[Ohio-talk] Fwd: [Blindtlk] Vote on U.N. disability treaty blocked

[Aleeha Dudley]

What do you all think? 

Aleeha Dudley and seeing eye dog Dallas 
Vice President, Ohio Association of blind students
Blindcowgirl1993 at gmail.com
"The wind of Heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears." Arabian proverb 
 
Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Sherri via blindtlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Date: September 22, 2014 at 9:58:29 AM EDT
> To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>, <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>, <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [Blindtlk] Vote on U.N. disability treaty blocked
> Reply-To: Sherri <flmom2006 at gmail.com>, Blind Talk Mailing List <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> 
> 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
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