Underfunded and Underenforced
Ellison hopes to up funding for disability services,
enforcement for
ADA
by Michael Cohn
People with disabilities have
been working with Keith Ellison since before he began serving in Washington. “Everybody
has a voice that counts, even if someone needs to use an interpreter or assistive
technology to help them communicate,” said Congressman Ellison. He made
the comment last week in an interview with Access Press, where he talked about
disability issues at the federal level.
Ellison said he strongly
supports full funding of IDEA, which “originally
authorized Congress to contribute up to 40 percent of the average per
pupil expenditure (APPE) for each special education student.” In
reality, he noted, “schools are currently receiving roughly 17
percent,” which leaves huge additional costs for local districts
to make up. “Unfortunately,” he said, “our president
is not in favor of increasing the funding for education.” Ellison
also observed that there are other “under-funded” parts
within IDEA, such as Part C, “which is designed to meet the developmental
needs of infants and toddlers and their families in order to prevent
later disabilities.”
Ellison said he will support
the ADA Restoration Bill. “The
ADA of 1990 was never fully enforced,” he said. “The ADA
Restoration Bill broadens the scope as well deepens how disability
is defined and who is affected by the ADA.”
Regarding Social Security
reform, Ellison noted that “Currently
there are not enough attorneys and judges working on the cases.” He
said he wants to increase the number of people that work with SSI and
SSDI cases. He also supports “increases in V.A. funding, especially
because many soldiers are coming home with some form of disability.”
While serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives, Ellison supported
H.A.V.A. (Help America Vote Act). This bill now helps people with disabilities
vote independently because of the new voting machines that came out
last year. Now Congressman Ellison, he said he will work to maintain
funding for H.A.V.A.
Ellison indicated that
he would like to be kept informed by the Minnesota disability community
as to what areas need
“Regarding Social Security
reform, Ellison noted that “Currently there are not
enough attorneys and judges working on the cases.”
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improvement to allow better
independent living. “By providing funds for programs that allow
people with disabilities to own or rent a place of their own,” he
said, “we can reduce the costs of having a person with a disability
living in a nursing or group home.” However, Ellison indicated
that he supports group home situations for those individuals who
cannot live on their own.
This July, Ellison intends
to host a forum where topics will focus on finances and people with
disabilities. “There are too many
people trying to make ends meet,” he said, “living from
day to day and living with a disability. More often than not, they
are on fixed incomes so their quality of life suffers and their financial
situations become bleak. Living costs have increased yet income does
not balance out.” Congressman Ellison said he hopes people with
disabilities will come share their stories so that he can “take
those stories back to Washington and encourage my colleagues to support
possible new legislation and funding of these issues.”
In closing, Ellison praised
Minnesota and called for vigilance in maintaining what services the
state already has. “Minnesota is
a very progressive state when it comes to the disability programs that
we offer. In many ways we are fortunate to have the programs that we
have. I am very proud of the fact that we can provide these services
and programs. But I also know that we have work to do to make sure
that the programs that we have in place stay in place and any further
cuts are avoided.” ![]()
