Sign the Petition!

I got a new email from AHEAD today -- I signed the petition, you should too:

Good morning,

As you may recall from the summary e-mail message we sent you last week, AHEAD is one of the founding organizations who have joined together in the Reading Rights Coalition.

The Reading Rights Coalition is engaged in a campaign to obtain access for the blind and others with print disabilities to e-books available for Amazon’s new Kindle 2 e-book reader. The new reader, which Amazon is working to make fully accessible, has the ability to use text-to-speech to read these e-books aloud; but under pressure from the Authors Guild, Amazon has announced that authors and publishers will be allowed to disable the text-to-speech function. Over 25 organizations have joined to form the Reading Rights Coalition, which has set up an on-line petition to urge the Authors Guild and Amazon to reverse course.

Please visit www.readingrights.org to learn more about the work of the coalition, to read the Open Letter to Authors, and to sign the petition. Additionally, an informational picket will be held in front of the Authors’ Guild, 31 East 32nd Street in Manhattan, tomorrow, April 7th from 12:00 to 2:00 pm.

Signing the petition prior to the end of the day today [4/6/09] will be particularly helpful.

Please note: If you are using screen access technology, the first three fields on the form to sign the petition may not be announced. They are, in order: (1) a drop-down menu from which to select your prefix (Mr., Mrs., etc.); (2) an edit field for your first name, and (3) an edit field for your last name. The rest of the fields should announce themselves as you tab to them.

Thank you for your participation in this important effort!If you have questions about this topic, or the efforts surrounding it, please feel welcome to contact either of us directly.

Mike Shuttic, AHEAD President
m.shuttic@okstate.edu

Jim Marks, AHEAD President-Elect
Jim.marks@umontana.edu

Author's Guild -- Get a Clue

[If you want to write the Author's Guild and encourage them to rethink their position, their email address is: staff@authorsguild.org]

Below I'm going to post a letter/newsrelease that I got from AHEAD today -- AHEAD is an organization for people who provide services to students at the post-secondary (i.e., college) level.

Through a link on a friend's website, I became aware of the controversy about the e-text to "voice" function of the Kindle 2.0. Just a few points:

• This is not a separate recording, folks. This is software "reading" the e-text audibly. For people who are "print impaired" -- whether because of vision impairment, learning disabilities or physical issues holding a book -- this is a huge boon. In fact, I wrote to Amazon when Kindle 1.0 came out, and suggested they add this function for people with disabilities.
• Were you aware that currently, print impaired students must buy copies of textbooks, which are then converted into "alternative formats" -- either e-text or braille or mp3s -- with the knowledge of the publishers?
• To think of this audio as an audio book is ludicrous. It is all software, it is not nuanced, as an audio book (at least a good one) would be.
• Anyone accessing the book this way HAS TO BUY THE BOOK! Hello? Whether you're using the function because your hands are full and you're doing 2 things at once, or because you're blind, the fact that you're listening on the Kindle means YOU BOUGHT THE BOOK.
• I understand that authors are concerned that they are not getting the royalties to which they are entitled, but if the guild succeeds in this, it will be a stupid step backwards in access for people with disabilities to print material, and they should be individually and collectively ashamed of themselves.
• Did I mention that YOU HAVE TO BUY THE BOOK to use the audio feature?

AHEAD's newsrelease:

You may be familiar with the current topic regarding Amazon, Kindle 2, and the Authors Guild. Amazon produces the Kindle 2, a small portable device that is used to read literary works. It is capable of producing an audio version as well. The Authors Guild, which represents authors, is concerned about use of the audio version as an infringement on copyright. AHEAD has joined a broad group of agencies and organizations in addressing this issue as it is at the core of access to publications/texts. There are (or are planned) a variety of efforts including open letters to authors, opinion letters in newspapers, postings on websites/YouTube, and picketing. As a professional organization, AHEAD’s role is a voice of support of the efforts that help address the issue of universal access. Our focus is on helping to ensure that all individuals have the right and ability to access public works of literature by whatever means available at no additional cost or obstacle.

Following is the first press release from this coalition of organizations of which AHEAD is pleased to be a part.

CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, ext. 2330 (410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen@nfb.org

Reading Rights Coalition Urges Authors to Allow Everyone Access to E-books
Informational Protest to be Held at Authors Guild Headquarters

New York City (March 30, 2009): The Reading Rights Coalition, which represents people who cannot read print, will protest the threatened removal of the text-to-speech function from e-books for the Amazon Kindle 2 outside the Authors Guild headquarters in New York City at 31 East 32nd Street on April 7, 2009, from noon to 2:00 p.m.

The coalition includes the blind, people with dyslexia, people with learning or processing issues, seniors losing vision, people with spinal cord injuries, people recovering from strokes, and many others for whom the addition of text-to-speech on the Kindle 2 promised for the first time easy, mainstream access to over 245,000 books.

When Amazon released the Kindle 2 electronic book reader on February 9, 2009, the company announced that the device would be able to read e-books aloud using text-to-speech technology. Under pressure from the Authors Guild, Amazon has announced that it will give authors and publishers the ability to disable the text-to-speech function on any or all of their e-books available for the Kindle 2.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “The blind and print-disabled have for years utilized text-to-speech technology to read and access information. As technology advances and more books move from hard-copy print to electronic formats, people with print disabilities have for the first time in history the opportunity to enjoy access to books on an equal basis with those who can read print. Authors and publishers who elect to disable text-to-speech for their e-books on the Kindle 2 prevent people who are blind or have other print disabilities from reading these e-books. This is blatant discrimination and we will not tolerate it.”

Mike Shuttic, president of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), said: “AHEAD envisions educational and societal environments that value disability and embody equality of opportunity. This vision of AHEAD is directly aligned with the efforts of this coalition. Although much rhetoric is made about potential obstacles and problems that exist, the basic goal is clear and simple––access for everyone. And why create something that prevents it?”

Mitch Pomerantz, president of the American Council of the Blind, said: “Removing the text-to-speech features closes the door on an innovative technological solution that would make regular print books available to tens of thousands of individuals who are blind or visually impaired.”

Andrew Imparato, President and Chief Executive Officer for the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), said: “It is outrageous when a technology device shuts out people with all kinds of disabilities. AAPD works to remove barriers to accessibility and usability in technology, and we don’t expect to see people with disabilities singled out by having to pay more for access. New technologies, such as electronic books, should be available to everyone regardless of disability.”

Paul Schroeder, vice president of programs and policy for the American Foundation for the Blind, said: "Those of us with print disabilities have long dreamed of a world in which books and media are available to us at the same time as everyone else. The Kindle 2 offers that possibility for the first time. We hope publishers and authors come to see that text-to-speech is simply an alternative means of access to print."

Dr. Peter Blanck, chairman and university professor at Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, said: “As electronic books become the norm, denying universal access will result in more and more people with disabilities being left out of education, employment, and the societal conversation. We will all suffer from the absence of their participation and contribution to the debates that occupy us as a society.”

George Kerscher of the Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) Consortium, said: "The DAISY Consortium envisions a world where people with print disabilities have equal access to information and knowledge, without delay or additional expense. Authors and publishers surely must share this vision. Now that the issue of human rights has been explained, and the opportunity for larger sales are known, I urge the Authors Guild to reverse their position on text-to-speech and join us in actively encouraging all publishers and reading technology developers to open the world of reading to everybody. Authors, join us on the picket line."

Steve Jacobs, president of IDEAL Group Inc., said, “Not only is text-to-speech important to people who are blind, it is critical in providing quality educations to millions of young people who rely on text-to-speech to learn effectively. This includes students with autism, learning disabilities, mobility disabilities, and cognitive disabilities that impact their ability to acquire information with their eyes only. I remain hopeful that the talented members of the Authors Guild come to understand the potential negative impact of disabling the text-to-speech function on their e-books and reconsider their position.”

Cynthia D. Waddell, executive director of the International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet (ICDRI), said: “The mission of ICDRI supports the removal of barriers in electronic and information technology and the promotion of equal access. ICDRI welcomes the text-to-speech functionality being offered by the Kindle 2 since it increases mainstream access to books for the first time in history. We question why the Authors Guild demands that it be turned it off since many more books would be sold if text-to-speech was turned back on. Not only does this feature benefit persons with disabilities, but it also helps persons for whom English is not their native language. In an increasingly mobile society, flexibility in access to content improves the quality of life for everyone.”

