The New Freedom Initiative

Initiative

By: George W. Bush

Date: February 2001

Source: The White House."The New Freedom Initiative." February 2001. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/ news/freedominitiative/freedominitiative.pdf> (accessed June 10, 2006).

About the Author: George W. Bush was elected forty-third President of the United States on January 20, 2001. Born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, Bush grew up in Texas.

INTRODUCTION

The Civil Rights era of the 1960s is credited with establishing key legislation for providing Americans with basic civil rights and equal opportunities. One of the more comprehensive laws of this period—the Civil Rights Act of 1964—did not however, define the rights of individuals with disabilities. The United States had no legislation that specifically addressed discrimination against individuals with disabilities till the 1990s. Ensuing an increasing trend in disability activism, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) was formulated. This act, signed into law by President George H. W. Bush, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. According to the act, which became effective as of July 26, 1992, private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions are required to provide equal opportunity to qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, advancement, compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

The definition of disability in the ADA, however, is deemed controversial. Critics argue that even if an individual is considered disabled (as per the ADA), he or she may still not be entitled to the above-mentioned rights. The ADA does not cover all people with disabilities but encompasses otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities. Advocates of ADA maintain that the act has proved beneficial to those eligible. By 1995, an additional 800,000 individuals with disabilities were hired in comparison to 1991.

Although the act afforded more employment opportunities to the disabled by the late 1990s, these individuals were still confronted with significant lifestyle challenges. Surveys undertaken in 1997 showed that more than thirty-three percent of adults with disabilities lived in a household with an annual income of less than fifteen thousand dollars, compared to only twelve percent of those without disabilities. More than seventy percent of people without disabilities were homeowners, whereas less than ten percent of those with disabilities could afford to buy their own home.

Subsequently, on February 1, 2001, President George W. Bush announced the New Freedom Initiative to enhance the quality of life of disabled individuals. This initiative represents a comprehensive strategy designed to ensure that Americans with disabilities have the opportunity to participate fully in their communities and engage in productive work that would improve their quality of life.

PRIMARY SOURCE

The Policy

The "New Freedom Initiative" is composed of the following key components:

Increasing Access to Assistive and Universally Designed Technologies

(Title I)

Overview

The Administration's commitment to increase access to assistive and universally designed technologies is based upon the principle that every American must have the opportunity to participate fully in society. In the global new economy, America must draw on the talents and creativity of all its citizens.

Assistive and universally designed technologies can be a powerful tool for millions of Americans with disabilities, dramatically improving one's quality of life and ability to engage in productive work. New technologies are opening opportunities for even those with the most severe disabilities. For example, some individuals with quadriplegia can now operate computers by the glance of an eye. As the National Council on Disability (NCD) has stated, "for Americans without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For Americans with disabilities, technology makes things possible."

Unfortunately, assistive and universally designed technologies are often prohibitively expensive. In addition, innovation is being hampered by insufficient Federal funding for and coordination of assistive technology research and development programs. The New Freedom Initiative will help ensure that Americans with disabilities can access the best technologies of today and that even better technologies will be available in the future. At the core of this effort are proposals that reinvigorate the Federal investment in assistive technologies; improve Federal collaboration and promote private-public partnerships; and increase access to this technology for people with disabilities…

Expanding Educational Opportunities for Americans with Disabilities

(Title II)

Overview

Education is the key to independent living and a high quality of life. Unfortunately, one in five adults with disabilities has not graduated from high school, compared to less than one of ten adults without disabilities. The Administration will expand access to quality education for Americans with disabilities.

Originally passed by Congress in 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Act, or IDEA, ensures that children with disabilities would have a free public education that would meet their unique needs.

The Administration will increase educational opportunity for children with disabilities by working with Congress to give states increased IDEA funds. This will help meet the needs of students with disabilities and free up additional resources for education at the local level…

Promoting Homeownership for Americans with Disabilities

(Title III)

Overview

Homeownership has always been at the heart of the "American dream." This past year, Congress passed the "American Homeownership and Economic Opportunity Act of 2000," which reforms Federal rental assistance to give individuals who qualify the opportunity to purchase a home.

Rental assistance for low-income Americans, including those with disabilities, is provided by a program known as Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Residents are provided Section 8 vouchers so that they can afford rental payments for public housing. And many of those Section 8 vouchers go to individuals with disabilities.

In addition to increasing independence, homeownership also promotes savings. Mortgage payments, unlike rental payments, help build net worth because a portion of the payment goes toward building equity. In turn, as one's home equity increases, it becomes easier to finance other purchases such as a computer or further education…

Integrating Americans with Disabilities into the Workforce

Title IV

(Part A: Promoting Telework)

Overview

Americans with disabilities should have every freedom to pursue careers, integrate into the workforce, and participate as full members in the economic marketplace. The New Freedom Initiative will help tear down barriers to the workplace, and help promote full access and integration.

Computer technology and the Internet have tremendous potential to broaden the lives and increase the independence of people with disabilities. Nearly half of people with disabilities say the Internet has significantly improved their quality of life, compared to 27 percent of people without disabilities.

The computer and Internet revolution has not reached as many people with disabilities as the population without disabilities. Only 25% of people with disabilities own a computer, compared with 66% of U.S. adults. And only 20% of people with disabilities have access to the Internet, compared to over 40% of U.S. adults.

