NCIL Commends Senator Nelson on Disability Preference Program for Tax Collection Contracts

May 7, 2007

The Honorable Ben Nelson
720 Hart Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Nelson:

We are writing on behalf of the National Council on Independent Living to thank you for your leadership in support of the Disability Preference Program for Tax Collection Contracts, legislation that will create meaningful employment for persons with disabilities and disabled veterans in the field of third-party debt collection. We appreciate your continued efforts to expand employment opportunities to people with disabilities.

NCIL is the oldest cross-disability, national grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. NCIL's membership includes centers for independent living, statewide independent living councils, people with disabilities, and other disability rights organizations. As a membership organization, NCIL advances independent living and the rights of people with disabilities through consumer-driven advocacy. NCIL envisions a world in which people with disabilities are valued equally and participate fully.

Once enacted, your new and revised legislation would create a minimum of 600 jobs for persons with disabilities. We commend your endeavor to ensure that all private tax collection contractors contribute to increasing the number of employment opportunities for people with severe disabilities.

Please do not hesitate to contact my staff, Deb Cotter, Deb@ncil.orgor (202) 207-0334, if we can be of any assistance.

Sincerely,                                                                                                     

                                
John A. Lancaster                                                               Kelly Buckland        
Executive Director                                                               President