Memorandum
Date: August 2, 1993
To: Senator Dole
From: Alec Vachon (initialed)
Re: FYI/DNC Memo on Clinton Meeting with Disability Community and Budget Reconciliation

Attached is a Democratic National Committee package sent to its disability community mailing list last week. Includes press release on Clinton meeting with disability advocates on Tuesday, July 27th, at White House commemorating 3rd anniversary of ADA. Apparently, no Republicans invited to this meeting. At meeting, President demonstrated new telephone relay system for people with hearing impairments required by Title IV of ADA as of July 26th. Title IV was of course Senator McCain's initiative.

The President's statement to this meeting mentions health care reform. In this regard, I have been drafting a Senate Resolution for your approval that would set out principles to evaluate any health care reform package with regard to needs of people with disabilities. It makes no specific commitments but would give you the high ground on this issue in the Senate.

But real purpose of the DNC package is clear from the cover memo -- to encourage lobbying for Budget Reconciliation bill.

Incidentally, Janet Reno had an ADA event on July 26th in Takoma Park to commend that community's accessibility. Again, no Republicans invited. Reno event only got local TV coverage.

I have not been following RNC disability outreach operation since election, but plan to look into it. 

(handwritten) Ok

08/02/93 09:44 3012777883 Jane West P.02

MEMORANDUM

TO: Friends in the Disability Community
FROM: Bob Sevigny, DNC
RE: Information
DATE: July 29, 1993 (date circled)

I am enclosing for your information a press release announcing me recent meeting between leaders in the disabilities community and President Clinton -- the first such meeting of its kind -- along with President Clinton's statement relating to the event. Also included are some additional materials about the President's Budget Plan: new talking points on the Plan that respond to criticisms raised by the Republicans: a piece which highlights the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provision in the President's Plan and breaks down the beneficiaries of the EITC proposal on a State-by-State basis; several Morning Briefings for this week; and finally, an article from today's Wall St. Journal which should give pause to those Congressional Representatives who plan on voting against the President's Budget Plan.

The House-Senate Conference Report on Budget Reconciliation is expected to be released today. It is absolutely critical that House and Senate members hear that the disabilities community wants the Plan passed!

We need your assistance to help generate phone calls and letters to individual Senators and Representatives on the days proceeding the House and Senate votes on the final Budget Reconciliation legislation. These votes are currently scheduled to take place between August 4- August 6.

Please inform me of any phone calls, letters or visits to individual members that you are able to generate. This enables us to document the activities of the disabilities community in support of the President's Plan. We will be sending more information on the Budget Conference Report as soon as it becomes available. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at (202) 863-8098 or by fax at (202) 863-8196.

Enclosures

08/02/93 09:44 3012777883 Jane West P.03

Democratic National Committee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:	CONTACT: Catherine Moore
July 29, 1993	(202) 863-8108

President Meets With Disabilities Leadership

Washington: On Tuesday, July 27th, President Clinton met with leaders from the disabilities community at the White House. Attending the meeting were leaders from disability groups representing a wide array of disabilities as well as people with disabilities who had been nominated or appointed to positions in the Clinton Administration. Also present were U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD), both of whom played key roles in the enactment of the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA). This was the first meeting by a President of the United States with such a broad cross-section of the leadership of the disabilities community. (See attached list of attendees.)

The leadership meeting was convened to allow the President to hear the views of people with disabilities on a range of issues of importance to that community. Those issues included: the implementation and enforcement of the ADA, anticipated health care reform legislation, appointments of people with disabilities in the Administration, and budgetary priorities for programs affecting people with disabilities.

President Clinton stressed the importance of support for the President's Economic Plan by the disabilities community. The President stated that his Administration was committed to full implementation of the requirements of the ADA. Additionally, he stated his continuing commitment to include people with disabilities in the overall effort to promote diversity in appointments and hiring in his Administration.

During the meeting the President demonstrated the use of telecommunications relay services now activated throughout the country as mandated under Title IV of the ADA. This system enables people who have hearing or speech disabilities and those without such disabilities to communicate with each another via telephone without requiring the non-disabled person to utilize specialized communications equipment. The President demonstrated the service by placing a telephone call to the brother of Senator Tom Harkin, who is deaf, utilizing the relay system.

At the meeting two additional appointments of people with disabilities to positions in the Administration were announced: Charles (Bobby) Simpson, currently Director of Vocational Rehabilitation for Arkansas, has been nominated by the President to be Commissioner of Vocational Rehabilitation with the U.S. Department of Education; and, Robert Williams, currently with United Cerebral Palsy Association, has been nominated to be Commissioner, Administration on Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- 30 -

