Dear Policy Watchers,
Is
the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional? Can immigrants be excluded from our country because of their disability? These are just a few of the questions federal courts
will be deciding in two cases that NACDD has joined in amicus briefs for State
of Washington, et. al. v. United States Department of Homeland Security and Texas
v. United States.
Please
join us this Monday to hear Alison Barkoff,
Director of Advocacy for the Center for Public Representation, for a deeper dive into these legal challenges to the rights of people with disabilities. Donna Meltzer, CEO of NACDD, and Erin Prangley,
Director, Policy for NACDD, will also be giving a brief update on federal legislation.
DEFENDING
OUR RIGHTS IN FEDERAL COURTS
Monday,
October 7 | 2:00-3:00pm Eastern Time
Call-in
Number: 800-832-0736 |Passcode: 6261788
Now on to other news...
Congressional calendar countdown. Congress is currently on a two-week break from Washington, D.C., for district work, and when they return on October 15 will have just 30 days in session remaining. House Democrats said they are hoping to possibly impeach Trump by Thanksgiving. If they succeed, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he is required by the Senate rules to take up articles of impeachment and hold a trial.
Appropriation update. President Trump has signed the Continuing Resolution (CR) allowing for 8 weeks of funding (November 21). Hopefully Congress can pass their appropriations bills between now and then so that there will not be subsequent CRs. However, the focus on Impeachment might complicate and delay matters.
Autism CARES Act Signed by President Trump! We can finally breathe a sigh of relief because the bipartisan law to reauthorize Autism CARES Act is finally law. This latest reauthorization expands research and coordination, increases public awareness and surveillance, and expands interdisciplinary health professional training to identify and support individuals with autism and their families. Thank you Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Michael Doyle (D-PA) and Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Michael Enzi (R-WY) for being our champions and beating the odds to get this bill passed. For more information on the many improvements in this new law, check out this AUCD blog.
It’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! NDEAM offers an opportunity to celebrate the many contributions of America's workers with disabilities. "The Right Talent, Right Now" is this year's NDEAM theme. There are lots of ways to participate in this month’s educational campaign. For example, the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are holding a competition for American businesses to expand human capital pipelines by drawing upon highly talented and diverse workforces, inclusive of people with disabilities. Individuals can help educate their friends by participating in viral social media campaigns including using #RightTalentRightNow on Facebook and Twitter to talk about employment and more. Check out more advocacy ideas on The Campaign for Disability Employment website . And share stories and videos of what full employment for people with disabilities looks like by visiting National Disability Rights Network’s website.
FEMA Emergency Preparedness Webinar recording. If you missed this week’s webinar with Linda Mastandrea, the Director of FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination, you can view a recording of this webinar at https://nacdd.adobeconnect.com/_a1091929843/ppftjo5wr2pq/?proto=true .
Have a great weekend!