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February Advocacy Highlights

Statements on CDC’s New COVID-19 Guidelines

On February 13, the Washington Post reported that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention (CDC) was preparing to release new proposed isolation guidance for COVID-19 that would reduce isolation times to as little as one day in many cases. AAPD released a statement expressing severe concern and asking the CDC and the Biden administration to change course. That statement can be read here.

Today, March 1, the CDC released that new guidance, titled Respiratory Virus Guidelines. AAPD published a statement again to express disappointment and frustration with the new guidance, and our concerns for the disability community amidst its changes. Read that statement here. 

AAPD Comments on the DoJ’s Proposed Accessibility Standards for Medical Diagnostic Equipment

AAPD submitted comments in support of the Department of Justice’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking entitled Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability: Accessibility of Medical Diagnostic Equipment of State and Local Government Entities. This proposed rule would implement accessibility standards for medical diagnostic equipment (MDE), including exam tables, diagnostic imaging machines such as those used for mammography, and more under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  The U.S. Access Board released these accessibility standards for MDE in 2017, and this proposed rule from the Department of Justice would make them enforceable. Read our comments here. 

AAPD Comments to AbilityOne Commission on Proposed Regulation on Competition

AAPD submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget and the AbilityOne Commission on the proposed regulation, Supporting Competition in the AbilityOne Program. Established in 1938, the AbilityOne program provides employment opportunities and related supports to 45,000 people who are blind or have significant disabilities and provides products and services to the U.S. government and armed services.  AAPD is concerned that this proposed regulation would substantially alter the purpose of the AbilityOne program by making costs the main consideration when reviewing applications for AbilityOne contracts.  Read our comments here. 

AAPD Asks President Biden to Include Disability Policy Priorities in State of the Union Address

AAPD sent a letter to President Biden asking him to include people with disabilities and key disability policy priorities in his upcoming State of the Union address, scheduled to be delivered to a Joint Session of Congress on March 7. Read our letter to the President here. 

AAPD Attends Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Conference in Philadelphia

On February 6th and 7th, Maria Town, AAPD President and CEO, and Gaby Madriz, AAPD Chief Operating Officer, attended The Equity and Social Justice Relationships Winter Convening in Philadelphia, hosted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The convening brought together leaders from various non-profit organizations who focus on different aspects of health equity. The convening was the first in-person gathering of this cohort of leaders and provided an invaluable opportunity to build relationships for mutual support and collaboration. AAPD is excited to continue to build upon the connections forged at the convening in order to advance our shared goals of increasing health equity through advocacy and civic engagement within our communities. 

Fannie Lou Hamer Leadership Fellows Visit Washington, D.C.

February 22-25, fellows in the 2023 Fannie Lou Hamer Leadership Program gathered in Washington D.C. to put their legislative advocacy skills into action and build connections within the disability community. The Fannie Lou Hamer Leadership Program, started in 2020, is designed for young Black disabled advocates (ages 18 – 30) who are committed to the social, political, and economic issues surrounding the intersections of the Black and Disability communities. The fellows met with Members of Congress, visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture, toured the We Who Believe in Freedom Exhibit at the MLK Library, and more. Read about the leaders from our 2023 cohort here. 

AAPD Submits Written Testimony Regarding Disabled Entrepreneurs

On January 30, 2024 the Committee on Small Business held an Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development Subcommittee hearing titled “Pathways to Success: Supporting Entrepreneurs and Employees with Disabilities.” AAPD submitted written testimony on the barriers disabled entrepreneurs and employees face and what can be done to resolve these issues, such as passing the Supporting Disabled Entrepreneurs Act. You can read the full testimony here. 

REV UP Updates

New U.S. Senate Bills Improving Democracy

This month, the REV UP network has been excited about the release of multiple bills working to improve our democracy!

The Accessible Voting Act establishes an Office of Accessibility in the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, requires states to create accessible voting websites, requires states to allow no-excuse absentee voting for all voters and provide accessible absentee digital blank ballots, authorizes funding for states to ensure polling place accessibility, and more. 

The Removing Access Barriers to Running for Elected Office for People with Disabilities Act protects candidate’s who need access to crucial federal disability benefits. 

Lastly, the AID (Accessibility and Inclusion to Diversify) Local Government Leadership Act supports accommodations for local elected officials. 

The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore and improve the Voting Rights Act by adding back in protections against racial discrimination in voting and representation. Maria Town, President and CEO of AAPD, said of the bill, “We have seen a disturbing increase in voter suppression laws at the state-level with policies that specifically create barriers for disabled voters. The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is a crucial protection against discriminatory voting laws. We urge Congress to pass this law so we can get closer to a democracy where every voter has full access to their right.”

To learn more about these bills and get engaged in advocacy, register to attend REV UP National Calls and sign up for the REV UP newsletter. 

Technology Policy

NTIA Workshop at NDIA conference 

AAPD participated in a workshop on disability inclusion at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance conference in Philadelphia this month. AAPD urged state planners to reach out to the federally funded networks to learn more about the needs of our community, and highlighted the need to pay for assistive devices that allow disabled people to access broadband to communicate. We also urged libraries to work with existing assistive technology to create community hubs for people to learn how it can be used by assistive devices to communicate. 

Conversation with the FCC 

AAPD attended a briefing for Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Rosenworcel with the Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights. The priorities we shared included advocating for the FCC to create an Office on Civil Rights, an update on several matters related to digital discrimination rulemaking, and the need to secure funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). AAPD reinforced the need for the Commission to address the access to assistive devices comments included in our comments to the Commission on the digital discrimination rulemaking.

The post AAPD Disability Policy Download – February 2024 appeared first on AAPD.

