AAPD News NOVEMBER 2003 • VOLUME 5, ISSUE 4 Six Presidential Hopefuls Weigh In With AAPD Where Do They Stand On Disability Issues? AAPD Asked Them To Share Their Positions Nine Democrats have officially announced their candidacy for the party's Presidential nomination in 2004. These individuals will participate in primary elections and caucuses all across the country. Many of us will have the opportunity to vote for the candidate we believe is most in-line with our priorities. The Republican Party will run President George W. Bush for a second term and, therefore, will not conduct Presidential primaries or caucuses. AAPD sent letters with questions regarding issues important to people with disabilities to all nine Democratic primary candidates. In mid-2004, AAPD will look at the disability record and agenda of President Bush, the Democratic Party's nominee, and any other major candidates for President. Six of the nine candidates responded to our questionnaire — Wesley Clark, Howard Dean, John Edwards, Dick Gephardt, John Kerry, and Dennis Kucinich. For more disability information from Presidential candidates (including some who are not featured here) go to AAPD's web site at www.aapd-dc.org. HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWERS: Question 1: How will you make sure qualified people with disabilities will be a part of your political team and, if elected, a part of your Administration? WESLEY CLARK One of the most important things I learned during my service in the Army is that a strong team is one that embraces diversity and uses the different interests, backgrounds, and abilities of its members to their fullest potential. I am committed to building the strongest leadership team possible—one that will include people with disabilities. HOWARD DEAN Individuals with disabilities are already a part of my political team. Outreach to the disability community is an integral part of my campaign, and I frequently seek input on policy issues from members of the disability community. I am also working to ensure that all of my campaign events are accessible to all. I would include people with disabilities in a wide spectrum of executive appointments. Individuals with disabilities provide a valuable perspective on federal policy and contribute immeasurably to the fabric of our nation. If I am elected President, I will appoint a "Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy." Working with the disability community, this White House-level staff member would be responsible for implementing my disability agenda and ensuring agency compliance with existing laws. JOHN EDWARDS A diversity of perspectives is essential for any team, especially a Presidential Administration. I am already working to ensure the perspectives of people with disabilities are included in my campaign. If elected, I would appoint qualified people with disabilities to important jobs in the White House and throughout the government, including jobs that are not focused on disability policy. I would also make the federal government a model for the private workplace. Federal agencies would actively recruit qualified people with disabilities and would remove the obstacles for working Americans with disabilities, such as supporting initiatives for telecommuting and flexible work schedules. DICK GEPHARDT I believe that all individuals should have the equal opportunity to achieve, without obstacles imposed by the rest of society. As House Majority Leader in 1990, I helped pass the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) because I strongly believe that in order to have a great society, we have to truly make sure that no person is left behind for any reason. Every individual deserves the right to be self-sufficient and to have the means to lead productive lives. I believe in the ADA, and as President, I will have an Attorney General and a Department of Justice that will vigorously enforce the law. JOHN KERRY People with disabilities are already a part of my political team. I am proud to be working with an expert group of advisors I have assembled on disability policy issues. When I am President I can guarantee the disability community that qualified individuals with disabilities will play a pivotal role in my transition team and in my Administration. I will seek out the best and brightest to serve in multiple capacities throughout the government and in the White House. I will utilize the skills and wisdom of the disability community in shaping disability policy and programs. I will also reinstate the Executive Order by President Clinton to hire 100,000 qualified individuals with disabilities as federal employees. DENNIS KUCINICH One of the best ways of including individuals with disabilities in political life in general and our campaign in particular is by using computers and the Internet. Adaptive computer technology enables people with physical, sensory, and learning disabilities to communicate and contribute to society. In fact, one of our campaign's research assistants has cerebral palsy and uses her computer to telecommute from California. The federal government should provide a model for implementing the ADA by encouraging workplace accommodations. As mentioned above, telecommuting should be encouraged. Flexible scheduling and time off for one's own or a family member's medical appointments is a crucial accommodation for many. We can set a tone of inclusiveness by listening to current and potential employees and making them active participants in the design of their own workplace adaptations. When this happens, workers work better