As of now, about 39,500 disabled people are paid less than minimum wage and about 88% of that group is in segregated workplaces. That is unfair. All disabled people deserve to be paid the same amount as nondisabled workers doing similar jobs. All of us also deserve to work alongside nondisabled people who aren’t only our supervisors. We can make this happen with your help!

The Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (H.R.1263) is a bill that would give states and businesses the help they need to create competitive integrated employment opportunities for disabled people. Competitive integrated employment (CIE) means a job where disabled people are paid at least minimum wage and work with both disabled people and nondisabled people. CIE jobs also have to follow some other rules that you can learn about here. 

To learn more about TCIEA and get the answers to common questions about the bill, check out this guide. Are you ready to take action for TCIEA? 

Keep reading to find out how you can make sure TCIEA passes this year!

We want Congress to make the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (TCIEA) into a law. For TCIEA to become a law, both the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee and the House Education and Workforce (Ed&Work) Committee must agree. This happens during a conference committee, which is when the House and Senate work together on a bill. TASH already made a TCIEA action alert for the Senate HELP Committee. But this TCIEA action alert is for the House Ed&Work Committee. 

We want Representatives to tell the House Ed&Work Chair Virginia Foxx that they want TCIEA in the final workforce and apprenticeship package. A package is a group of bills that a congressional committee reviews at the same time. The package that TCIEA is a part of is called the workforce and apprenticeship package because other bills in the package are about the workforce and apprenticeships. An apprenticeship is when someone gets paid to learn how to do a job. TCIEA is not about apprenticeships, but since it is about employment, it is in this package. TCIEA is more likely to pass as part of a package than it is on its own. 

We also want more Representatives to cosponsor TCIEA. Cosponsoring means that a legislator supports a bill. Bills with more cosponsors are thought of as more popular. We need your help to get more Representatives to support and cosponsor TCIEA! It is important to tell Ed&Work Representatives that they should join Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers in co-sponsoring TCIEA.

Here’s how you can help TCIEA become a law this year:

First, see who your Representative is by entering your zip code here.

Then, see if your Representative is on the House Education & Workforce Committee. Check if they are on the member list here. 

If your Representative is on the House Education & Workforce Committee, call the congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representative’s office. You can say “Please connect me to Representative [first and last name]’s office.” 

If your Representative is on the House Education & Workforce Committee, call the congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representative’s office. You can say “Please connect me to Representative [first and last name]’s office.” 

Once you are connected to your Representative’s office, you can use our script:

My name is [your full name], and I am from [your city]. I am a constituent of Representative [Name]. I’m calling to ask Representative [Name] to tell Chairwoman Foxx that they want the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, or TCIEA, added to the final workforce and apprenticeship package during conference committee and passed this session. 

TCIEA would give states and businesses the resources they need to provide good jobs for disabled people so that we can be more financially independent. Employment rates for disabled people go up when states switch from subminimum wage to fairly-paid jobs in the community. 

Disabled people want to work, and TCIEA would help us meet that goal. I ask Representative [Name] to ask Chairwoman Foxx to include TCIEA in the final workforce and apprenticeship package. I also ask Representative [Name] to join Representative McMorris Rodgers in cosponsoring TCIEA. And I ask Representative [Name] to ensure TCIEA’s passage this congressional session.

If your Representative is not on the House Education & Workforce Committee, we’ve still got steps you can take. If you know a self-advocate who lives in the district of a House Ed&Work Representative, please forward this action alert to them! You can also call the leaders of the House Education & Workforce Committee, Chair Foxx and Ranking Member Scott. Their contact information is:

Chair, Representative Virginia Foxx: (202) 225-2071 and
Ranking Member, Representative Bobby Scott: (202) 225-8351 

You can use this script to plan what you will say:

My name is [your full name], and I am from [your city]. I am a constituent of Representative [your Representative]. I’m calling to ask Representative [Name] to add the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, or TCIEA, to the final workforce and apprenticeship package during the conference committee and pass it this session. 

TCIEA would give states and businesses the resources they need to provide good jobs for disabled people so that we can be more financially independent. Employment rates for disabled people go up when states switch from subminimum wage to fairly-paid jobs in the community. 

Disabled people want to work, and TCIEA would help us meet that goal. I would like to ask Representative [Name] to include TCIEA in the final workforce and apprenticeship package and ensure its passage this congressional session.

Wondering what to expect from a call to your elected officials? Check out this guide to making a call to your Members of Congress. If you can’t make a phone call, that is fine — sending an email will work too! You can find your Representatives’ email addresses on their websites.

Please call and email as soon as you can! If we all contact our elected officials, it sends the clear message that disabled people deserve to work in the community for fair pay. Together, we can make a difference!