James Love, director of Knowledge Ecology International, said: “Knowing full well that not everyone can see, the Authors Guild wants the right to be seen, but not heard. By bullying Amazon to change the technology of Kindle 2, the Authors Guild will either deny access to people who are disabled, or make them pay more. By attacking disabled persons in this way, the Authors Guild is attacking everyone who would otherwise benefit from the contributions this community has the potential to offer.”

James H. Wendorf, executive director for the National Center for Learning Disabilities, said: "Access to the written word is the cornerstone of education and democracy. New technologies must serve individuals with disabilities, not impede them. Our homes, schools and ultimately our economy rely on support for the future, not discriminating practices and beliefs from the past.”

While the Kindle 2 is not currently accessible to blind users, Amazon recently announced on its Kindle 2 blog that it is currently at work on making the device’s navigational features accessible to the blind.

The coalition includes: American Association of People with Disabilities, American Council of the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind, Association on Higher Education and Disability, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Burton Blatt Institute, Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) Consortium, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), IDEAL Group, Inc., International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet, International Dyslexia Association, International Dyslexia Association––New York Branch, Knowledge Ecology International, Learning Disabilities Association of America, National Center for Learning Disabilities, National Disability Rights Network, National Federation of the Blind, NISH, and the National Spinal Cord Injury Association.

In addition to the April 7 New York City protest, the coalition will participate in the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on April 25-26.

[If you want to write the Author's Guild and encourage them to rethink their position, their email address is: staff@authorsguild.org]

Scholarship Opportunity

I just heard about a scholarship opportunity for students still in high school, or those who are college undergraduates, from 1800Wheelchair.com. The 1800Wheelchair scholarship isn't limited to students with mobility impairments, but they say "preference will be given to students with mobility disabilities".

Contrary to popular belief, there aren't a lot of scholarship opportunities for students with disabilities -- you should check it out.

Disability and the Inauguration

I checked in on a friend's blog today (Becs Again), and found this entry about remembering the fulfill the civil rights of other groups at the inauguration, amidst discussions of "post-racial America": A Soapbox Moment.

Then, I did a Google search, and at a cool blog called Media dis&dat came up with this great post: Wheelchair Users Pre-Test Access for Presidential Inauguration.

I'm taking the day off to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama -- a day that I could only fervently hope for a year ago.

Give One, Get One Program

I first heard about the One Laptop Per Child "give one, get one" program a few years ago. In a nutshell, founder Nicholas Negroponte's vision is to provide laptop computers to children in the most impoverished countries in the world. The Mission Statement reads: "To create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. When children have access to this type of tool they get engaged in their own education. They learn, share, create, and collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future."

Last night on Charlie Rose, Negroponte said that he thought that the non-profit's ability to produce laptops for under $200 is one of the things that has driven down the price of consumer-oriented smaller laptops, which you can now find for under $500.

Negroponte has recently formed a collaborative relationship with Amazon.com as well. As I understand it, there are 2 options: 1) give one for $199 -- meaning you pay to give one of the specially designed laptops; or 2) "give one, get one" for $399, in which you give one of the laptops and get one to use for yourself. And no, you can't just get one for yourself.

This isn't cheap, but, if you are like me, and thinking about a different approach to Christmas for this year, you might want to check it out...

I Guess I've Been Holding My Breath...

This morning, Nora Ephron's post at Huffington Post really resonated with me: Exhale.

I had a busy summer, which included a total hip replacement of my left hip (one down, one to go), but have been well enough to write for months. I had become obsessed with the presidential election, watching unhealthy amounts of MSNBC (I think it is overboard when you watch the same episode of Countdown or Rachel Maddow more than once...)

This election season could exemplify, I think, a large portion of my life, in that I became afraid to be too optimistic, too hopeful, that Obama would be elected. I have been (as have we all, I'm sure) disappointed by the behavior/decisions of others so many times. It feels like a personal risk to put aside my native cynicism and actually hope for and want something.

ADA Watch emailed me this excerpt from Obama's acceptance speech:

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled [my emphasis]. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.
President-Elect Barack Obama, November 4, 2008

I teared-up when he mentioned the disabled (and no, I don't care that he didn't say "people with disabilities -- in this framework, "disabled" is just fine). Not because I'm naive enough to think that someone else may easily have told him to put it in the speech, but just because it was there, as a symbol that we are to be included at his table.

