11/12/2009

29th Annual NRA Government Affairs Summit

The National Rehabilitation Association is proud to present its 29th Annual Government Affairs Summit which begins on Sunday, March 14, continues on Monday, March 15, and culminates on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 with NRA's "Day on the Hill."


The 2010 Summit is entitled "Leveraging Our Legislative Legacy: Today, Tomorrow, Together, and will be held at the Old Town Alexandria Hilton Hotel, which is directly across the street from the King Street Metro, in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia.

 

The National Rehabilitation Association is fortunate to have a history rich in advocacy awareness and outreach.  And, today -- now more than ever -- we will need your collective and individual advocacy and outreach as we wend our way to reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).

 

We anticipate reauthorization to occur in 2010 and we assure you this will be a very challenging reauthorization, perhaps even more challenging than we have experienced in some time.

 

Indeed, just today, the National Governors' Association (NGA) issued a Press Release advising that all States will be experiencing financial fallout for years to come from one of the most significant recessions that this country has experienced in some time.  We are attaching the NGA's Press Release for your information.

 

We must ensure to the fullest extent possible that the programs, services and supports of the Rehabilitation Act are preserved for those eligible individuals with disabilities who qualify for the program.

 

As you know, this country is in the throes of a jobless recovery and, while the stock market may be rebounding, jobs, we are story to say, are not.

 

The 2010 Government Affairs Summit occurs early enough in the Second Session of the 111th Congress that you can -- and we are confident that you will -- make a difference in ensuring that the programs administered under the Rehabilitation Act maintain the integrity that the architects of the Act -- including the Congressional architects -- intended when they wrote one of the most enduring, endearing and effective laws in the history of our great country.

 

So, SAVE THE DATE NOW, to attend the 2010 Government Affairs Summit on March 14-16, 2010, and be a part of history in the making.  The registration form for the Summit is on the NRA website and can be accessed at:  www.nationalrehab.org;

 

We also strongly encourage you to make your appointments with your respective Representatives and Senators as soon as possible to ensure access to YOUR Members of Congress and/or his or her staff.

 

Following immediately below is a DRAFT Program, which is subject to -- and will -- change over the next several months.

 

 

SUNDAY, March 14, 2009 -- All Events at the King Street Hilton Hotel

 

8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.         Continental Breakfast at the Hotel

 

10:00 a.m. to 12 Noon.       Government Affairs Co-Chairs Dr. Ralph Pacinelli, Kathy West-Evans, Ellen Sokolowski and

                                         Patricia Leahy will discuss Legislative Advocacy 101:  The People's House and Senate

 

                                         This Session is encouraged for new NRA Members and first-timers to the Government Affairs

                                         Summit, as well as those seasoned in the art of effective advocacy

 

                                         We are pleased to announce that Ms. Stacy Cervenka of Senator Sam Brownback's (R.KS.)

                                         will do an encore presentation on effective Congressional advocacy.  Ms. Cervenka, who

                                         happens to be blind and a VR consumer, is one of the most effective presenters we have

                                         had on this topic in some time. 

 

12 Noon to 12:15                BREAK

 

12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.       LUNCH AT THE HOTEL

 

                                         LUNCHEON KEYNOTE:  The Honorable Fredric Schroeder, former Commissioner of the

                                                                               Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)

 

1:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.         BREAK

 

2:00 p.m. to 3:00  p.m.       Kent Keyser, Chief of Staff to Congressman Nick Rahall (D.W.V.)

                                         From Capitol Hill to Consumer to Capitol Hill:  One Man's Journey

 

3:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.          BREAK

 

3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.          Presentations by the Government Affairs Co-Chairs and the Government Affairs

                                          Committee on the 2010 Issues Statements

 

5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.          NRA's President's Reception at the Hotel

 

 

MONDAY, March 15, 2010

 

7:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.      Continental Breakfast at the Hotel

  

8:00 p.m. to 9:30 a.m.     THE BUSINESS NETWORK AND THE NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT TEAM (NET)

 

                                      Kathy West-Evans, Director of the NET for the Council of State Administrators

                                      of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) will discuss new and exciting collaborations

                                      and partnerships within the corporate world. 

 

                                      List of Business and Employers to be Announced

 

9:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.     BREAK

 

 

9:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.   CONGRESSIONAL PANEL

 

                                     Aaron Bishop, Senior Disability Policy Advisor to Senator Mike Enzi (R.WY.),

                                     Ranking Member, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP)

                                     Committee

 

                                     Sharon Lewis, Senior Disability Policy Advisor to Congressman George Miller (D.CA.)

                                     Congressman Miller is Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee

 

                                     Dr. Connie Garner, Senior Disability Policy Advisor formerly to the late Senator

                                     Edward M. Kennedy and presently to the Senate Health, Education, Labor

                                     and Pensions Committee under the Chairmanship of Senator Tom Harkin (D.IA.)

 

                                     Lee Perselay, Senior Disability Policy Advisor to Senator Tom Harkin (D.IA.),

                                     the Chairman of the Senate Help, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee

 

 

11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  Kareem Dale, Director of Disability Policy to President Obama (invited)

 

 

12 Noon to 1:30 a.m.        LUNCH ON YOUR OWN

 

 

1:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.      Lynnae Ruttledge, at this time Commissioner-Designate of the Rehabilitation Services

                                       Administration

 

3:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.       BREAK

 

3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.     Ellen Sokolowski and Patricia Leahy will discuss Senator Harkin's (D.IA.) New Employment Initiative

  

TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2010

  

The National Rehabilitation Association's Day on the Hill

 

This year, we are inviting Senator Tom Harkin, the Chairman of the Senate HELP Committee and the Senator's Senior Disability Policy Counsel, Lee Perselay, to discuss the Senator's New Employment Initiative for Individuals with Disabilities, which is subject to the Senator and Mr. Perselay's availability on Tuesday, March 16.  We will secure a room on the Senate side to accommodate the discussion as soon as we have a confirmation from the Senator and a time when this presentation can occur.

 

8:30 a.m.   Depart Hotel for Capitol Hill

 

9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon -- Appointments with Members of Congress

 

12 Noon to 2:30 p.m.  NRA's Congressional Luncheon (The Rayburn House Office Building Banquet

                                    Rooms (B-339 and B-340)

 

                                    Presentation of NRA's "Lead On" Awards

 

                                    Presentation on National Rehabilitation Counselor Appreciation Day

                                    in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate

 

2:30 to 4:00 p.m.          Resumption of Hill Visits

 

4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Wrap Up Session - Room 121 Cannon House Office Building

                                     Patricia Leahy to Moderate.  Room 121 Cannon has been

                                     secured as of 2:30 p.m. to accommodate those who may have

                                     completed their Hill visits or if members just want a place to

                                     relax