08/02/93 09:45 3012777883 Jane West P.04

DISABILITIES LEADERSHIP MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT
GUEST LIST
U.S. Senator Torn Harkin (D-IA)
U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Charles (Bobby) Simpson, Director, Arkansas Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
Denise A. Figueroa, President, National Council on Independent Living (NICL)
Mike Auberger, Co-Director, American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT)
Robert Williams, Co-Chair, Personal Assistant Services Task Force, Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities
Max Starkloff, Executive Director, Paraquad, Inc.
Paul Marchand, Director of Government Relations, The ARC (Association of Retarded Citizens)
Oral O. Miller, National Representative, American Council of the Blind
James Gashel, Director of Governmental Affairs, National Federation of the Blind
Hardy Stone, Head Injury Survivors
Edward Theordore Smith, Director, Civil Rights Division, State of North Carolina
Laurie Flynn, Executive Director, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
Joseph A. Rogers, Director, National Mental Health Consumer Self Help Clearing House
I. King Jordan, President, Gallaudet University
Daniel Bross, Executive Director I AIDS Action Council
Ann Marie Vinup, Board Member, Learning Disabilities Association of America
Donald Galloway, Manager, Special & Demonstration Programs for the Department of Housing & Community Development
Linda Tonsing Gonzales, Director, Independent Living Center
Nancy Ward, Chairperson, National Self Advocacy Steering Committee
John Kemp, Executive Director, United Cerebral Palsy Association
Ben Soukup, President, National Association of the Deaf
Patrisha Wright, Director of Government Affairs, Disabilities Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)
Judi Chamberlin, Member, Coordinating Committee of the National Association of Psychiatric Survivors
Edward V. Roberts, Executive Director, World Institute on Disabilities
Justin Dart, Chairman, President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
Marca Bristo, Chairperson Designate, National Council on Disability
Judy Heumann, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education
Fernando Torres-Gil, Assistant Secretary for Aging, Department of Health and Human Services
Paul Miller, Director of Disability Outreach, Office of Presidential Personnel
Minyon Moore, Director of Constituencies, Democratic National Committee
Robert Sevigny, Director of Disability Outreach, Democratic National Committee


08/02/93 09:46 3012777883 Jane West P.05

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release 	July 27, 1993

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
IN PHOTO OPPORTUNITY WITH MEMBERS OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY

The Roosevelt Room

2:50 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: It is great to see all of you. You know, I heard Tom's speech outside and I want to say, first of all, how grateful I am to -- as an American -- to Tom Harkin, and Steny Hoyer, and all of you who made the Americans with Disabilities Act a reality. But how much I owe, as a public servant, to Senator Harkin personally. You know, when we were on the campaign trail together, he made his brother the most famous brother in America -- (laughter) -- in a very beautiful way. And you need to know when he was up here speaking we've been killing time because his brother, Frank, is on the phone and he doesn't have time to talk to me right now. (Laughter.) His line is busy -- this is true -- his line's busy. We've been trying to call him -- (laughter} -- which is a great -- it's great -- it means that the thing is working. (Laughter.) This is -- yesterday, I guess, was the effective date when the telephone service had to be provided, so I'm so excited about that.

While we're waiting for the line to clear, let me just, if I might make a few points. First, I want to reaffirm strong support of our administration for implementing and enforcing the act. Yesterday, the Attorney General and a number of other Cabinet members conducted some activities designed to clearly remove any ambiguity about that and to reinforce our commitment on that issue.

The second thing I want to do is to -- I know that Roy's already introduced them, but to say a special word of thanks to Americans with disabilities who happen to be part of this administration and to those who will be, including some in this room and some who are not in this room.

Finally, let me say, we need your help because you have become a very powerful force. We need your help to pass this economic plan so we can get on with the rest of the business of the country. And then so we can get on the health care and try to deal with the issues of long-term care and personal services and

08/02/93 09:46 3012777883 Jane West P.06

empowerment, the kinds of things that are so important to -- I heard Tom talking about the inclusion, independence and empowerment. There are a lot of Americans who need that, not just Americans with disabilities.

And we have to go forward. And I know a lot of people, but none more than you, are eager to see this debate on health care begin. It cannot begin until we have a budget and economic plan in place. And there are many more things that we have to do which are also of interest to you that are especially important -- we need a new crime bill; we need a bill that reforms the welfare system -- it also works on empowerment. We need a whole series of things that we are eager to get on with doing. But first we have to nail this budgetary issue.

I am especially interested in the health care debate, as you know. And I spoke with the First Lady this morning, as I do on most mornings -- (laughter) -- and we were reviewing our -- we were reviewing our days, and I told her that Tom and I were going to be here with you today, and she was very interested in, you know, the fact that we were going to do this and asked me to give you her best, and to thank those of you who have been involved already with her in the health care task force in trying to work through these issues.

END2:54 P.M. EDT

THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON

July 23, 1993

Greetings to everyone gathered to celebrate the third anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Our country doesn't have a person to waste, and we must invest in each person's enormous potential by fully implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bringing this law to life means empowering people with disabilities to make their own choices and creating a framework for independence and self-determination. Everyone can live a fulfilling and rewarding life if he or she is given the chance to contribute.

My Administration is committed to shifting disability policy away from exclusion, towards inclusion; away from dependence, towards independence; away from paternalism, and towards empowerment. It is critical that our national disability policy recognize that a disability in no way diminishes the right of an individual to enjoy equal opportunity and self-determination.

Our work is only beginning. I know that together we can fulfill the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act and create a more inclusive society for all.

(signature) Bill Clinton