and earn the respect of their co- workers, feeding a virtuous cycle of workplace inclusion, productive work, and social inclusion. In Congress, I have supported the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, which helps provide job training for people with disabilities; the Blind Employment Act of 2001, which increases disability insurance for blind individuals; and the National Health Insurance Act that would provide affordable, comprehensive health care to all. Question 2: In recent years the disability community has become very concerned about judicial rulings and appointments that questioned the Constitutional basis of parts of the ADA. Of the existing members of the U.S. Supreme Court, which justices do you consider models for the kinds of federal judges you would appoint if elected President? Also, would you support legislation to restore civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities who have been harmed by Supreme Court decisions restricting the scope of the protected class under the ADA? WESLEY CLARK I strongly support civil rights protections for individuals with disabilities. I would appoint judges with the highest qualifications, from diverse backgrounds, who are committed to enforcing fundamental Constitutional guarantees—rights that I, and hundreds of thousands of men and women, have fought to protect. I wouldn't impose a litmus test on any one issue on nominees; instead, I would look for judges who are committed to upholding the law instead of imposing their personal ideology on it. I would strongly advance and support legislative remedies to restore civil rights protections under the ADA that have been whittled away by the Rehnquist Court. HOWARD DEAN If I am elected President, I will appoint judges who understand that civil rights laws must be interpreted broadly, and who do not erect imaginary Constitutional barriers to the enforcement of civil rights. Justice Stevens maintains that in order to be faithful to the remedial purpose of the ADA, the Court should give it "a generous, rather than miserly, reading." Justice Breyer holds similar views, and has criticized the Court's harsh review of congressional power to remedy state discrimination. On the other hand, Chief Justice Rehnquist and Justices Scalia and Thomas have narrowed the scope of the ADA. They have severely limited the employment protections in the act, dismissing cases brought by qualified disabled people, and interpreting the Constitution to shield state governments from lawsuits seeking to enforce rights under the ADA. Congress may need to amend the ADA to overcome adverse court decisions, and I would support such legislation. JOHN EDWARDS I am committed to protecting the civil rights of people with disabilities. I have voted against the nomination of judges such as Jeffrey Sutton, who argued the federal protections of the ADA were not needed. I opposed legislation such as the ADA Notification Act, which would have weakened ADA protections by giving employers an incentive to not comply until they were caught. I support measures to restore protections for people with disabilities that the U.S. Supreme Court has eliminated through narrow legal interpretation. We must ensure that the ADA remains consistent with Congress' original intent, and as President I would support legislation with this goal. DICK GEPHARDT Passage of the ADA in 1990 marked an important victory in the struggle for civil rights. I cosponsored the ADA and, as House Majority Leader at the time, helped guide the legislation through passage. I remember how hard-waged that fight was. I saw all of the uninformed corporate lobbyists who insisted they couldn't afford it, that it was too much trouble and too much cost. We stood them down, we did the right thing, and millions of people's lives have changed. I oppose recent Supreme Court decisions that have the potential to weaken this important law. The Court has begun to interpret some cases which stop people from suing for damages after they have been discriminated against—and this is effectively cutting off an avenue that would help us enforce the law. As President, I would support legislation to restore civil rights protections to those who have been adversely affected by such decisions. As President, I would also seek to appoint federal judges and Supreme Court Justices who recognize the equality of all our citizens and who will interpret our laws and the Constitution in a manner that strengthens our civil rights protections, not diminishes them. I have been awed by the significance the ADA has had for so many people. I have a constituent in St. Louis whose name is Max Starkloff. Max has been disabled for a long time, he's confined to a wheelchair, and he has been one of our greatest and most active advocates for people with disabilities in the St. Louis area. I meet with Max and his wife, and they have taken me to the independent living facilities which now exist in St. Louis, they've taken me to buildings that had no access before the ADA, where now there is access. And most importantly, Max has helped me meet people who were, before the Act, confined to their homes or an institution, who are today living alone, paying taxes, and helping the whole community go forward. I can't think of a greater success. JOHN KERRY One thing is for certain: As President, I would never appoint the likes of a Sutton or a Pryor to the federal bench. I will nominate judges whom I believe will enforce and uphold our civil rights laws to ensure the protections promised under their enactment. I am a strong supporter of the