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Employment
 It's the last week of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! The 2019 NDEAM theme is "The Right Talent, Right Now." Amplify your stories and employment work this week!
Action Steps:
- Celebrate with Tuesdays with Liz! Check out her employment focused interviews that have been happening all month with Walmart.
- Call, tweet and/or meet with your Members of Congress and tell them why their support of the Transformation to Competitive Employment is so important.
- Participate in the call in day on Wednesday, October 30th.
- Call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Script:
- My name is [your full name], and I am from [city]. I'm [calling/writing] to ask the [Senator/Representative] to support the Transformation to Competitive Employment Act. This bill would make sure that people with disabilities get to work in our communities for fair pay. With the right supports, people with all kinds of disabilities and support needs can succeed in integrated employment, and TCEA would give states and service providers the resources they need to provide those supports. Can I count on the [Senator/Representative] to support the Transformation to Competitive Employment Act?
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will hold a public briefing on November 15, 2019, to examine the exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act - the section 14(c) waiver program - which permits employers to pay less than the minimum wage to individuals with disabilities.
Action Steps
- Share your written comments with the commission via email [email protected] by December 15, 2019.
Gun Violence
U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Restoring, Enhancing, Strengthening, and Promoting Our Nation's Safety Efforts (RESPONSE) Act (S 2690) as legislation containing provisions to reduce mass violence and make communities safer. Senators Martha McSally (R-AZ), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Tim Scott (R-SC) are cosponsors of the legislation, which was spurred by shootings in El Paso, Midland-Odessa, Santa Fe and elsewhere across the country. Included is expanding resources for mental health treatment and school safety provisions for students and teachers.
Actions Steps:
- Learn more about the contents of the bill here.
- Read AUCD and the disability community's letter about the bill and its implications on people with mental health disabilities.
- Share your concerns with your Senators.
- United States Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Budget and Appropriations
We are less than a month away from the current stop-gap continuing resolution (CR) expires on November 21st. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) reported that there is a deadlock over spending negotiations. This would likely require Congress to pass a new CR.
Action Step:
- Learn more about the budget and appropriations process.
- This is an opportunity to contact your members of Congress about your center's appropriations request. Share with them about the work of your center and the need for continued federal funding to make an impact in your state.
Campaign 2020
Last week, Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio dropped out of the race. We are now about three months away (Feb 3, 2020) from the Iowa caucus which kicks off the presidential primary season and is a strong indicator for how candidates will do later in the campaign.
Policy at AUCD's Annual Conference
The AUCD policy team is excited to see you in a month at our Annual Conference! Don't forget to schedule your Hill Visits for Wednesday, November 20th.
Action Steps:
- Check out the policy related sessions this year.
- Let us know what Hill visits you have. By completing this survey, we will be able to prepare packets for you to take to your meetings.
AUCD Policy Talk:
ICYMI: Read our latest blog post: Guardianship: Clashing Views from Self-Advocates and Family Leaders. As someone interested in disability policy, we ask you to consider writing and submitting a blog post.
Action Steps:
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