Specifically, Grassley won approval from members of the Senate Appropriations Committee for two measures included in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor-HHS) bill.
The first Grassley proposal recommends that the administration provide funds to field test new voice recognition technology that could help millions of Americans. Grassley said there is "breakthrough" technology based upon frequency analysis research that recognizes each voice command as a unique sound. As a result, it can recognize almost any sound a person makes, even if the sound is not part of a formal language. Experts say it has proven to correctly interpret even the softest of sounds which greatly enhances the applications for the elderly and those experiencing difficulty with vocal projection. Grassley said that federal funding for field testing could be provided through the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research or through programs for assistive technology.
"Over the years, my concern for the well-being of older Americans has prompted me to monitor the progress of those services provided to senior citizens. As Chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, I've spent considerable energy and time looking ahead and investigating how best to provide needed services to those requiring assistance. This technology holds much promise for the future. It can improve the quality of life for Americans finding vocal projection difficult because of aging or the effects of stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis or other diseases that severely impair speech," Grassley said.
For example, the ability to control computers with sound command has the potential to open new areas of employment for people with disabilities. Nationwide, it is estimated that there are 700,000 individuals with cerebral palsy, 350,000 with multiple sclerosis, 500,000 with Parkinson's Disease, and four million stroke survivors.
The second Grassley-sponsored provision in the appropriations bill under consideration is language recommending funding for the pension counseling demonstration projects authorized under the Older Americans Act. Grassley wants to see these projects continued and expanded to new regions of the country.
"Millions of Americans rely on their pensions to supplement their retirement income. This money is vital to their financial security and their peace of mind," Grassley said. "However, when a pension miscalculation occurs and if the employer or plan administrator is not helpful, workers and retirees have limited options for recourse. In fact, most are forced to give up what they've earned. That's just not right."
Grassley said for a lucky few workers, there exists the Administration on Aging's (AoA) regional and local pension counseling and information demonstration projects. Initiated in 1993 under Title IV of the Older Americans Act, seven grants totaling $450,000 recovered nearly $2 million in pension benefits and payments. This amounts to a return of $4 for every $1 spent.
Earmarked funding was terminated by Congress in 1996. Since then, the AoA and the Department of Labor have provided some minimal funding to keep the projects running until the end of this fiscal year. "We must continue to provide these counseling services. We cannot afford to lose the expertise that's been developed over the last three and a half years, especially in light of growing concern over pension accuracy," Grassley said.
In June, Grassley chaired a hearing of the Special Committee on Aging to examine the growing problem of pension miscalculations. According to the Pension Benefits Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), pension underpayments have tripled in the last 10 years. Following the hearing, Grassley introduced a bill titled the Pension Assistance and Counseling Act of 1997 to establish an 800 number that would coordinate information and access to the three federal government agencies which deal with pension issues. They include the Labor Department, the Internal Revenue Service and the PBGC. The toll-free number advocated by the Grassley legislation would act as a single port of entry for pensioners in need of useful information.
"A pension from an employer can prove to be a determining factor in whether retirees are able to maintain a decent standard of living. Support for pension counseling is a good public investment which will benefit workers of any age," Grassley said.
The Senate is expected to complete action this week on the Labor-HHS appropriations bill.