Congress Rethinking the ADA?

From the JFA Moderator (11.17.10):

Apparently we didn't shout loud enough when Rand Paul attacked the ADA and we didn't shout loud enough when John Stossel attacked the ADA.  Let's make our voices heard!

Congress is holding a hearing this Thursday to "give small businesses the opportunity to discuss federal regulations resulting from labor and workplace safety law, environmental protection laws, and the Americans with Disabilities Act."  

 

*** HEARING THURSDAY ***

Landrieu to Chair Hearing To Examine Regulatory Burdens Facing Small Businesses

WASHINGTON – United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., Chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, will hold a hearing Thursday, November 18, 2010 entitled “Next Steps for Main Street: Reducing the Regulatory and Administrative Burdens on America’s Small Businesses.”  This hearing will give small businesses the opportunity to discuss federal regulations resulting from labor and workplace safety law, environmental protection laws, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.   The Committee will also have discussions on the Form 1099 reporting requirement taking effect in 2012.

Your coverage is invited

Who:                    

U.S. Senate Small Business Committee Chair Mary Landrieu, D-La.
Small Business Committee Members

What:                  

Hearing entitled, “Next Steps for Main Street: Reducing the Regulatory and Administrative Burdens on America’s Small Businesses”

When:                  

Thursday, November 18, 2010
10:00 a.m. EST

Where:                

Russell Senate Office Building
Room 428A
Washington, D.C. 20510

Witness List (for planning purposes only):

Panel 1

The Honorable Winslow Sargeant, Ph.D.,
Chief Counsel for Advocacy,
U.S. Small Business Administration

Mr. James R. White,
Director, Tax Issues,
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Panel 2

Mr. Roger Harris,
President and C.O.O.,
Padgett Business Services®/SmallBizPros, Inc.

Mr. Lawrence S. Nannis, CPA,
Chair,
National Small Business Association

Mr. Andrew Langer,
President,
The Institute for Liberty

Mr. James Gattuso,
Senior Research Fellow, Regulatory Policy,
The Heritage Foundation

Comments

[Ramesh Gulatee]

if the congress thinks that ADA is 54m (every sixth person sitting next to you) Americans, then they are not thiking long and hard. they are also woefully shortsighted.
based on facts 100% of the americans will have some form of impairment that will fall under ADA.
That impairment will be one of the following....
diagnosed
age induced
accidental

depedning on the decisions taken, no matter, it will speak volumes about the folly or the brialliance of the congress to allow any reasonable accomodation for accessibility.
why not do it right the first time!!

[virgil@dacnw.org]

Its to bad that something like the ADA is under attack.The whole idea of the ADA is create a level playing field. I guess some people like having things go their way while others suffer.
I hope that the short sightedness some people have is not contagious.
To bad that such a GREAT nation has so many people with such backward ideas.
These are the same people that would like to have slavery back so we white un disabled people can sit back and do our own thing.

[Richard J. Cortez]

I filed a discrimination case with the EEOC of New York City! Because I work for a bookstore called Strand Books. I have Rheumtoid Arthritis. I get chemo infusions every six to seven weeks. I am constantly getting harassment by my employer and employees were I work. Do think I would get a fair hearing! Think again! And this is the EEOC! Yeah! Looks what happened to this country! I work! I pay taxes! And I get Discrimination not just once! But, twice! One for a disability, the other because I am Mexican-American! An we Mexican-Americans get treated like SHIT! But, it seems to me that! The Strand Bookstore and the EEOC are telling me that they are above the LAW! And that they can discriminate against me as a minority! An as a person with a disability! So why should I be surprised that the ADA is under attack! It has always been under attack! But, yet this is a Federal Law! Go figure!

[James]

I don't understand why the law makers don't try to beef up ADA and make employers, big and small, understand that they pay one way or another. Either through welfare, food-stamps, medicaid, disability payments, Etc. Wouldn't they rather pay for a good days worth of honest work? Either way, they pay and then they complain when they have to pay taxes to provide all those welfare programs. You employers can't have it both ways.

[jward52]

Many in the U.S. Congress continue to break the Law by ignoring the ADA. - CONGRESS needs Prosecuted for Illegal activity- for NOT Enforcing the 'ADA'! -- Disability Discrimination is growing. - And many so-called State & Federal Agencies are at the forefront of this Discrimination & illegal processes. - Including the Ohio RSC/BVR, whom do Not allow Real 'CHOICE' for Disabled Clients in writing (supposedly)- their' own 'IPE'- Individual Plan for Employment. - We Disabled are Not Stupid, nor Inept,- so end this Discrimination, Bureaucratic controlism, & lack of informed fair "CHOICE".

[BEN]

no-one said this to represenative landrieu
DISABILITY YOU DON'T GET IT UNTIL YOU GOT IT
BUT THE WAY MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY IS TODAY YOU WILL PROBABLY GET IT BEFORE YOU PASS!
of course it will probably be too late for you to make any changes!
BEFRIEND A PRESON WITH A DISABILITY TODAY AND GAIN IRREPLACABLE KNOWLEDGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kelly]

The government wants to get Americans off unemployment and into a job but yet they refuse to help people with disabilities to get off an already overtaxed social security system and into a job?!

I am a person with a disability I went to college and graduated with bachelors degree with honors. Yet, I can't find a job, I feel as if the government thinks its just fine if a person with a disability stays on the system and then society complains that there are too many people on the system. What sense does this make? People with disabilities are just as capable to contribute to society as everyone else with a little extra help. Why not help people with disabilities get a job and off an overtaxed system. Everyone wins!

[Araceli Gonzalez Ratcliffe]

If a large company has to adhere to ADA Federal Laws then the small business also needs to be required to adhere to the same laws. Again, the thinking of seperate but, equal does not work. The Federal gov should be working on creating employment for all of us. The unemployment rate is high and that is where the focus should be. Jobs for all who can work disable and able bodies. Why are we unable to do what is right?

[Barbara Jackson]

When are we going to get this: At some point in our lives each of us will have some sort of disability. I wonder how many people on this committee have a disability or know someone with a disability. I am sure they will not have to look too far to find someone. If a large company has to adhere to the ADA regulations, a small company should have to so the same. Most people with disabilities will have to - at some point - interact with the small business, therefore they should be compliant. It would not be a wise decision to allow a law that was made for the "good of all" to be disregarded because a small company claims it is too costly to adhere to that law. All companies large or small should adhere to ADA rules and regulations!!

[Richard J. Cortez]

As of January 5. 2011. The EEOC Dumped my case. And told me that I can APPEAL IT! Thanks EEOC! I guess the STRAND BOOKSTORE can be above the LAW!