[CT-NFB] Fwd: TAKE ACTION TODAY: Congress to Include People with Disabilities in Their COVID-19 Response!

Tue Mar 24 21:25:17 UTC 2020

From: Gary Allen <garyallenct at hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, Mar 24, 2020 at 5:22 PM
Subject: Fwd: TAKE ACTION TODAY: Congress to Include People with
Disabilities in Their COVID-19 Response!
To: garyallenct at gmail.com <garyallenct at gmail.com>

L*Subject:* *TAKE ACTION TODAY:  Congress to Include People with
Disabilities in Their COVID-19 Response!*

Make calls today!!  It is likely this will move forward in the Senate
tonight or tomorrow AM.

[image: NCIL] <https://t.e2ma.net/click/f15drl/n34kkp/rif2pee>

*Urgent Action Alert: Keep Telling Congress to Include People with
Disabilities in Their COVID-19 Response!*

Thank you for all the efforts you have already made to get Congress to
include the needs of people with disabilities in the next COVID-19 relief
package. Last week the Senate introduced the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
Economic Security (CARES) Act
<https://t.e2ma.net/click/f15drl/n34kkp/7ag2pee>, which does not address
the needs of the disability community. Yesterday the House introduced the Take
Responsibility for Workers and Families Act
<https://t.e2ma.net/click/f15drl/n34kkp/n3g2pee>. This bill does address
some, but not all, of our priorities.

Disabled people are at disproportionate risk during this pandemic, and it
is critical that all future legislation addresses our needs. And
negotiations are happening now! That means we have just a little more time
to contact our members of Congress as they continue working on their final
package!

The key priorities the next bill must include are:

   - *More funding for Medicaid home and community based services*: We need
   to make sure states have the resources to respond to increasing needs so
   people with disabilities can access the supports and services we need, and
   so people are not involuntarily institutionalized during this pandemic.
   - *More support for personal care attendants (PCAs) and direct support
   professionals (DSPs)*: Among other things, this funding could be used to
   increase rates for PCAs/DSPs; provide paid sick time, family leave,
   overtime or hazard pay to PCAs/DSPs; and provide HCBS to individuals on
   waiting lists.
   - *Making sure family caregivers for disabled adults are covered by paid
   leave*: Paid leave must cover family members of adults with disabilities
   who step in when other supports become unavailable because of the crisis.
   - *Ensuring people on means tested programs can access emergency income
   relief*: People with disabilities and others on SSDI, SSI, and other
   means tested programs need to be able to receive relief payments like
   everyone else without worrying about income or asset limits.
   - *Protection of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)*:
   Senator McConnell’s recent proposal opens the door to waiving protections
   under IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. As schools are
   working hard to ensure that learning continues even as schools are closed,
   now more than ever we need IDEA and Section 504 to be protected. And, we
   need significant increases in funding to State educational agencies (SEAs)
   and local educational agencies (LEAs) for IDEA instructional and support
   services during this pandemic!
   - *Ensuring access to medications*: This must include removing barriers
   to accessing a 90-day emergency supply of medications regardless of payer
   (including for controlled substances), as well as flexibility around the
   amount that can be filled/refilled.
   - *Permanently reauthorizing Money Follows the Person*: People belong in
   the community. People are being forced into institutions and we need to be
   able to bring them back home.
   - *More funding for Centers for Independent Living (CILs)*: As you saw
   in our previous alert <https://t.e2ma.net/click/f15drl/n34kkp/3vh2pee>,
   Congress must ensure CILs have additional funding to respond to this crisis
   and meet the needs of disabled people in their communities.

*Take Action!*

Our Members of Congress *must* hear from their disabled constituents. They
need to know that people with disabilities matter and cannot be left out of
the COVID-19 response! Congress is moving quickly, so please contact your
Senators and Representative now! Please note that because of the pandemic,
there are not many staffers in Congressional offices to answering the
phones right now. If you can, focus on email and social media to make your
voice heard!

   - You can find your Senators’ contact form at senate.gov
   <https://t.e2ma.net/click/f15drl/n34kkp/joi2pee> and your
   Representative’s contact form at house.gov/representatives
   <https://t.e2ma.net/click/f15drl/n34kkp/zgj2pee>.
   - You can also use Resistbot
   <https://t.e2ma.net/click/f15drl/n34kkp/f9j2pee> to turn texts into
   emails, faxes, or letters by texting “RESIST” to 50409. You will be helped
   to write a letter, which Resistbot will deliver. When asked which
   legislators to send it to, choose “CONGRESS”.
   - You can find your Members’ Twitter handles, Facebook pages, and other
   contact information on Contacting Congress
   <https://t.e2ma.net/click/f15drl/n34kkp/v1k2pee>. A common hashtag being
   used is #WhatWeNeed.
   - You can also tweet at Congressional leadership – Mitch McConnell
   (@SenateMajLdr), Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer), Nancy Pelosi
   (@SpeakerPelosi), and Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader).

For more updates and information, resources, and past alerts about
COVID-19, visit www.ncil.org/covid-19
<https://t.e2ma.net/click/f15drl/n34kkp/bul2pee>.

*Here is a sample email. Please personalize it and put it in your own words
if you can:*

Hi, this is (*NAME*), and I’m from (*CITY, STATE*).

I’m writing to ask (*SENATOR or REPRESENTATIVE*) to make sure that any
legislation related to the coronavirus pandemic addresses the needs of
people with disabilities. The first two packages were a good start, but
more has to be done to meet our needs. People with disabilities are
disproportionately at risk during this pandemic, and we are relying on
Congress for assistance to stay healthy and safe.

The disability community has identified priorities that need to be
addressed in this package. The CARES Act does not address these. The Take
Responsibility for Workers and Families Act addresses some of them. I urge
you to please make sure that the final legislation addresses all of these
critical priorities:

   - More funding for Medicaid home and community based services;
   - More support for personal care attendants (PCAs) and direct support
   professionals (DSPs);
   - Making sure family caregivers for disabled adults are covered by paid
   leave;
   - Ensuring people on SSDI or SSI are able to receive COVID-19 relief
   payments like everyone else, without worrying about income or asset limits;
   - Protection of the civil rights of people with disabilities including
   the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Rehabilitation
   Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act;
   - Ensuring access to prescription medications;
   - Permanently reauthorizing Money Follows the Person; and
   - More funding for Centers for Independent Living.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

(*NAME*)

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-- 
Gary Allen
garyallenct at gmail.com
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