Policy and Advocacy in Plain Language Glossary

Obey the rules

Accounts that people with disabilities can open and save and invest money without losing benefits

When someone cannot get in trouble with the law for things that they do, even if those things would seem to break the law.

This is a sickness that some people have. It makes them feel like they need to take certain drugs or drink alcohol to feel okay. It can be very hard to stop taking drugs or drinking alcohol.

A government agency that helps people with disabilities live in the community

Groups that make sure  rules to help explain and carry out the laws that are made by Congress.

To speak up for yourself and/or others

Rules that the government or an organization (like a university) uses to include different kinds of voices. Affirmative action is used to include people of different races, genders, sexualities, disabilities, and more.

The ability to pay for a service or thing, deciding if something is too expensive, and how it will be paid for.

An important law that says that governments and most public places must be accessible to people with disabilities. It became law in 1990

Money that is set aside by formal action by Congress for a specific use. Appropriations happen once a year.

Technology that helps computers learn from information and do tasks that usually need human thinking, like answering questions, recognizing images, or making decisions.

A person who benefits or receives payments or services from a program like Medicaid or Social Security.

When members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate work together on a law. Bi means both, and cameral refers to the chambers of Congress, so bi-cameral means both chambers.

When people of both political parties (Democratic and Republican) work together on a law.

Money is requested by formal action from the President’s Administration or by Congress for specific use. Appropriations happen once a year. (see also for Congress)

A group of people belonging to the same political party or with similar interests that will make recommendations or make decisions on policy.

A count of how many people live in the country, along with some descriptions of the people. It happens every ten years. 

The two different parts of Congress – The House of Representatives (The House for short) and The Senate

There are 3 branches, or parts, or the government. Checks and balances makes sure no one branch of the government becomes too powerful and that all  three branches are equal

Being involved in your community and participating in activities that help improve society. 

When people with disabilities live in the same places as people without disabilities

Full or part-time work at minimum wage or higher, with wages and benefits like those for people without disabilities doing the same work and fully integrated with coworkers without disabilities.

Complicated or difficult to break down and understand. If you are talking about the "Capitol Complex" it means the United States Capitol building and the grounds and office buildings that go with it. 

Come together as a group

One part of the government. Congress is made up of two smaller parts (1) The House of Representatives (we call it the house) and the Senate. Together, both the House and the Senate write, debate & pass laws or rules that the country should follow and approve the budget for the country (see above for chamber). 

The people who live in the area (called a district, usually one or more zip-codes) or the state that an elected official represents. Example: people in Pennsylvania are Senator McCormick's and Senator Fetterman’s constituents, and people in Pennsylvania’s first district are Representative Fitzpatrick’s constituents. Click on the following link and type in your zip code to find your Representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

The document that says how the U.S. government works and what rights citizens have

The document that says how the U.S. government works and what rights citizens have

When one branch of government disagrees with the others, and they do not follow the rules in the Constitution for the branches of government and what they are allowed to do.

This is an agreement to fund the government for a short amount of time. This agreement usually lasts for less than a year. It is sometimes called a ‘CR.’A clean CR means a temporary law that keeps the government funded without any extra changes or new policies

The main part of something or the foundation 

A formal letter usually from a government agency or a member of Congress that is sent out to inform, guide or persuade others about an issue

Talking about both sides of an issue. Sometimes debates are done in a formal way with rules about how the discussion should be run.

A rule that allows one part of the government to give some of its powers to another part of the government.

A system of government where people have the power to choose leaders who will represent them and make decisions

A movement of way of thinking that focus on fairness, rights, and equality for people with disabilities

Money that the government can choose how to spend each year, this means the government can change how much money it ives to different things on a year to year basis if those things are in the "discretionary" category. 

Treating someone unfairly or differently because of who they are      

Taking something apart or breaking it down

Differences between people. These may be in how they look or different life experiences they have. 

