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Historical Perspective, continued Opposing block grants and proposed lobbying restrictions: ANCOR and its members worked hard at the beginning of the decade to fend off efforts to block grant federal assistance programs. At the end of the decade, with the help of members, ANCOR had a major part in defeating repeated Congressional efforts to restrict nonprofit organizations that receive federal funds from lobbying at the federal, state and local levels. OSHA standards: During the 90s the provider community suddenly became aware of the variety of rules that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration imposes upon employers. With publication of bloodborne pathogen rules, ANCOR also discovered the implication of "the right to know principle," hazardous communications (with the mandate for MSDS forms for any "hazardous" product used in any community residence), and "lock out/tag out" requirements. ANCOR published a comprehensive handbook to assist members in complying with the new rules, advocated with OSHA staff for greater flexibility in their application, and made copies of the "OSHA Quips" available to members. With the recent publication of standards on ergonomics, OSHA is once again in the forefront. Housing programs: Housing issues remain a major interest of ANCOR members. ANCOR testified before Congress on numerous occasions during the 1990s to help preserve authorization and appropriations for the Section 811 program, which provides grants to develop community housing. Chairing the Housing Task Force of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, Galbraith also played a major role in supporting creation of targeted Section 8 housing vouchers, in streamlining the HUD Section 811 application process, and in creating the first-time ever statutory authority for private nonprofit agencies to administer Section 8 mainstream housing vouchers. ANCOR also led a national grasssroots effort defeating Congressional efforts to weaken the 1988 Federal Fair Housing Act Amendments protecting people with disabilities. Social Security: Programs administered by the Social Security Administration are a major income revenue source for the people supported by ANCOR members as well as their key to eligibility for Medicaid and Medicare. In 1998, ANCOR was invited to participate in the White House Conference on Social Security; and the organization highlighted the importance of the Disability Insurance program in discussions of Social Security reform efforts. Work incentive legislation: ANCOR and its members supported passage of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, and played a significant role in the passage of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, working closely with members of Congress and the White House from its development through passage. This important legislation will enable people with disabilities to choose ANCOR members and other private organizations to provide vocational and employment services, and will permit them to maintain critical Medicaid and/or Medicare health coverage when they go to work. Like the ADA, it is landmark legislation for people with disabilities. Fire safety standards: ANCOR has been involved in the development of applicable life safety standards since the 1970s. Since the 80s, it has had at least one member on the National Fire Protection Association’s Technical Committee on Board and Care. During the 90s ANCOR’s representatives successfully opposed efforts to require automatic sprinkler systems in all community residences for four or more people, and helped maintain flexibility in providing life-safety protection. Then ANCOR Executive Director Joni Fritz and others fought for this flexibility on the floor of the NFPA annual meeting in 1993, only to have the floor vote overturned at a higher level. ANCOR then filed and won a technical challenge on appeal to the Standards Council. Federal wage and hour requirements: Labor law is one of the few areas where federal standards are stricter than state standards, and employers must always comply with the most stringent requirements. ANCOR has worked with U.S. Department of Labor officials since 1973 to understand the application of the Fair Labor Standards Act to community residences. ANCOR Wage & Hour Consultant Joni Fritz has become a recognized expert in this complicated area, continually negotiating for flexibility in the way sleep time and other requirements are handled. At the end of 1999 Wage and Hour officials provided ANCOR with assurances that flexibility in requirements for employees who are on duty for periods of 24 hours or more will be retained, and that a 1988 interpretation in the application of enforcement policy 88.48 had been modified.
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