FW: Re: [QUAD-L] Budget Cuts hurt us

[William Willis]

There was a lot of heated debate on here during the last presidential 
election. I was anti-Bush then and am moreso now. Opinion polls seem to show 
the rest of the country is starting to agree. I know of nothing that Bush 
has improved except the pocketbooks of the rich. I am glad to see them 
finally getting shot off their phony moral high-horse.

From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: quad-list@eskimo.com
Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Budget Cuts hurt us
Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 11:24:44 EST



In a message dated 11/16/2005 10:41:00 AM Eastern Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

I really hate  to say I told you so...but I did
Call you  Senators now if you want to save your  ass.


Here's what I sent:

I am a 55 year old, double amputee quadreplegic receiving Medicare  and
Medicaid.  I am on SSDI so I can't afford a lot of medical bills.   The 
cuts in
Medicaid and the changes (listed below) would force most people like  me to 
be
placed in a nursing home.

I urge you to oppose these cuts/changes.  I spent 17 years in  a nursing 
home
(1971-1988) and learned that living in an assisted living  situation was 
not
just better for me, but cheaper for the  government.

If these cuts/changes are implemented, you'll be sentencing me to a  
"prison"
-- the nursing home.

Proposed cuts/changes:
Medicaid

-Slashes the Medicaid program by $45 billion over 10 years. The  
President’s
budget calls for cutting Medicaid by $45 billion over the next 10  years. 
This
large Medicaid cut would have a particularly negative effect on  
individuals
with disabilities. Medicaid is the only source of appropriate health  and
long-term care services for nine million children and adults with  
disabilities.
It gives children with severe disabilities access to physical and  
occupational
therapy so they can lead healthy and more active lives and continue  to 
live
at home with their families; and participate actively in the community  in
which they live. It also provides essential supports so that adults with
disabilities can live in the community, rather than in inappropriate  
institutions.
Slashing Medicaid funding will have a direct impact on the  services 
available
to these nine million children and adults.


-Contains provisions that begin turning Medicaid from an  entitlement to a
block grant. The President’s budget also contains provisions  that will 
be
damaging to those with disabilities by beginning to turn Medicaid  from an
individual entitlement to a block grant to the states. The individual  
entitlement to
Medicaid – with its critical federal protections and the  open-ended 
financing
system – has been of immense importance to individuals with  disabilities 
–
and anything less will threaten their access to vital health care  
services.
Housing

-Slashes housing program for people with disabilities by 50  percent. The
President’s budget would cut funding for the Section 811 Supportive  
Housing for
Persons with Disabilities program in half, cutting funding down to  $120
million from its current level of $238 million.
Completely eliminates  HUD’s 30-year pledge to produce accessible 
supportive
housing for people with  disabilities. The President’s budget also would
completely eliminate all funding  for new unit production under the Section 
811
program, leaving only tenant-based  subsidies. Historically, 75 percent of 
HUD’s
811 appropriation has been used to  fund capital grants and project-based
rental assistance for non-profit  disability groups to develop new fully
wheelchair-accessible units of permanent  supportive housing.
Represents an unprecedented shift of housing assistance  away from people
with more severe disabilities. The President’s proposal to  eliminate the 
Section
811 production program would have a particularly harsh  impact on those 
with
more severe disabilities. Historically, new units of  supportive housing
produced through Section 811 have been targeted to people  with the most 
severe
disabilities who rely on SSI income of $600 or less per  month. For almost 
30
years, this program has been a cornerstone of state and  local efforts to
implement community integration strategies for people with  severe 
disabilities who
otherwise live in nursing homes, public institutions, or  at home with 
aging
parents.
Employment

-Weakens the vital Rehabilitation Services Administration, by  slashing its
personnel and closing regional offices across the country. The  
Rehabilitation
Services Administration in the Education Department plays a  critically
important role in helping people with disabilities prepare for  entering 
the
workforce, with key vocational rehabilitation programs. And yet the  Bush 
budget
includes a reorganization plan of the Rehabilitation Services  
Administration that
weakens this key agency, by slashing the number of employees  from 138 to 
70
and closing all of the regional offices. Closing all regional  offices will
result in a lack of monitoring and technical assistance for  rehabilitation
programs across the country.
Completely eliminates vocational  education program – an important 
employment
program at the Education Department  that helps people with disabilities
prepare for work. The Bush budget eliminates  funding for vocational 
education.
This translates into a loss of over $1.3  billion in resources that are 
used for
training and improved academic  achievement. Eliminating vocational 
education
will deprive thousands of students  with disabilities, as well as many
non-disabled students, of vital training and  work experience that lead to
productive, full-time employment.
Slashes  funding for an employment program solely dedicated to people with
disabilities.  The Bush budget slashes funding for an employment program at 
the
Department of  Labor that is dedicated to helping people with disabilities
obtain appropriate  employment. The budget cuts funding for the program 
from
$47.5 million in FY  2005 to $28.0 million in FY 2006.
Completely eliminates funding for grants  for assistive technology --
technology that a person with disabilities often  needs in order to be in 
the
workforce. Assistive technology for people with  disabilities is often 
essential in
order for them to live independently and be  in the workforce. And yet the 
Bush
budget eliminates funding for State Assistive  Technology Program Grants,
that states use to help individuals with disabilities  obtain such 
equipment.
This funding is eliminated despite evidence that this  program has 
benefited
communities, the economy, businesses, and individuals with  disabilities. 
This
program provided $25.7 million for assistive technology in FY  2005.
Education

-Provides less than 50 percent for special education of what is  authorized
under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). The Bush budget  
proposes
only a $508 million increase for special education in FY 2006,  requesting 
only
$11.1 billion. This is $12.7 billion below the amount authorized  under the
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). Despite President Bush  promising 
to
fully fund IDEA, at this rate of increase, full funding will never  be
accomplished. This marks the fifth year in a row that President Bush has  
failed to
put us on the path to fully funding IDEA. Lack of funds for special  
education
results in inadequate materials for students with disabilities and a  
chronic
shortage of special education teachers. Furthermore, by shortchanging  
special
education, schools and school districts are strained as they scramble to
find funds to pay the balance.

Respectfully,
William  Jenkins