UREAP representatives Sherry Harris, Director of Your Community Connection (YCC) in Ogden; Sandi Meehan, Director of the Tri-County Independent Living Center (ILC) in Ogden; Dianne Cunningham, Social Research Institute (SRI) at the University of Utah; and Shirley Weathers and Bill Walsh, UREAP staff, met with Congressman Rob Bishop and his local aide, Ben Horsley, at the Federal Building in Ogden, on February 20, 2003, during the Presidents Day recess.

This was UREAP's introductory meeting with the Congressman, formerly a member of the Utah House of Representatives and elected last year to replace Congressman Jim Hansen. Bill did a brief overview of UREAP and our work on Welfare Reform and Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Reauthorizations. He provided a hand-out with UREAP Principles for Welfare Reform Reauthorization and UREAP's membership.

Sandi gave a brief description of ILC services and reminded Representative Bishop of his support of Mi CASA while he was campaigning for office. Mi CASA is national legislation from the disability community whereby Medicaid dollars follow/stay with the recipient when they move from institutional settings into the community. Sandi also asked for his support for changing the funding formula for ILCs from population-based to region-based, and to support an amendment being prepared by Utah Senator Bob Bennett to accomplish that change. Representative Bishop agreed to support those items.

Sherry gave a brief report on YCC programs and activities. She stressed the need for supportive programs that are part of WIA and Welfare Reform.

Shirley summarized the upcoming UREAP comment on WIA Reauthorization, starting with the basics and tying in President Bush's proposal. She addressed Governance, the One-Stop Career Center System, Comprehensive Services for Adults, Performance Accountability, and Personal Reemployment Accounts. She said that UREAP will continue to provide information to Utah's Congressional Delegation on WIA and Welfare Reform and asked Representative Bishop to call on UREAP if he ever needs help with these issues. Representative Bishop thanked Shirley for the information.

Dianne relayed two accounts of women accessing WIA education services on their way to self-sufficiency. She presented Representative Bishop with the SRI Report: The Dynamics of Leaving Welfare: A Study of Long-Term Welfare Recipients in Utah, July 31, 2002.

When asked if he had received UREAP's e-mail on HR 4--the House's version of welfare reform which is very close to the President's--Representative Bishop said he had received it on the day of the vote. (He voted for HR 4.) He said that Miriam Harmer in his Washington Office will be handling WIA and Welfare Reform. He thanked the UREAP delegation and asked that we keep him informed of our findings and activities.

The new phone number for Rep. Bishop's Ogden Office is (801) 625-0107; FAX is (801) 625-0124. He verified that he will not have a personal e-mail address, but encouraged us to maintain contact via email to his staff.