A rule about how the government has to make sure everyone has the same rights when it comes to the law

The ability of a person or country to influence or control the making and using of goods or services

Being involved or interested in something

When everyone has access to the same resources, places, and information. 

A group of people who share their own culture, history, language, religion, or set of traditions

Making decisions and policies that apply the findings of the best available current research or studies.

The part of the government that makes sure laws are followed and runs the day to day work of the country. The leader of this branch is the President.

Growth or increase in size, number, or amount

The official book the federal government uses to propose rules and send notices out to the public

The official book the federal government uses to propose rules and send notices out to the public

The attempt to stop or slow down a vote in the Senate by talking about it for a long time, trying to change the rules, or anything else to delay the vote.

A 12-month period that the government uses for budgeting purposes. This is different than the calendar year

Basic structure or set of rules

 A legal right that students with disabilities have under  U.S. special education law. There are four parts to FAPE: 1) Students with disabilities have the right to have education that is at no cost to one’s family; 2) Education needs to meet the students’ needs; 3) This needs to be given within the public school system; 4) Education opportunities have to help the students learn their best

The way a person feels about themselves and how they choose to express themselves – male, female, both, neither, or in between.

How things in government are run and controlled.

When the government hasn’t passed the needed spending bills and federal agencies shut down while Congress decides how to spend money moving forward.

The person a court chooses to make choices for a person. Someone with a developmental or intellectual disability might have a guardian who makes many decisions for them. This issue is called guardianship.

HCBS is a form of long term services and supports (LTSS) for people with disabilities that get Medicaid. Instead of getting services or supports in institutional settings (like hospitals or nursing homes), HCBS take place in the home or community. HCBS helps people with disabilities live independently.  

A type of care that people get when they are dying to make them more comfortable

Many people come to the U.S. from other countries. This is called immigration. They come for different reasons and from many different parts of the world.

To put something in action

The opposite of being "left out." It often means being part of a group

A federal law that makes sure that students with a disability have education from birth to their high school graduation (or they can continue to age 21)

The basic things needed to make something work. One example is infrastructure in society- these are the things that help society work buildings, roads, power supplies.

Plans, activities, and strategies that work toward a goal

This is a phrase people often use when they talk about how home and community-based services work under Medicaid. Under Medicaid, supports and services are required for people living in institutions. Supports and services are optional for people who want to get care at home. A bias is when people are unfairly in favor of one thing over another. The institutional bias in Medicaid is about how the Medicaid system is unfairly in support of institutions, but not home care.

Colleges, community colleges, and universities.

A federal law that allows the President to use the U.S. military inside the country to respond to extreme situations (like violence or protests) if the President thinks that state or local governments cannot or will not protect people’s rights or keep order.

Figuring out how laws are supposed to work and be carried out

At risk of losing something like a service or program

The branch of the government that makes sure laws are applied fairly, equally, and consistently. It includes judges and lawyers.

A set of rules made and enforced by the government to help keep order and protect people’s rights

This is a key part of special education law saying that students with disabilities should learn alongside students without disabilities as much as possible.

the preparation, drafting, and passing of laws by Congress

The branch of the government that makes the laws

Long-term Supports and Services (LTSS) are services that help people with disabilities to live everyday lives. These include lots of different things such as help eating, bathing, and dressing or preparing meals, managing medicines, and house chores.

Required by law or rule or something you must do

 This is when a group of Senators or Representatives meet to talk about a bill and make changes to it before voting on it.

A healthcare program run by state governments. Medicaid helps people get healthcare if they have a disability or don’t have a lot of money.

A federal program for people who are 65 years old and over, and for people under 65 with disabilities that meet Medicare’s eligibility rules.

This covers prescription drugs.

Covers hospital stays, some care that nurses provide, some home health care, and hospice.

Covers doctor visits, some home health, and services to stop people from getting sick

A type of private (non-government) insurance plan also called Medicare Advantage. It combines the benefits of Part A, Part B, and often includes prescription drug coverage. It has to be approved by Medicare.

A system where people have power because they "earned" it through skill, work, or ability.

