| Tell Your Senators and Representatives To Support The ADA Restoration Act |
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| URGENT - A vote is expected this month. |
| It is important to restore the Americans with Disabilities Act so people with disabilities have a fair chance to have a job. |
| Did you know that an employer may not hire, not promote or fire someone because of a disability and get away with it? Even when employers have told a person that the decision was because of the person’s disability, the same employers have often turned around and successfully argued in court that the person is not disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). |
| Employers get away with discriminating against a person on the basis of a disability because the courts have gutted the employment protections of the ADA. They have created an absurd “Catch-22” whereby a person is “too disabled” to do the job – but not “disabled enough” to be protected by the ADA. This is wrong. |
| This also was not the intent of Congress in 1990 when the ADA was enacted – with strong support from both parties — and signed by President George H.W. Bush. Congress included specific language to prohibit employers from discriminating against people with disabilities. As long as a person with disabilities is qualified for the job, he or she deserves an equal opportunity to do the job. |
| People with all kinds of disabilities are affected – including disabled veterans. |
| When a person with a disability becomes well enough to join the workforce, it’s a slap in the fact to run into employment discrimination. Often the best healing agent is a decent job with a living wage. |
| This is true for everyone with a disability – but we owe a special debt of gratitude to the honorable men and women who became disabled in the service of our country. They deserve all the support we can give them. They have already sacrificed so much. The least we owe them is a remedy if they run into discrimination in the workplace. It is the patriotic duty of all Americans to protect them against this indignity. |
| That is why over 20 veterans and military organizations have signed a letter supporting the ADA Restoration Act, in addition to numerous other groups. ADA Restoration is one of United Spinal Association’s highest priorities in Washington in this 110th Congress. |
| Take Action Now |
| Congress is about to act on the ADA Restoration Act. Hearings have been held. A vote in House committees is expected by the end of the month, to be followed shortly by a vote on the House Floor. Then the Senate will take up the bill. |
| It’s easy and quick to do. Just click on Take Action above. When you tell us your zip code, you can click on an email that will automatically be personalized and sent to your own Senators and Representative. You may change part of the email text as you please or just click and send. |
| It would be great if you would please thank our lead sponsors, particularly if you live in Maryland, Wisconsin, Iowa or Pennsylvania: |
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| If you want more information, please send an email to publicpolicy@unitedspinal.org. |
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