[NABS-L] Legislative Alert: Don't Take Away Our ADA

[Justin Salisbury]

Fellow Blind Students:

The new bipartisan, bi-cameral COVID-19 relief bills being proposed in Congress will likely contain some form of COVID-19 liability waiver for businesses. We are concerned that this business liability relief may echo some of the language contained in Section 181 of the SAFE TO WORK Act, which attempted to grant exemptions to ADA requirements during the pandemic. For more information on the exemptions in question, please read President Riccobono’s opposition letter to Senator Cornyn<https://www.nfb.org/sites/www.nfb.org/files/files-pdf/safe-to-work-act-letter.pdf> sent back in August when there was an attempt to suspend ADA protections using COVID-19 as an excuse. The details of the new bill have not been finalized yet, which makes now the perfect time for us to call or email to make sure Congress knows that we will not stand for the erosion of our rights.

When you call or email your senators or representative you might say something like:

"Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of [SENATOR/REPRESENTATIVE NAME]. I live in [CITY, STATE]. I strongly urge you to ensure the rights of all disabled Americans are protected in the upcoming COVID-19 relief legislation by maintaining the critical protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Please do not allow for any business liability exemptions that will erode the crucial protections for disabled Americans set forth in the ADA. Thank you.”

You can contact your senators  and representative by calling the Capitol Switchboard and asking for the office in question. The number is 202-224-3121. If you email your members of Congress, please copy John Paré at jpare at nfb.org<mailto:jpare at nfb.org>. Your calls and emails do make a difference.
We recommend you call or email the legislative director in your member’s office. If you need the name and email of the appropriate staff person for any Senate or House office, please email Jesa Medders at jmedders at nfb.org<mailto:jmedders at nfb.org>.

Thank you so much for doing your part!

It’s your ADA, and it’s my ADA. Don’t let them take it away!

Justin


Justin Mark Hideaki Salisbury
he/him/his

Second Vice President | National Association of Blind Students
   A proud division of the National Federation of the Blind
(808) 797-8606
president at alumni.ecu.edu | www.nabslink.org<http://www.nabslink.org/>

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