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By Peggy Hathaway
Some people are fed up with health care reform (HCR) and think it may be just as well that Congress is deadlocked. The truth is, now is the absolute worst time to tune out from HCR, which in danger of becoming victim to petty partisan politics as the 2010 elections approach. If given a choice between doing what’s right for all Americans in terms of reform and doing what’s right for themselves in order to get re-elected, don’t kid yourself, our representatives in Congress definitely need our input to make the best choice.
From our friends at United We Ride: www.UWRdialogue.org
It took more than nine years and two federal lawsuits, but Francis Wenke and his wife Diane are finally getting justice. [...]
| LEGISLATIVE NEWS
By Peggy Hathaway, Vice- President for Public Policy
In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the civil rights of people with disabilities were violated if they had to be in an institution in order to receive needed services and supports. Commonly known as the Olmstead decision, the ruling requires states to provide community-based services to people with disabilities in most instances.
| LEGISLATIVE NEWS
By Andrew Morris, Director of Legislation
United Spinal Association submitted comments to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in support of ethical embryonic stem cell research. The NIH had issued proposed guidelines in response to an Executive Order that President Obama signed in March of 2009 that reversed the Bush administration’s ban on embryonic stem cell research funded in any part with federal funds.
From PasstheClassAct.org:
NOW – The Senate is debating the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (HR 3590). The CLASS Act is in Title VIII of this bill. An amendment will be introduced soon to strip the CLASS Act from the bill and we cannot let it pass.
Only two days left in the United We Ride National Dialogue!
New York City transit users with disabilities loose a friend as Howard Roberts moves [...]
Spinal Cord Advocates is a healthcare advocacy site that collects news, shares opinions and makes taking action on issues important to people with spinal cord disabilities easy as pie. [...]
Here are six persistent myths about health care reform. Now arm yourself with the facts! [...]
Emotions are running high on health care reform. Much of the fear and controversy is based on misinformation. Here are the facts about why health care reform should be important to all Americans–and especially those with disabilities. [...]
Eleanor Smith, founder of Concrete Change, believes all new residences can be—and should be—made basically accessible to people with disabilities, including those who acquire disabilities as they age. And the time to require it is now!
By Tamar Asedo Sherman
Visitability is a simple concept: every home should have one entrance with no steps and a door that is wide enough for a wheelchair to pass through (at least 32 inches wide) with a half bath on the first floor (that also has a 32-inch wide door) and enough space for a wheelchair to get in and turn around.
That’s [...]
As a population that has unique needs, people with disabilities stand to gain tremendously from health care reform if Congress rises to the challenge and designs a system according to people’s actual needs. People with disabilities need reforms that will, for example,
lower the cost of care,
enable those with long-term care needs to remain in their homes and communities,
and give them access to coverage, without regard to pre-existing conditions, on an equal footing with nondisabled persons.
None of these changes will occur if Americans who share these needs don’t demand them from Congress. The time to act is now. Please take [...]
In May, New York City honors one of the pioneers of the disability rights movement.
By Amy Meisner-Threet
Most people involved in the disability rights movement since the 1970s know the name Frieda Zames—not just in New York, where Zames lived all of her life, or even the United States, but all over the world. She was not large in stature, but her spirit and influence were huge.
I did not have the privilege of knowing Frieda in life, but I have heard her name since I entered the disability community. I spoke at length with her partner of 32 years, Michael [...]
| Polio Tips and Techniques
By Dr. Richard L. Bruno
I got a call from a very upset power wheelchair-using patient. She had gone for a mammogram the week before and just got a message that there was a shadow on her left breast and that she needed to come back for another mammogram. The next available appointment: Two months! She believed that the technicians couldn’t get her powerchair close enough to the X-ray machine to get a clear picture because they didn’t take the time to let her remove the powerchair’s joystick. After making a few calls, I got the patient [...]
This just in from Rep. Jim Langevin’s office:
Better Treatment and Cures Sought by Baldwin, Bono Mack, Langevin, Bilirakis
Washington, DC – Congresswomen Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) and Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) today celebrated House passage of their legislation to improve the lives of and hasten better treatments and cures for people living with paralysis. The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act was included in the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act passed today in the House and recently by the Senate. The bill now goes to the President for his signature.
A United Spinal Member is appointed to the nation’s highest accessibility post.
By Dominic Marinelli and Tom Scott
In November 2008, United Spinal member David M. Capozzi, was named the new executive director of the United States Access Board, the independent Federal agency created in 1973 to help enforce the accessibility of federally funded facilities and encourage accessible design practice through public outreach, technical assistance, training, published guidance, and research.
“I am honored to be your Executive Director and will work hard to meet and exceed your expectations,” Capozzi, a native of Buffalo, New York, said in remarks to the Board following [...]
A movement celebrates its coming of age.
Kareem Dale, a member of the new Administration, with Elizabeth Davis, founder of the National Emergency Management Resource Center and executive director of EAD & Associates, LLC, an emergency management consultancy focused on special needs populations. Davis was one of the event sponsors.
By Kelly Rouba
For the first time in history, members of the disability community and various political leaders came together to celebrate a Presidential Inauguration by hosting what they hope was the first of many Inaugural Balls to come.
The event, which took place Sunday evening, January 18, at the National [...]
A member of Congress looks at the prospects for people with disabilities in the new political and economic climate.
By Rep. Jim Langevin
Our nation is in the midst of trying to recover from a downward economic trend. I am keenly aware that when the larger economy is struggling, people living and working with disabilities are more acutely affected. It is during these times that people with disabilities need to work together to advocate for solutions to ease burdens and preserve finances, as well as work to educate each other about programs that already exist and are ready to be [...]
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