ADA, and it pains me to see some in Congress put forward legislative proposals to delay ADA compliance enforcement actions. These waiting periods add up to a meaningless, unenforceable law. And restrictive decisions by the Courts that limit rights are no better. Justice delayed is justice denied. And none of this will stand in a Kerry Administration. I will support legislation to restore civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities who have been harmed by Court decisions restricting the scope of the protected class under ADA. I will also nominate an Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice and a Chair to the EEOC who will make enforcement of the ADA a top priority and use their respective offices as bully pulpits for tougher enforcement. DENNIS KUCINICH As President, I will nominate equal rights-oriented judges who interpret the ADA broadly. Of the existing Supreme Court members, I consider Justice John Paul Stevens, Justice David Souter, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg to be models for the kinds of federal judges I would appoint. Understanding that people with disabilities do need attention will be amongst the main criteria for my appointment decisions. I will propose an amendment to the ADA to ensure the coverage that was intended prior to restrictive rulings by Republican-appointed judges. I will also increase resources to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and to the Department of Justice, Education, and Health and Human Services civil rights divisions to enforce the rights of people with disabilities. Question 3: Given the current economy and most states' economic struggles, Medicaid is a primary target for budget/program cuts. Knowing how vital this program is to people with disabilities and their families (frequently the only way some can get prescription drugs and long-term services and supports), how would you change the economic picture to ensure people with disabilities are able to get the services they need? How would you address the institutional bias in the current Medicaid system? Do you support passage of the Medicaid Community-Based Attendant Services and Supports Act and the Family Opportunity Act (MiCASSA)? WESLEY CLARK State and local governments are facing their worst fiscal crisis in decades. This fiscal crunch has hurt the economy and working families and forced states to make choices to cut much needed programs like Medicaid. That's why my first major policy initiative, my jobs plan, includes a proposal for a $40 billion state and local tax rebate fund to lessen the need for states and local governments to cut critical expenditures in state health care programs such as Medicaid. I think we need to make sure that affordable health care is available to everyone. My health care plan addresses these rising costs by making health care more affordable and providing health insurance for everyone under 22. I believe that all people deserve choice, which is why I would work to eliminate the institutional bias in the Medicaid program. I believe that no one should be forced into an institutional setting based solely on his or her need for personal attendant services. Our long-term care policies should be brought into the 21st century with the underlying guiding principles of choice and independence. I support passage of the Family Opportunity Act—as I have said before, I think the health and education of children needs to be our top national priority. I think the Family Opportunity Act is a step toward getting help to families of children with severe disabilities. HOWARD DEAN First of all, I would strongly oppose any proposals that would remove the individual entitlement to Medicaid or that would move toward fixed allotments or block grants. Such proposals are life threatening to many individuals with disabilities. I would urge Congress to enact MiCASSA. MiCASSA would provide a new Medicaid benefit allowing individuals eligible for nursing home care access to community-based attendant services instead. As I testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging in July, 2001, "If a long-term care system were being designed from scratch today, I do not think we would conceive of building a system in which a bias is shown for institutional care, rather than for services designed to keep people independent in their homes or the community." Home health aides allow people to live more independently and relieve pressure on the family of individuals with disabilities. I would also seek passage of the Family Opportunity Act. This proposal would expand Medicaid coverage to children with severe disabilities living in middle- income families. Currently, such families face an untenable dilemma: stay impoverished, place their child in an out-of-home placement, or relinquish custody to secure needed health care services. My health care plan would expand insurance coverage for children up to 300% of poverty, and this act would address the remaining need. I would also support increased prescription drug coverage for low-income individuals who are eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare. JOHN EDWARDS Americans with disabilities who need long-term health care should not be forced into a nursing home because it is all Medicaid covers. We must eliminate the bias towards institutional settings and give individuals the choice of community- based care. For many, community-based care allows them to retain their dignity and a greater sense of independence. I have cosponsored MiCASSA, so that individuals can choose community-based care and