The elections are over for Congress for another two years. No matter who is in Congress, there are TWO laws that we must fight to protect:
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
The IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) for Special Education.
Sadly, some of the people elected to Congress have said that they wish to get rid of the ADA. (Yes, these people actually said that the ADA should be eliminated!) Without the ADA, we will return to the time when the government ignored the rights of deaf people and people with disabilities. We will go back to a time when there were no qualified interpreters in hospitals, courts, and police stations; no programs for mental health for deaf people; no Centers for Independent Living (CIL). People don't believe this can happen.
Yes, it can. Some of those elected to Congress do not believe that deaf people or people with disabilities should have any laws to protect their rights. Some of these people do NOT believe in funding special education for children with disabilities. And these same people want to get rid of the part of the Health Care Law that helps people with disabilities(pre-existing conditions) get health insurance. What to do?
Giving up is not a choice. WE must all work to protect the rights of people who are deaf and or disabled. How? Learn the email address and mailing address of your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator. Make sure you continue to remind these people that you will NOT accept cuts or weakening of the ADA and IDEA. You will not accept changing the Health Care law to keep people from disabilities(pre-existing conditions) from getting health insurance. Everyone must continue to work to protect the rights of people with disabilities (especially children with disabilities).