TAKE 3 MINUTES TODAY TO TAKE ACTION ON THE CRPD!
Senate Majority Leader Reid has announced that he will be bringing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to the Senate floor today to move closer to ratification and today is the day for us to take ACTION.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognizes the inherent dignity, worth and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family and spells out principles to support those rights.
Nonetheless, yesterday, Senator Lee, former Senator Rick Santorum, and Michael Farris from the Home School Legal Defense Association held a press conference and falsely announced that they have the votes to defeat us. Santorum then headed to an interview with Piers Morgan to oppose the treaty as well. They continue to misrepresent U.S. ratification of the treaty – WE need to be the community force that counters this effort!
We must tell Senator Reid and the rest of the U.S. Senate that we support the CRPD as reported by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with no additional amendments! The reservations, understandings, and declarations added to the treaty package were carefully crafted to address all the issues raised by the opposition. WE support the RUDS and NO NEW AMENDMENTS!
ACTION: Call Senator Reid today at 212-202-224-3542 and say “THANK YOU for taking up CRPD”
Then call New York Senators Schumer (202-224-6542) and Gillibrand (202-224-4451) with the message: “Vote YES on the CRPD as reported!”
Tell your Senators:
- I am a person with a disability and I want to see the senator vote in support of the CRPD this year!
- The CRPD will not cost the Federal Government any additional funds.
- The CRPD has been reviewed by both Republican and Democratic Attorneys General and by past Counsel to Presidents. They confirm that it does not threaten the sovereignty of the U.S., nor does it require any new legislation to comply with the treaty.
- This treaty is good for American business and for the world. It will allow us to bring our knowledge of making a society accessible to the whole world.
- MOST IMPORTANTLY – This treaty is very important to the U.S. disability community! Following U.S. ratification of the treaty, U.S. leadership will help raise accessibility around the world, directly helping Americans with disabilities who live, work, or travel abroad.
You can also contact your Senator via Twitter. Click here for your senators’ Twitter IDs. Here is a Sample Tweet: @(SenatorID) Support the #CRPD #UNCRPD in 2012! This is a #disability issue and we say vote YES!
Sample Twitpic: Click here to see the sample Tweet.
Additional Information:
Want more information about the treaty? CLICK HERE
Interested in why the CRPD is important to parents of children with disabilities? LISTEN HERE
Add your organization to a list of over 275 U.S. disability organizations that support the CRPD: CLICK HERE.