So -- I am still cautiously hopeful for what Obama can accomplish. He is inheriting a boat-load of problems that will have to be addressed before he can do much about health care. I am heartened by the fact that he considers health care a "right", however.

His pre-election white paper on disability issues (BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN’S PLAN TO EMPOWER AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES) addressed the fact that insurance (both private and governmental) has evolved to a point where it will only provide the minimum durable medical equipment (to enable you to get around "inside the home") to cut costs. (See page 7 on the Medicare "homebound" rule.)

I'm heartened by the idea that he is a thoughtful, reportedly "cautious" man. Unlike Bush, I don't think Obama will be unable to admit mistakes or missteps and accordingly change course as appropriate.

Time will tell. Join me in daring to be hopeful.

ADA Watch -- Call for Action and Assistance

If you aren't already aware, new rules are under review for the enforcement of the ADA by the Department of Justice (DOJ). Unsurprisingly, some of the rules cut into access.

ADA Watch sent me the email below today. If you have a lot of time on your hands, you can review the information they provide, and make detailed comments to the DOJ. If you don't, I think just a semi-generic email (if you go to the ADA Watch Action Center they provide instructions as to how to do all of this) certainly couldn't hurt -- particularly if they get a lot of them.

Check it out -- these rules have a real impact on the future of access in the United States, for things as basic as curb cuts at intersections:


ADAWatch.org
National Coalition for Disability Rights
601 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 900S
Washington, DC 20004

ACTION ALERT:
Help Stop the Department of Justice from Implementing Rule Changes to the ADA that Will Profoundly Limit Access!

ADA Watch/NCDR previously notified you of proposed amendments to Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)'s federal regulations and called on you to make public comment.

We also forwarded Steve Gold's assessment of the proposed changes which will profoundly affect access to public facilities and to public accommodations and commercial facilities.

We still need you to take action!

The deadline for public comments is August 18, 2008.

Our coalition partners at the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) and other disability rights attorneys and advocates have put together a comprehensive Action Center so that we can work together to stop these harmful changes.

DREDF tells us: "Some of DOJ’s changes are excellent, and urgently needed. It is important that the disability community laud these, to support DOJ against industry attack. Good proposals include adoption of the new 2004 ADAAG, stronger hotel reservation and ticketing provisions, recognition of psychiatric service animals, additional companion seating in theaters and stadiums, and stronger provisions for effective communication for people with hearing, visual, and speech disabilities."

"However, there are also many draconian changes that would radically reduce the rights of people with disabilities to accessible facilities."

For example, DOJ proposes:

• A significant weakening of the readily achievable barrier removal requirement for public accommodations;
• A significant reduction of elements required to be accessible in state and local government facilities;
• An exemption for all existing facilities from the new recreation and playground rules.
  DOJ must receive a flood of comments from the disability community in favor of a strong, comprehensive ADA.

Comments must defend the principle of individual, case-by-case assessment, which DOJ is largely abandoning in favor of many blanket reductions.

We must remind DOJ that the ADA is already carefully crafted to take the needs of covered entities into account, and that reductions to our civil rights would be a devastating blow to our daily lives.

Go to the Action Center now and stop the Department of Justice from rolling back our civil rights!

Click here to got to the Action Center:
http://www.dredf.org/DOJ_NPRM/index.shtml

My Bad -- Angry Gimp's BAD Entry

I missed Blogging Against Disablism Day (May 1st) this year -- my real job is interfering with my "real" life these days...

I just came upon The Angry Gimp's entry for BAD and it so resonates with my experience that I encourage you to go read it here http://theangrygimp.blogspot.com/2008/05/after-taking-peek-at-some-of-other.html

The Gimp Parade: RIP Harriet McBryde Johnson, 1957-2008

I missed this information, well covered by Kay Olson at The Gimp Parade.

Harriet McBryde Johnson was/is one of my heroes for writing so well, so accurately about the disability experience -- particularly of her youth. If you are of an age (I, too, am 50) and experienced a segregated childhood, I urge you to read Accidents of Nature. My review of that book is here: http://teriadams.blogspot.com/2006/06/novel-that-tells-it-like-it-was-and-is.html

The Gimp Parade: RIP Harriet McBryde Johnson, 1957-2008

Disability Rights Fund

I just read about this new grant-making organization at Rolling Rains. You can read all about it at their website: http://www.culturedisabilitytalent.org/index.html.

