This transformation is resulting in monumental change in how our Government operates. Gone are the days that Congress or the Federal Government mandates a far reaching change without State and local cooperation and, most of all, financial resources attached. Much of public policy and its implementation is devolving to States, providing an increase in control and power to State and local government over its design and implementation. This is not bad, but it is a change and one that must be lived with and within as we continue to fulfill the mandate of the Executive Order to bring employment of adults with disabilities as close as possible to that of the general population.

As part of this transformation our nation is experiencing the strongest economy in a generation. There are new and expanded opportunities for employment and economic prosperity as scientific and technological advances result in industries and occupations unheard of only a few decades ago. Unemployment is at an all time low. Employers across the nation are struggling daily to find qualified workers. Yet, people with disabilities remain unemployed at stunning levels.

Opportunity is on our side. We must leverage this transformation to open the door to economic independence and employment for people with disabilities. For example, The Workforce Investment Act (\VIA), passed by Congress in 1998, is a salient example of fundamentally changing how we view workforce development policy in a way that is good for workers and good for business. This law codifies many of the reforms that States and local communities had already begun to enact. W1A is meant to streamline, to cut red tape, and to provide services that are truly customized. The foundation of W1A workforce reform rests on four corner stones: choice; integration; accountability; and a local focus. The intent is that all people, including people with disabilities, are customers of this new system. The bottom line? An outcome driven system, responsive both to employers and people seeking jobs, empowering people with information and control, and resulting in employment.

Excerpt from "Recharting the Course: If Not Now, When?" The second report of the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities. Presented to the President of the United States, November 15, 1999.