the advocacy monitor

Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

Breaking News: President to Sign WIOA at White House Signing Ceremony!

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) will be signed by the President at a White House signing Ceremony on Tuesday!

As we previously reported, the House and Senate have passed the bipartisan and bicameral Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The Senate passed WIOA by a vote of 95-3 and the House Passed it by a vote of 415-6. Now, with the President’s signature WIOA becomes the law of the land!

It is time to celebrate, and to come together as advocates from across the nation to learn exactly what these changes will mean for IL at the Federal level.

The best place to accomplish both is at NCIL’s 2014 Annual Conference on Independent Living next week. We will be hosting some amazing speakers and presenters, including Assistant Secretary Kathy Greenlee, Senate HELP Committee staff, RSA Commissioner Janet LaBreck, and Senior Advisor to the Secretary on Disability Policy and ACL Principal Deputy Administrator of ACL Sharon Lewis.

The Rehabilitation Act is contained in WIOA. Specifically, improvements to Independent Living in this bill include:

  • The establishment of the Independent Living Administration in the Administration for Community Living (ACL) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
  • Transition will be added as a fifth core service
  • SILC activities will be improved and include resource development
  • SPIL sign-off will now include CIL Directors
  • States will choose their ‘designated state entity’ (formerly known as the DSU). The DSUs will remain the same for the “723 states” of Massachusetts and Minnesota.

NCIL will be present at the White House during the Signing Ceremony on Tuesday morning.