retain their Medicaid coverage. I also support the Family Opportunity Act. We need to ensure children with serious disabilities have the access to health and mental health services they need. DICK GEPHARDT States have been devastated by the failing economy, and face large-scale budget crises not seen in decades. That is why I have made state aid a key part of my bold new health care proposal. Under my health care plan, we will reimburse state and local governments for 60% of the cost of health care for their employees. This will provide new aid - more than $53 billion in state and local aid in my first year as President, and a total of $172 billion provided over three years. State and local governments could use the additional dollars to fund priorities like Medicaid. My health care plan would also expand coverage to the parents of children who qualify for SCHIP and Medicaid coverage. Medicaid is a highly successful and vitally important program that has made a difference in the lives of low-income individuals and families across America. I believe every step necessary should be taken to preserve the integrity of this program in the states. States should not be forced to balance their budgets on the back of Medicaid recipients. Medicaid should be protected and, as President, I would take steps to ensure that states remain accountable for the Medicaid money they receive from the federal government. Strong standards are needed to ensure that Medicaid programs remain viable and active. Under no circumstances should the program be turned in to a system of block grants, where money is turned over to the states without accountability for how it's spent. In order for Medicaid to remain a success, the federal government must be involved. I am a cosponsor of the MiCASSA. I support this bill because I strongly believe that disabled individuals should have the option to live independently, and receive treatment in their home, if that is the best choice for them. In-home treatment is less expensive than institutionalization and offers a better quality of life for so many people. I want all states to make in-home care an option for Medicaid recipients. Further, I support the Family Opportunity Act, which would allow parents of disabled children to buy Medicaid coverage for their children. JOHN KERRY I care very deeply about this issue and believe that we must strengthen and protect Medicaid, not tear it apart. I am firmly opposed to the Bush Administration's proposals to turn Medicaid into a block grant to the states. By investing in Medicaid, we can improve the health and independence of more than 10 million children, adults and older Americans with disabilities throughout our country. No one should be forced to be in a nursing home or have their most basic needs go unmet just because they live in a state that chooses not to offer needed community living services. I support strengthening and improving Medicaid in several key ways. First, I believe that we must pass the Family Opportunity Act. Parents with disabled children are unjustly punished for working hard to support and provide for their families. Currently, low-income families of disabled children with severe disabilities receive federal disability benefits under Supplemental Security Income. However, if parents seek a better job or earn higher wages, their disabled children lose Medicaid coverage, which is essential to providing comprehensive health care for children who require complex and often costly care. In a recent survey of 20 states, 64 percent of parents with disabled children reported that they turned down jobs, raises, and overtime pay to remain under the income limits required to qualify for Medicaid coverage. No parent should have to turn down a job or give up the custody of a child to ensure that he or she gets health care. It defies both common sense and simple justice. The Family Opportunity Act will right these wrongs. It is also an essential investment in the health and independence of these young people that will strengthen America. This bill gives states the option to expand Medicaid coverage for children with disabilities up to age 18 in families with incomes up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level (or $46,000 per year for a family of four). Among other important provisions, the bill also grants immediate access to Medicaid services for those disabled children who are presumed eligible for SSI. This is a bureaucratic barrier that often unnecessarily limits health care access and must be removed. Second, I believe that states must be given increased resources and tools to carry out the Olmstead decision and that states must be held accountable for doing so. As with racial segregation, it is essential that we put an end to the institutional bias in Medicaid. States are facing large deficits and many have been forced to slash funding for Medicaid for home and community-based services. The Bush Administration has done nothing to prevent this from happening. We need to relieve pressures on state budgets and ensure that people with disabilities and older Americans receive the support they need to live in their own homes and communities. I have proposed spending $50 billion over the next two years to help states struggling to bridge deficits. Congress is currently debating how to structure the Medicare prescription drug benefit for seniors. One question on the table is whether or not 7 million low- income seniors and people with disabilities under age 65 eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid should receive their prescription