On the recordJanuary 28, 2010
I rise today with my colleague from Arizona, Senator John McCain, to reintroduce legislation on an issue we have worked on together for over a decade. The Blind Persons Return to Work Act of 2010 will remove disincentives to work for blind individuals in the Social Security Disability Insurance, SSDI, program. Removal of these barriers will facilitate the transition of blind Americans from SSDI to income-earning, taxpaying, productive members of the American workforce. Today there are over 1.3 million Americans who are legally blind and an estimated 10 million Americans with visual impairments. The Americans with Disabilities Act and advances in technology have eliminated many barriers for blind individuals. Today blind individuals are employed in nearly every type of job and profession. They lead businesses and governments. Time and again, they have proven they are more than capable. Yet, societal misperceptions, attitudes, and barriers persist. Unfortunately, more than 70 percent of working-age blind individuals remain unemployed. This is an enormous untapped resource of skills and talents for our country, and it is simply unacceptable. One thing is clear: blind individuals want to work. I don't know how you put a price tag on the personal value of work. The dignity it provides is priceless.
