Rick.Allan@f210.n322.z1.fidonet.org (Rick Allan) (02/23/90)
Index Number: 6916
It's crunch time!
February 20, 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act Update
I got two mailings today on ADA:
1. dated 2/15/90 from Liz Savage's Consortium of Citizens with
Disabilities.
2..dated 2/17/90 from Justin Dart's Empowerment Task Force.
Here are some paraphrased highlights, first from Liz:
1.3 million ADA postcards have been distributed (none left).
Some House offices have received hundreds and others only a
few. Please send out any remaining cards! All members need
to hear from us!!
Important dates:
2/22/90 - House Small Business Committee Hearing:
The business community requested this hearing. It is
critical that all members of this Committee receive letters
from disability advocates in their states urging them to
support ADA as passed by the Education and Labor Committee
with NO weakening amendments.
Your letters should also stress that people with
disabilities want to work and become consumers and
taxpayers, not tax-dependents, that a strong and effective
ADA is essential to achieve this goal. These members need
to know that there is widespread support for the ADA in
their districts so that they won't participate in efforts to
weaken it. The Public Works & Transportation Committee and the
Judiciary Committee markups have been delayed, probably to
mid March.
The Energy & Commerce Committee has been delayed by a
committee staff discussion draft which represents a serious
retreat from basic civil rights principles and existing law.
What else should be done?
1. The ADA "Key Campaign" continues: Please send keys to
members of the above committees with your personal message
to the effect "Open the Door to our Civil Rights. Support
ADA as passed by the House Education and Labor Committee."
2. The "Dialing for Access Telegram Campaign" continues.
For just $4.95 a Western Union message in support of ADA
will be sent to your Representative. The messages are
"pre-stored" by the Coalition and rotated automatically.
Call 1-800-257-4900 and ask for HOTLINE OPERATOR 9565, give
her your full name, address, zip code and telephone number.
TDD # is 1-800-541-1792. The charge can go on your phone
bill or credit card.
3. Visit your member when he/she is in the District and/or
attend their Town Meetings and other public forums. If you
can get to Washington to help lobby then call Liz Savage
(301-459-3700) for updated briefing materials.
Here are some highlights from Justin's ADA Report:
ADA NEEDS YOU! As we enter the final days of decision for
ADA, we face increasingly strong opposition. The proposed
weakening amendments and calls for delay would fill a book.
WE MUST GENERATE THOUSANDS OF CARDS, CALLS, LETTERS AND
VISITS TO THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL OFFICES OF CONGRESS.
Our message: ADA MUST BE PASSED NOW! NO WEAKENING
AMENDMENTS!
Thanks to you, our full page Washington Post message to
Congress: "ADA YES! LEGALIZED DISCRIMINATION NO! was
published on February 7. 1000 copies were purchased for and
copies have been hand carried to every member of the House
WE MUST GENERATE THOUSANDS OF CARDS, CALLS, LETTERS AND
VISITS TO THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL OFFICES OF CONGRESS.
Our message: ADA MUST BE PASSED NOW! NO WEAKENING
AMENDMENTS!
Thanks to you, our full page Washington Post message to
Congress: "ADA YES! LEGALIZED DISCRIMINATION NO! was
published on February 7. 1000 copies were purchased for and
copies have been hand carried to every member of the House
and Senate and to leaders of the administration. Justin
handed it to President Bush on February 14.
All 8500 names wouldn't fit on the ad, but all names from
each state will be sent to every Congressperson representing
that state. Congratulations to all. NOW LET EACH SPONSOR
OF THE AD GENERATE A HUNDRED INDIVIDUAL MESSAGES TO
CONGRESS.
(A lot of advocates have been working very hard to support
ADA.) This is one election where you can cast as many votes
as you want to - the more the better. Cast your votes for
justice now, and until the final day of passage!
ADA NEEDS YOU! NOW! The special interest lobbyists are
determined to amend ADA to legalize current discrimination -
or be terminally delayed. The truth is on our side and we
have the evidence to prove it. We have 30 million and more
potential advocates and voters. If we rise up by the tens
of thousands to demand justice, we will win. If only a few
of us speak out, we will lose, and future generations will
lose with us. It's up to you!
Martin Luther King said: "Freedom has always been an
expensive thing." He and his colleagues paid the price. We
can do no less.
Together we shall overcome!
===========================
Each advocate should write as many cards and letters as
possible to as many of the following as possible:
Speaker Thomas Foley,
Minority Leader Robert Michel,
and the following Representatives:
E.G. (Bud) Shuster (public and private buses)
John D. Dingell (AMTRAK, commuter rail, telecommunications)
Glenn Anderson (public and private buses)
Jack Brooks (public accomodations)
Norman Y. Mineta (public and private buses)
John Paul Hammerschmidt (public and private buses)
Jim Sensenbrenner (public accommodations)
Thomas Luken (AMTRAK and commuter rail)
(Address to Hon..., U.S. House of Representatives,
Washington D.C. 20515)
It is vitally important to thank President Bush for his
support, and tell him how much we need his leadership now to
pass ADA as he has endorsed it, without weakening
amendments. (Address to President George Bush, The White
House, Washington, D.C. 20500.)
(If anyone has the complete text of both updates, please
upload them!).
Thanks!
Together we can get this vital civil rights bill into law!
Write Now!
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