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Contact: Kevin Hensil

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PA SILC Executive Director Corey L. Rowley Receives the Prestigious

Frank Harkin Memorial Award from NCIL

U.S. Senator Tom Harkin presents the award

HARRISBURG, Pa., September 12, 2007 ­- The Pennsylvania Statewide Independent Living Council is proud to announce that Executive Director Corey L. Rowley has been honored with the prestigious Frank Harkin Memorial Award from the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). It is the second national award bestowed on Rowley in a year.

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, presented the award during the National Council on Independent Living's annual conference at the Grant Hyatt Washington, D.C.  Rowley was unable to attend the ceremony and her daughters Amber and Alex accepted the award on her behalf.  Harkin is the chief sponsor of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the most significant piece of civil rights legislation since the Civil Rights Act of 1964.   

Kelly Buckland, NCIL President and the Executive Director of the Idaho Statewide Independent Living Council said, "Corey was the obvious choice for NCIL's Frank Harkin Memorial Award.  Her legislative work as the SILC Executive Director in Pennsylvania and previously in Utah, her work on national legislation, including amendments to the Rehab Act, and her work in teaching others how to affect legislation on a local, state and national level were some of the reasons she was chosen for the award.   

"Corey has taught us all so much." 

In accepting the award for her mother, Amber Rowley described Corey's passion for public policy. 

"She loves delving deep into an issue or policy to find the link between the various problems people face throughout the country and developing a solution that will benefit them all," said Amber Rowley.  "Her enthusiasm for working with Congress and other

policy makers to change the system for the better is incredible.  She is a great role model to me and many advocates in the disability community."  

The Frank Harkin Memorial Award is named in honor of Frank Harkin, brother of Sen. Harkin, who as an individual with a disability fought for his civil rights many years prior to passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.  His advocacy efforts significantly influenced Sen. Harkin, a chief sponsor of the ADA.  Sen. Harkin introduced the ADA Restoration Act of 2007 on July 26.  

Rowley has been active in the disability movement for 14 years and is a longtime member of NCIL, previously serving as vice president.  A recognized national leader in advocacy, lobbying and the legislative process, she has successfully authored and negotiated several bills that Congress has passed and have been signed into law by the president.  

This is the second major award Rowley has received in a year.  Last summer she was a recipient of an annual Justice for All Award from the American Association for People with Disabilities (AAPD).  The award recognizes those who are extraordinary champions of political and economic empowerment for people with disabilities.   

NOTE TO EDITORS: To receive a picture of Amber and Alex Rowley receiving the Frank Harkin Memorial Award on behalf of their mother, contact Kevin Hensil at 717-645-7514, kphensil@pasilc.org

ABOUT PA SILC

The Pennsylvania Statewide Independent Living Council (PA SILC) is a nonprofit, cross-disability, consumer-controlled organization dedicated to securing public policies that ensure civil rights for people with disabilities by supporting the independent living philosophy. 

The PA SILC was established in 1987 to comply with the federal "Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1986" (P.L.99-506), which requires states to create a consumer-controlled advisory committee to the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation's Independent Living Program.  In 1992, the federal Rehabilitation Act Amendments gave SILC co-signing authority on the federally-mandated State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL).

In compliance with state and federal law, a majority of the voting PA SILC members are persons with disabilities and are appointed by the Governor.  Additional representatives are from Centers for Independent Living, consumer or independent living organizations, and various state agencies.