drug benefit through the Medicare program or remain on Medicaid for that assistance. I believe that all Medicare beneficiaries should get the same benefit. However, I also think we have to get smart about tying strings to state fiscal relief. In exchange for relieving states of the cost burden for the prescription drug needs of seniors on Medicaid, we should require states to increase their spending on home and community based services by a commensurate amount. Third, I am proud to be an original sponsor of MiCASSA and the Money Follows the Person Act. Passage of both of these bills is vital to ending the institutional bias that makes it impossible for millions of Americans to exercise the most basic human liberties, which should be the birthright of every American: freedom, choice, and independence. Yet, senior citizens and people with disabilities will never have real choices if there are no options. To make our system work, to offer REAL choices, we must ensure equal access to quality home and community services throughout our nation. We must provide freedom, choices, and independence for everyone and I will not rest until we do. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over both pieces of legislation, I will work with key leaders in both parties to ensure that hearings are held on both over the next few months. I welcome the Administration's support for the idea that when someone is able to leave a nursing home that Medicaid funds should follow them back into the community and pay for needed support services. I am hopeful, therefore, that will translate into bipartisan support for the passage of such legislation this year. With your support, as the next President, I will work with the leadership from both parties in Congress to see to it that MiCASSA is enacted and on my desk for signature by July 26, 2005 – the 15th anniversary of the ADA. DENNIS KUCINICH I am a co-sponsor of MiCASSA (HR 2032). This bill would provide funds for personal care attendants and community-based services for people with disabilities. For many such individuals, young and old, the choice boils down to a personal care attendant or a nursing home. If it passes, MiCASSA will allow large numbers of people with disabilities to control their own lives. I also strongly support the Strengthening Our States Act, HR 2000, which contains provisions (such as the Family Opportunity Act) that will allow parents of children with disabilities to purchase Medicaid coverage for them. It also funds home and community-based psychiatric treatment for children and established a demonstration Medicaid funding project for children with potentially severe disabilities. The best way to make sure people with disabilities can get the medical care they need is to make sure everybody can get the medical care they need. The Kucinich plan for universal single-payer health care coverage will make it possible for these goals to become a reality. Question 4: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is undergoing reauthorization. Do you support full federal funding for IDEA? What ideas do you have for strengthening federal enforcement of IDEA and other federal disability rights laws? What ideas do you have for increasing the high school graduation rate for students served by IDEA? WESLEY CLARK We must meet the needs of children with and without disabilities. In the brief time I have been in this race, I have heard from countless parents of children with disabilities, local officials, and educators about funding and compliance issues associated with IDEA. While I think we need to look carefully at the timeline and the funding mechanisms, I certainly support meeting the full federal commitment to IDEA, and making that funding stream more reliable. HOWARD DEAN I vigorously support full funding of IDEA. When Congress enacted IDEA, it promised to pay 40 percent of the average per-pupil expenditure of educating children with disabilities. Federal funding has never come close to meeting that promise. This failure has increased the burden on local taxpayers and made it harder to meet the educational needs of all children. In addition, we need to enforce the requirements of IDEA and hold schools accountable for teaching children with disabilities. I support real sanctions if a school district continuously fails to comply with this important law. JOHN EDWARDS With IDEA, Congress made a commitment to America's children. Having a disability should not stand in a child's way of receiving a quality education. The federal government has not lived up to its responsibilities, funding less than half its share. I believe we must get on the path to full funding of IDEA. I also oppose efforts to rollback key provisions of the law. Whether it is denying access to attorneys by putting artificial caps on fees or stripping children with disabilities of civil rights under the guise of reforming discipline rules, we must ensure IDEA is upheld. It is time that children with disabilities receive the education they deserve. It is also time that we address the higher drop out rates and lower college enrollment rates for students with disabilities. I have a proposal to help change these statistics. My Breaking Down Barriers initiative will offer $20 million to enable high school and college students find an internship, so they can experience the working world and be encouraged to stay in school. It will give students meaningful job experiences, creating a sense of the possibilities of their future. It will also provide them valuable skills and contacts for finding a job after