Message from Our Friend Scott Lissner, Support the Rights of People with Disabilities, Call Your Senator!

I am sending this message along to you both as a personal supporter of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilites (CRPD) and as representative of The Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD) which supports the Convention as well. 

 

While it does require anything beyond the ADA here in the US, I believe the CRPD has the potential to facilitate international travel, business opportunities and markets for individuals with disabilities as well as expanding options for study abroad international exchanges of students and scholars that are so critical for tomorrow’s education and economy. 

 

I know the CRPD will improve the experience of disability for literally millions of people across the globe.

 

I know the CRPD will not undercut US sovereignty and that calling your senator will send a message that as an individual and a country we recognize that disability is an inextricable part of human experience and that all of us should be treated with fairness and dignity.  

 

The CRPD was considered by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week (Thursday, 7/12), with testimony by several disability rights’ advocates.  As a result, the CRPD has been moved to “mark-up,” which is the final step before the committee votes to send the CRPD to the Senate floor for a vote on ratification.  The CRPD is scheduled for mark-up on Thursday, July 19.

 

As you will see from the message below, there are several powerful groups lobbying against the ratification of the CRPD.  As they step up their efforts, those of us in favor of ratification need to step up ours.  AHEAD is urging its members to contact their Senators, to identify themselves as a constituent and a member of the Association on Higher Education and Disability.  I encourage you to consider similar action, regardless of your affiliation with AHEAD.  Call your Senator and Indicate that you support ratification of the CRPD and urge them to ask their colleagues on the Foreign Relations Committee to send the CRPD to the Senate floor so that they can vote in favor of ratification.  If your Senator sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, ask him or her to send the CRPD to the Senate floor and then vote for ratification. 

 

You may find contact information for your Senators by visiting:

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm   

 

Please email or call your Senators today. 

 

Begin forwarded message from Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund:

 

UPDATE! Lastweek’s warm reception in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was good for us, but it provoked a storm of calls from the opposition led by the Homeschool Legal Defense Association and Rick Santorum. Rick Santorum has a large following and he’s using Twitter, Facebook and his substanial email list to provoke opposition and it’s working.We need to raise our voices in determined response!

 

 

MESSAGE: Identify yourself and your connection to disability (person with a disability, parent of a child with a disability, family member, etc.) then tell your Senator that,I support ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and as your constituent I request that you support the CRPD at the Committee meeting on July 19, vote in favor of the treaty in Committee, and move it forward to a floor vote in the Senate!

 

 

CONTACT:

Chairman: Senator John Kerry (D-MA)

(202) 224-4651

 

Chief counsel: Andrew Keller andrew_keller@foreign.senate.gov OR

www.kerry.senate.gov/contact/

 

Ranking Member: Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN)

(202) 224-6797

 

Chief counsel: Michael Mattler michael_mattler@foreign.senate.gov OR

www.lugar.senate.gov/contact/