Security Act. With this legislation, we seek to restore that connection and do the same for the blind population of America as we have done for the seniors. We must provide blind people the same opportunity to be productive and contribute to their own stability. We must not discourage these individuals from working within an unreasonably low earnings limit.

The current earnings test provides a disincentive for the blind population, many of whom are working age and capable of productive work. Work provides one of the fundamental ways individuals express their talents and allows them to make a contribution to society and to their loved ones. Blind individuals face constant hurdles when it comes to employment. Parents, teachers, or counselors may tell them they can't do it. Employers sometimes don't even give them the opportunity to try. But blind people and others with severe visual impairments take great pride in being able to work, just like the rest of us. They are likely to respond favorably to an increase in the earnings test because they want to work. We don't want to leave in place yet another hurdle to employment for blind individuals with the Social Security earnings test. By allowing those with visual impairments to work more without penalty, we would increase both their tax contribution and their purchasing power. By doing so we would also bring additional funds into the Social Security trust fund and the Federal Treasury.

I urge my colleagues to join me in sponsoring this important legislation to restore the fair and equal treatment for the blind citizens of America. The Blind Persons' Earnings Act of 2008 will provide the blind population with the same freedom and opportunities as our Nation's seniors and the rest of the citizens of this Nation.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

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