[Blindtlk] Vote on U.N. disability treaty blocked

[Alana Leonhardy]

Can you find the actual text of the treaty, or a summary for us non-legal types, so we have a better idea of what our politicians are afraid of? 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 22, 2014, at 06:58, Sherri via blindtlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Just passing on. Don't want to start a debate!
> 
> Sherri
> 
> Vote On UN Disability Treaty Blocked
> 
> By Michelle Diament | September 17, 2014
> An objection from a Republican senator Wednesday derailed an attempt to 
> bring a vote on ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights 
> of Persons
> with Disabilities. (Thinkstock)
> 
> An objection from a Republican senator Wednesday derailed an attempt to 
> bring a vote on ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights 
> of Persons
> with Disabilities. (Thinkstock)
> 
> An effort in the U.S. Senate to bring a vote on an international disability 
> rights treaty has been squashed.
> 
> Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, took to the Senate floor Wednesday calling for a 
> unanimous consent vote on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of 
> Persons
> with Disabilities.
> 
> The senator requested two hours of debate on the treaty with no amendments 
> followed by an up-or-down vote much like the Senate did two years ago.
> 
> Within minutes, however, the plan was shot down with an objection from Sen. 
> Mike Lee, R-Utah, who said that two hours of debate was insufficient and 
> indicated
> that amendments should be allowed.
> 
> "There are a number of our colleagues, both on and off the committee, who 
> have concerns with this treaty," Lee said.
> 
> The U.N. Convention, which establishes an international standard for 
> disability rights similar to what's already in place domestically through 
> the Americans
> with Disabilities Act, was signed by the United States in 2009, but Senate 
> approval is needed for ratification and official participation.
> 
> The treaty is broadly supported by disability advocates and many civil 
> rights, faith, business and veterans organizations. However, critics 
> spearheaded
> by the Home School Legal Defense Association contend that the treaty would 
> compromise U.S. sovereignty.
> 
> A previous effort in 2012 to ratify the U.N. Convention
> failed
> in the Senate on a largely party-lines vote.
> 
> Harkin said it was "another sad, irresponsible day in the U.S. Senate" after 
> Lee's objection derailed his hope for a new vote.
> 
> Earlier this week, the United Nations announced that 150 countries have 
> ratified the disability treaty.
> 
> 
> Sherri
> 
> Character is the side of yourself you choose to show the world.
> Integrity is what you do, what you say and how you act when you think no one 
> is paying attention.
> Sherri Brun
> NFBF Newsline Chair
> flmom2006 at gmail.com
> _______________________________________________
> blindtlk mailing list
> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindtlk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/alana.leonhardy%40gmail.com