Four Ways the Legislation Could Help the Disability Community
In the realm of politics, rarely are people with disabilities mentioned as an overt beneficiary of pending legislation. In recent years, the priorities of the disability community have been neglected on the national stage.
President Biden’s American Jobs Plan seeks to remedy this neglect with an overt focus on rebuilding the infrastructure of the country to provide greater accessibility and greater employment rates.
The plan seeks to overhaul many areas of American infrastructure, from crumbling roads across the country to unusable drinking water systems. Importantly, it also seeks to rebuild American job prospects following the economic collapse caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
So, how will this plan help people with disabilities in the US?
Increased Funding to Home and Community Based Services
The most impactful part of the plan comes in the form of 400 billion dollars of additional funding towards home and community-based services (HCBS). The services are meant to allow people with disabilities and the elderly the ability to retain their independence in their own homes as opposed to moving into nursing homes or other care centers.
The extra funding will help address inconsistencies and chronic underfunding across the different states, allowing for broader programs that reach more people.
Ending Sub-Minimum Wage
Did you know that section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act authorizes employers, after receiving a certificate from the Wage and Hour Division, the ability to pay subminimum wages - wages less than the Federal minimum wage -- to workers who have disabilities for the work being performed?
President Biden’s American Jobs Plan seeks to rectify this by giving the movement to end the sub-minimum wage a national platform. Previous to its inclusion in the plan, bills to end sub-minimum wage -- and the interlinked outdated stereotypes about people with disabilities the practice signifies -- had been introduced in many individual states and at the federal level.
The inclusion of ending sub-minimum wage in President Biden’s first big piece of legislation could be the push needed to end the practice in the United States.
More Accessible Housing
The United States does not have enough accessible housing for its citizens with disabilities. Affordable accessible housing is even harder to come by.
With a focus on rebuilding American infrastructure -- including public buildings, schools, and houses -- the American Jobs Plan just might be the way to bridge the gap and increase the number of accessible housing available across the country.
However, the wording of the plan is not specifically targeting at increasing the number of affordable accessible housing. For the true inclusion of accessible housing as a target for the plan will require a movement of advocacy on the Hill to ensure that the voices and opinions of people with disabilities are heard before funds are dispersed.
More Accessible Public Facilities
Much like accessible housing, in many areas of the country accessible public facilities are still rare despite the Americans with Disabilities Act that was passed in 1991 and outlined the need to ensure that all public facilities are accessible. In the decades that have followed, many cities and counties have not implemented the ADA transition plans that were supposed to make their communities more accessible.
The disability community must advocate that President Biden cannot rebuild and renovate public facilities without an overt priority to ensure each renovation is accessible to all members of the community.
It goes beyond public buildings like schools or libraries. Public facilities include public bathrooms, parks, and transportation systems.
The American Jobs Plan has the potential to greatly increase the quality of life for people with disabilities across the United States. In the both the planning and distribution of the funds, people with disabilities must be able to weigh in to ensure that accessibility and greater employment opportunities are an overt priority of the plan.
Want to read the article this blog post was based off?
Want a more in-depth look at President Biden’s American Jobs Plan? Check out: https://www.whitehouse.gov/american-jobs-plan/
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