The primary barrier to wider access is cost. Computers with adaptive technology can cost as much as $20,000, which is prohibitively expensive for many individuals. And the median income of Americans with disabilities is far below the national average.The New Freedom Initiative will expand the avenue of teleworking, so that individuals with mobility impairments can work from their homes if they choose…

Integrating Americans with Disabilities into the Workforce

(Part B: Ticket-to-Work)

Overview

In 1999, Congress passed the "Ticket-to-Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act," which will give Americans with disabilities both the incentive and the means to seek employment.

As part of the New Freedom Initiative, the Administration will ensure the Act's swift implementation.

Today, there are more than 7.5 million Americans with disabilities receiving benefits under Federal disability programs. According to a recent Harris Survey, conducted by the National Organization of Disability, 72 percent of the Americans with disabilities want to work. However, in part because of disincentives in Federal law, less than 1 percent of those receiving disability benefits fully enter the workforce.

Prior to the "Ticket to Work" law, in order to continue to receive disability payments and health coverage, recipients could not engage in any substantial work. The Ticket to Work law, however, provides incentives for people with disabilities to return to work by:

• Providing Americans with disabilities with a voucher-like "ticket" that allows them to choose their own support services, including vocational education programs and rehabilitation services.
• Extending Medicare coverage for SSDI beneficiaries so they can return to work without the fear of losing health benefits.
• Expanding Medicaid eligibility categories for certain working people with severe disabilities so that they can continue to receive benefits after their income or condition improves…

Integrating Americans with Disabilities into the Workforce

(Part C: Compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act)

Overview

When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990, it was the most far reaching law advancing access of individuals with disabilities, workforce integration, and independence. The law, signed by President George Bush, gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities that are like those provided to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and religion.

In the eleven years since it was signed, the ADA has worked to guarantee equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications. The law has been especially helpful in providing access to jobs, especially in the small business sector, which has created two-thirds of all net new jobs since the early 1970s.

To encourage small businesses to comply with the ADA, legislation was signed into law in 1990 to provide a credit for 50 percent of eligible expenses up to $5,000 a year. Such eligible expenses include assistive technologies. Unfortunately, many small businesses are not aware of this credit.

President George W. Bush believes that the Americans with Disabilities Act has been an integral component of the movement toward full integration of individuals with disabilities but recognizes that there is still much more to be done. He also recognizes that to further integrate individuals with disabilities into the workforce, more needs to be done to promote ADA compliance.

SIGNIFICANCE

The New Freedom Initiative was launched with the aim of providing better community life to every citizen irrespective of any disability. The initiative has been endorsed by several government organizations that have subsequently introduced programs for accomplishing its goals. For instance, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a series of grants to promote community living among disabled citizens. The Department of Labor established a Youth Advisory Committee with the purpose of providing quality employment opportunities to youth with disabilities. Moreover, the Department of Transportation and Project Action encourages inputs from transportation industry experts and disabled individuals to enhance accessible transportation. Further, numerous workshops have been set up by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to assist small businesses in hiring people with disabilities.

Another key program, launched as a consequence of the New Freedom Initiative, is Ticket to Work. Implemented by the Social Security Administration, in 2001, this program allows Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability beneficiaries to receive a 'ticket' that can be used to obtain free employment-related training and services. As of 2004, almost five million people in thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have such tickets.

Further, in 2002, the government launched DisabilityInfo.gov—a website that provides federal and state resources pertaining to disability. In the same year, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the New Freedom Initiative Awards recognizing individuals, non-profit organizations, businesses, and corporations that have demonstrated "commendable and pioneering efforts" in promoting the employment objectives of New Freedom Initiative. In 2004, the Department of Transportation launched the 'United We Ride' campaign which is a coordinated effort by various federal programs to make government transportation policies more responsive to the needs of the citizens who rely on them.

The New Freedom Initiative is acknowledged to be a program with a broad vision. Various federal departments and government-funded institutions consider the initiative essential in promoting equality and solidarity in the United States. The initiative, since its inception, is widely supported by individuals with disabilities.

FURTHER RESOURCES

Books

Colker, Ruth. Disability Pendulum: The First Decade Of The Americans With Disabilities Act. New York: New York University, 2005.

Periodicals

"U.S. Society & Values." U.S. Information Agency. Vol. 4, No. 1, January 1999.

Web sites

The Arc. "The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990." <http://www.thearc.org/faqs/adaqa.html> (accessed May 26, 2006).

U.S. Census Bureau. "Census Brief." December, 1997. <http://www.census.gov/prod/3/97pubs/cenbr975.pdf> (accessed May 26, 2006).

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Press Office. "HHS Programs Serve Americans with Disabilities." May 9, 2002. <http://www.policyalmanac.org/social_ welfare/archive/hhs_disability_programs.shtml> (accessed May 26, 2006).

U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Public Affairs. "Remarks For The Honorable Norman Y. Mineta Secretary Of Transportation: New Freedom Initiative." March 11, 2004. <http://www.dot.gov/affairs/mine-tasp31104.htm> (accessed May 26, 2006).

White House. "New Freedom Initiative: A Progress Report." March 2004. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/ newfreedom/newfreedom-report–2004.pdf> (accessed May 26, 2006).