This, from the website:

"All 2008 grantmaking will be directed to DPO activities in the following seven countries: in Africa—Ghana, Namibia and Uganda; in Latin America—Ecuador, Nicaragua and Peru; and in Asia—Bangladesh. Grants will be given to:

1. Raise awareness about the CRPD [United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities] and its implications for persons with disabilities (PWDs)
2. Build coalitions and networks which increase the visibility and voice of all persons with disabilities (PWDs)
3. Strengthen advocacy efforts in relation to ratification, implementation or monitoring of the CRPD

DRF will make grants to organizations and projects that demonstrate a clear ability and commitment to contribute to the advancement of the human rights of persons with disabilities. Grants will provide one-year, project-specific support. Cross-disability and other partnerships in-country are strongly encouraged, as are projects which address particularly marginalized sectors of the disability community."

2008 Superfest Internaitonal Disability Film Festival

I've been so busy with my "real" job and life in general that I almost missed this, a Crip Film Festival in Berkeley, California, June 20-22, 2008. I'm going to try and go on Friday -- if I make it, reviews to follow...

The link to their website, including the screening schedule, is above and here: http://www.culturedisabilitytalent.org/index.html.

Cool Video About Disabled Pets

If only people so easily adapted to changed circumstances as these pets seem to:

http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&vid=43eb70da-b2fd-40e5-b0d4-39e843027956&playlist=videoByTag:tag:source_today%20show:ns:MSNVideo_Top_Cat:mk:us:sf:ActiveStartDate:vs:0&from=MSNHP&tab=m17&GT1=42003

Ebates (Again)

I got my "big fat check" of $17.00 on Saturday -- my rebates of shopping through Ebates for the quarter ending April 30, 2008. They're having a special through the end of June:

http://www.ebates.com/referral/0508bonusosu.htm?referrerid=2AqL%2FMhqECk%3D

My total of rebates since joining is up to $418!

Good NY Times Piece on a Wheelchair Athlete

One of the few articles of its kind that I've seen that almost completely avoids being patronizing:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/15/sports/othersports/15george.html?scp=1&sq=josh+george&st=nyt

Cool Video

Check out this cool cross-disability video from several countries in the Middle East:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ylFwcdNfVhE&feature=email

Watch the Whole Speech

Obama made a speech this morning on the wider issues raised by his association with Rev. Wright. If you have the time, I urge you to watch, listen and/or read the entire speech. I am sure various news outlets of every political stripe will feature soundbytes of portions of the speech, but to really appreciate what he is saying, you need to experience the whole.

You can find it here: http://my.barackobama.com/hisownwords.

Someone told me that the pundits are already saying that the speech was "too nuanced" for the average voter to appreciate. I am glad he didn't dumb it down, personally. I think one of his attractions is that he is giving voters the benefit of the doubt about being able to grasp the subtleties of the issues.

I Can Relate

One thing that struck me, while I was listening to his speech is that as a "disability rights advocate" I have experienced hearing a so-called ally say things I vehemently disagreed with, or that merely made me uncomfortable. I call it the "don't be on my side" phenomenon. But, unless someone says something that I simply cannot allow to stand, I may remain silent. We need solidarity, or at least the appearance of solidarity in the face of all of the various forces that would weaken our perpetual struggle to equality.

The very title of this blog, "Crip Chronicles" offends some people -- for using the word "crip". But, as a young disabled person, particularly when I first started being integrated in high school, the words "crip" and "angry crip" was used by my older, disabled classmates to refer to US, who were struggling for equality.

I try to be politic about where and when I use the term. But, I know when I have found a brother or sister in the "disability rights movement" when they are comfortable with the use of "crip". And I also know that you can hear some pretty angry and hostile talk when a bunch of angry crips get together and talk about the wrongs done to them by TABs [temporarily able-bodied], the system and the man.

Fly Me to The Moon...

In the course of web surfing, I found this link today: http://www.iflymat.org/index.html for Mobility Air Transport.

If they get this off the ground (pun intended) it will be the greatest thing since sliced bread for wheelchair users. Check it out.