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Meet the AAPD Policy Team

Michael Lewis, Vice President of Policy

Michael Lewis joined the AAPD team in December 2023, and serves as AAPD’s new Vice President of Policy. Michael has spent over a decade working in disability rights for a variety of organizations. His passion for disability policy advocacy stems from his experience as an individual with cerebral palsy. He grew up in Chapel Hill, NC and received his undergraduate degree from the Gillings School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as a Master of Arts in Government from Regent University. He is a diehard Tar Heels fan and lives in northern Virginia with his wife and five children.

Rachita Singh, Senior Policy Associate

Rachita Singh has been with AAPD’s team since 2021. She came to AAPD through her interest in voting access for the disability community, which got her involved in REV UP. Prior to joining the AAPD staff, Rachita spent a summer with AAPD through a Google Policy fellowship program.

Prior to this, she earned her Master’s in Public Policy at Duke University. Rachita’s desire to work in disability policy started from her passion for helping people and solving problems, as well as her personal experience living with epilepsy. She was born, raised, and lives in Northern Virginia and is a self-proclaimed member of the Beyhive. 

Advocacy Highlights

Supreme Court Decision in Acheson Hotels, LLC v. Laufer 

On December 5, 2023, The U.S. Supreme Court released its decision to dismiss as moot the matter of Acheson Hotels, LLC. v. Laufer. The case was brought by Deborah Laufer, who is a wheelchair user and a “tester,” which means she volunteers to put herself in situations where she may experience discrimination. Ms. Laufer sued the Coast Village Hotel in Maine (owned by Acheson Hotels at the time) for failing to provide accessibility information on its website, as required by the ADA’s reservation rule. AAPD was relieved by and glad for the decision, as the  Read AAPD’s statement on the decision here.

The Wall Street Journal ran a letter to the editor from AAPD President and CEO Maria Town that stressed the importance of testers in enforcing civil rights for all. Previously, the editorial board praised Justice Thomas’s concurring opinion in the case, in which he argued that he would have gone farther than the majority and found that the Americans with Disabilities Act does not permit “testers” like Deborah Laufer to enforce their civil rights. The letter was published in the December 17 issue of the Journal.  Read it here.

White House Visit

On December 12, 2023, the White House Domestic Policy Council convened stakeholders for a discussion about the historic $40 billion investment in Home- and Community-Based Services as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, as well as the need for more investment to address the dire shortage of direct support and care professionals. AAPD President and CEO Maria Town and Policy Michael Lewis attended the covening.

AAPD Comments on the American Community Survey

AAPD submitted comments responding to the U.S. Census Bureau’s proposal to change the current disability questions in the American Community Survey (ACS). The proposed adoption would exacerbate the underrepresentation of disabled people in the ACS. Data from the ACS is used to set funding levels for vital programs that people with disabilities rely on, such as Medicaid and housing assistance. AAPD emphasized that the Census Bureau must consult with the disability community to devise any revisions to the disability-related questions in the ACS. Read our comments here. 

Comments to OMB on AI 

AAPD submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget on their memorandum to federal agencies regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence. AAPD emphasized the importance of consulting members of the disability community, hiring technology professionals with disabilities, and engaging experts in disability policy before agencies implement the use of AI platforms to ensure such technology does not discriminate against disabled people. Read our comments here.

Press Conference with Bishop William Barber II

AAPD President and CEO Maria Town joined Rev. Bishop William Barber II for a press conference after Bishop Barber had the police called on him by the manager of an AMC movie theater in Greenville, NC, for attempting to access and attend a movie in his own wheelchair. Bishop Barber has a disability and had attempted to bring his own, specialized chair into the accessible seating section of the theater where he and his 90-year-old mother were seeing The Color Purple. Read Maria’s remarks here.

REV UP Updates

REV UP stands for “Register, Educate, Vote, Use your Power!” and is AAPD’s program focused on building the power of the disability vote through increasing civic engagement in the disability community and improving the accessibility of elections. Learn more on the REV UP website.

2024 is off to a busy start for the REV UP network! Please continue to check our resources and efforts to ensure our elections are accessible to all on AAPD’s Election Engagement Hub throughout the 2024 election. Here are just a few highlights from the work REV UP is doing:

Presidential Election and Voting Kickoffs 

This week AAPD sent letters to the chairs of both the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee addressing ableism in the race thus far. Ableism is never acceptable, and this should be especially true in the race for the highest office in the country. Read the letters here.

We also sent a memo to all major American television news networks this week, regarding accessibility and disability in the 2024 election, with important recommendations and information. The memo can be read here.

Read our press release about both the memo and letter here. 

AAPD covered accessibility and the Iowa Caucuses with help from Piper Haugun, of Disability Rights Iowa.

We also received our first response to our 2024 Disability Presidential Candidate Questionnaire from Governor Asa Hutchinson. Governor Hutchinson has since dropped out of the race, but we are grateful for his engagement and looking forward to hearing from more candidates. 

Check Vote411 for election dates in your state!

Voting Policy 

AAPD submitted comments, alongside 20 other organizations, to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission on their 2024 Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS). The EAVS policy survey collects data on voting policies across states, and can be an important opportunity to learn more about the disability vote.  We commended the U.S. Election Assistance Commission on the addition of several new questions that will provide useful information about accessible voting options, and suggested further additions to collect more data on accessibility. Read the comments here.

Technology Policy

As part of its work to implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the FCC recently held a listening session on digital discrimination. AAPD testified at the listening session and filed comments during the digital discrimination rulemaking process. Those comments can be found here.

AAPD is working with Communication First, TDI and the NACDD to improve access to Assistive and Augmentative Communication devices some people with a range of disabilities can access and use a broadband connection for communication purposes. 

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