Super Committee Fails to Reach Economic Deal

November 23, 2011

The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), a coalition of approximately 100 national disability organizations, shares its disappointment today that the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction has failed to come up with a deficit reduction package that addresses the nation's debt in a manner that is balanced and fair.  While the CCD is very pleased that members of the Super Committee worked to protect entitlement programs that are critically necessary for people with disabilities such as Medicaid and Social Security, the failure to complete a comprehensive package leaves consortium member organizations very concerned about how sequestration will impact the nation's 54 million Americans who live with disabilities and their families.

"CCD knows that people with disabilities and their families depend on a safety net of programs that include both entitlement and discretionary spending.  Because the Committee was unable to enact a thoughtful, balanced and collaboratively-developed deficit reduction package, we now face devastating mandatory cuts to many critical programs serving people with disabilities in sequestration. The nation's budget cannot be balanced on the backs of those with disabilities and chronic health conditions," said Donna Meltzer, CCD Board Chair.

"A new report released this month by the Census Bureau shows that 49.1 million Americans are poor.  People with developmental and other disabilities, who continue to face the highest employment rates, are overrepresented in that number.   Especially in times of a weak economy and high unemployment rates, programs that support people with disabilities - such as supported employment, family supports, food stamps, Medicaid and other community based supports and services - must continue and be protected from across-the-board budget cuts," Meltzer continued.  "CCD urges the Congress to work in a bipartisan manner to enact balanced reforms while investing in its most valued resource - the American people."

The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities is a coalition of approximately 100 national disability organizations working together to advocate for national public policy that ensures the self-determination, independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society.  For more information, contact the CCD at 202-783-2229 or see the consortium website at www.c-c-d.org.