I Got a Check from Ebates

I got my quarterly check from Ebates today ($22 and change), and saw that they're having a special deal until March 31st, so I thought I'd mention them again. Through March 31st, they are increasing their sign-up bonus to $10 from $5 (to get the "free" money, you have to place an order at one of their stores; if you don't order anything until after March 31st, you will just get the usual $5.)

Here's the link:

www.ebates.com/refer-a-friend/bonusoffer/index.htm?id=1935512

I promote this for a couple of reasons -- one is that, yes, I also get a bonus when someone signs up through my link. But also, I post it on "Crip Chronicles" because I think that if you have any kind of mobility impairment and you're not doing the bulk of your shopping online, you're really missing a great boon to your quality of life.

Secondly, who needs a little extra money more than we do? They've got so many store listed now, that it is easy to get a little cash back on a lot of things -- just this month, I got rebates on my groceries at Safeway.com (yes, it is only 1%, but that's 1.15 I didn't have before), on filing my taxes at TurboTax, and on slippers from FootSmart.com.

'Nuf said.

Elected Representatives Respond re: ADA Restoration Act

The day that I posted the call (from AHEAD) to write to our elected representatives to ask for support for the ADA Restoration Act, I did just that -- sending 3 very similar emails to my senators and congresswoman.

While I have signed petitions in the past, I believe this is the first time I'd actually written to my elected officials, and was surprised to get a response from each, via email, over the course of the following 10 days.

If you're keeping score, both Senator Barbara Boxer and Representative Anna Eshoo both said unequivically that they were in strong support of the ADA Restoration Act. Eshoo is a co-sponsor of the legislation.

Senator Diane Feinstein said, after saying that she understood my concerns, "Please know I will keep your thoughts in mind should this legislation come before the full Senate." Sounds like a variation of "science is looking into it", and a strong reluctance to make any promises.

Tell your Representatives to Support the ADA Restoration Act

In the interest of time, I quote an email I received today (I am a member) from AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability):

"On January 29th, 2008, the Education & Labor Committee of the US House of Representatives held a hearing on The Americans with Disabilities Restoration Act (H.R. 3195). This bipartisan legislation is widely supported by members of Congress and organizations nationwide and holds the promise of restoring the original intent of the ADA.

As an organization committed to the ideals of the Americans with Disabilities Act, AHEAD endorses H.R. 3195 and encourages its members to become informed about this vital, pending legislation and to take action to support its passage (see below). This is particularly important as organizations that oppose the passage of the Restoration Act are coming out with outrageous distortions of its consequences.

The Americans with Disabilities Restoration Act (H.R. 3195), introduced by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), would restore the original intent of the historic Americans with Disabilities Act.

Excerpts from testimony given at the hearing include:
"The bill does not seek to expand the rights guaranteed under the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act. Instead, it seeks to clarify the law, restoring the scope of protection available under the ADA," said Hoyer. "It responds to court decisions that have sharply restricted the class of people who can invoke protection under the law. And it reinstates the original Congressional intent when we passed the ADA."

"Despite our progress, the courts—including the U.S. Supreme Court—have narrowly interpreted the ADA, limiting its scope and undermining its intent," Hoyer continued. "We could not have fathomed that people with diabetes, epilepsy, heart conditions, cancer, and mental illnesses would have their ADA claims kicked out of court because, with medication, they would be considered too functional to meet the definition of 'disabled.'"
Andrew Imparato, president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, said that the initial promise of protecting disabled workers under the ADA has largely faded as a result of Supreme Court rulings.

"In 1990, the ADA was heralded as an 'emancipation proclamation' for people with disabilities," said Imparato.

"Seventeen years later, on account of judicial activism, we are far from having a law that can be counted on to safeguard the fair treatment of people with disabilities in the workplace."

The AHEAD Board of Directors encourages members to learn more about The Americans with Disabilities Restoration Act, http://thomas.loc.gov/home/gpoxmlc110/h3195_ih.xml and to contact their representatives in both houses of Congress to support this legislation. To contact your members of congress go to: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ "

I used the site above to get the links to my representatives, and it only took me about 10 minutes (using cut and paste) to send an email to each of them. I kept it short and sweet: people with disabilities are losing ground in many arenas -- support the ADA Restoration Act in an effort to keep us from losing more and more...