The lowest amount of money that a person can legally be paid for doing a job.

Policies from the country's official bank that makes decisions about how much money the country has and how to use credit, which is a way that people pay for things.

Become a citizen of a country through a specific process

Offices in the government that looks into cases where there may be discrimination against people, including people with disabilities

The beginning of something.

Use power to change or cancel a decision

Time off from work, with pay

Set of rules or guidelines that are made by the government to help decide something 

Issues that our network or other organizations have decided are the most important to work to fix

Education that takes place after the kingergarten-12th grade system (k-12). This means education after high school

Not having enough money to live healthy and safely.

The monthly amount you pay for your health insurance

A way to explain something in way that makes sense to people 

Part of a law or regulation.

The color of your skin

The belief or practice that people with a color of skin are better than others. 

This is a term related to laws, it means to pass the law again to changes or updates after many years have passed or after a law has "expired" or ended.

An in-district work period is when members travel home to their states and districts to talk to constituents.

In policy, this is about when bills from the House and Senate need to be brought together and look the same during the reconciliation process.

A fast-track process Congress uses to change laws about mandatory spending if one political party is in charge of the House and Senate

Steps you can follow when something goes wrong to try and make things right

To make something smaller or decrease something

When a company or an agency gets rid of a lot of jobs

Instructions from a federal agency on how a law needs to be enforced

Regulations are created and set by a process called the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) which makes sure that agencies follow a fair and clear procedure when making new rules. The procedure: First, an agency proposes a rule. When an agency, like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), decides it needs a new rule. It publishes the proposed rule on the Federal Register, so everyone knows what they are doing. This makes it public. People, businesses, or groups can then comment on the proposed rule. After reviewing the comments, the agency might make changes to the rule. Then, they adopt and publish the final rule. 

A big government office that makes and enforces rules to protect people and make sure laws followed

A law that gave people with disabilities rights, made unfair treatment of people with disabilities illegal, and made sure the government makes technology accessible. It became law in 1973.

Lessening the negatives effects of an issue or policy sometimes by providing money to people

A formal statement or decision that people agree upon

Holding something  back or controlling someone

Limit or control on what someone can do

The money that a city, county, state, or country government brings in as income, usually as taxes.

Process where agencies create, change, or remove rules. Rules are the next step of instructions for how a law works in the real world.

Protect

The state of being isolated or kept away from others

Separated from others, normally  based on difference

Being able to take care of yourself

Social security is a federal program that provides money to older adults and people with disabilities. Many people get money from Social Security when they retire or stop working. Other people get money from Social Security if they are disabled and can’t work or can’t work very much.

Having enough money to cover the costs of a program.

Something used for a short term until a solution is found that will last longer

Refers to an exception that lets employers to pay people with disabilities less money than anyone else. 

Extra or left-over funds

A tax credit is an amount of money that people can save when they file their taxes. Usually, they are a reward from the federal government.

A group of experts in the government who make recommendations about vaccines and when people should get them

The amendment that says that everyone born or “naturalized” into the United States are citizens of the United States.

A civil rights law that says that people with disabilities must have equal access and opportunities that people without disabilities have.

The highest and most powerful court in the United States

Grow, develop, and succeed

Products or features that are accessible to everyone and benefit everyone.

A shot that keeps people from getting sick

When the President refuses to sign a bill and it does not pass

A voucher is a piece of paper that allows someone to do something. In education, it is a special piece of paper that gives money to some families to send their children to private schools

A waiver a piece of paper or note that allows someone to do something differently than the law says. In Medicaid, it is special permission from the federal government that lets a state change how it runs parts of its Medicaid program. States use waivers to offer different services or supports often to help people get care in their homes or communities instead of institutions.

Programs from the Social Security Administration that allow people with disabilities to work and receive their monthly payments. The programs can be different in each state or territory

Rules that say a person has to have a job, be looking for a job, or doing  like job training in order to get benefits from the government

When there are no exceptions to a rule and people take it very seriously