graduation, helping them on the path towards success and self-sufficiency. DICK GEPHARDT I have supported efforts on the House floor to rescind tax cuts and fully fund IDEA. I agree that the federal government has unfairly placed unfunded mandates on states and local school districts—especially when it comes to IDEA. My education priorities include restoring funds for these programs and fulfilling the federal government's commitment to schools. Federal enforcement of disability rights laws can be strengthened with both increased oversight and by providing real, adequate resources to those who need them. When it comes to laws like IDEA and other federal disability rights laws, the federal government has a responsibility to provide state and local entities with both the resources and the guidance to ensure compliance. Unfunded mandates are not fair to either those who must follow the law or to those who are protected by it. Finally, a guaranteed public education is one of the most basic rights enjoyed by Americans today. Every high school student has the potential to succeed and one of my primary goals as President will be to ensure that all children have the tools to live up to their full potential. Steps should be taken to ensure that teachers who teach IDEA students receive the proper training and have access to professional development. Likewise, parents should have the opportunity to work with the schools and be involved in their child's education. No two students are alike, and we should use every tool at our disposal to make sure that IDEA students get the particular instruction they need to graduate. However, the most important thing we can do to increase the high school graduation rate for those served by IDEA is to fulfill our commitment to funding these programs. Schools cannot make IDEA a success until they are given the resources to do so. Ensuring the federal government keeps its word, through full funding of both IDEA and the No Child Left Behind Act, is one of the most crucial steps to ensure schools have what they need to help all our children succeed. JOHN KERRY In 1975, Congress made a deal with our state and local school boards. Give children with special learning needs the education they deserve, and the federal government would pay 40 percent of the additional cost…no matter what it takes. An expensive commitment? You bet. But without it, our values of fairness and self-sufficiency are meaningless. Twenty-eight years later, the federal government is picking up less than 19% of the tab. Because of that broken promise, schools across the country have had to pit special education programs against all other programs. Class sizes increase, after-school activities are cut, and kids with special learning needs still aren't getting the services they need. We need mandatory full funding for IDEA, and we need it now. But no matter how much money we put into a law, it will only be as good as its enforcement. Parents cannot and should not bear that burden by themselves. That's why strengthening disability-rights enforcement will be an important priority in my Administration. I believe that we should measure key educational and functional indicators at both the state and local levels. These indicators should include, but not be limited to, assessment performance, dropout rates, and graduation rates (in accordance with IEP timetables). It's vital that these results not be viewed in isolation, but in comparison to results for non-disabled children. DENNIS KUCINICH I support full funding for IDEA and have co-sponsored legislation to make such funding mandatory (HR 737) and close a loophole that allows school districts to spend IDEA funds on non-educational expenses (HR 5096). Recently, in the 108th Congress, I was an original co-sponsor of HR 2107, the Keep Our Pace Act, which requires the full financing of the IDEA. The ADA has opened many doors—sometimes literally— for people with disabilities. Yet it would accomplish so much more if it were enforced more stringently. For example, cities build sidewalks that are barely wide enough for a 26" power wheelchair. The same goes for accessibility provisions of the Fair Housing Act. Some students with disabilities require a one-on-one attendant if they are to be mainstreamed. Others may need adaptive technology that their families cannot afford. All too often, parents have to fight their school districts, sometimes in court, to get these kinds of services. Students with purely physical disabilities are sometimes placed in classes for the mentally handicapped. IDEA is not adequately enforced, and this is reflected in the graduation rates for students who depend on it. This will be a top priority for change within a Kucinich Administration. Voting Equals Power It's Up to Each of Us By Kelly Anthony Paraquad, Inc. It is said that 90 percent of the time, 90 percent of legislators decide 90 percent of their legislative priorities well before they are elected to office and begin making policy. Indeed, legislators, when they are candidates for office, will set their priorities based on who is seen as crucial to their success as a candidate and as a legislator. In other words, candidates listen to and, more importantly, are held accountable to voters. Consider this. Older adults make up 14 percent of society and vote at an 80 percent turnout rate in Presidential elections. African-Americans make up 13 percent of society and vote at nearly a 70 percent turnout rate, and labor union voters only make up 9 percent of the population, but have been known to vote at a 90 percent rate. There is no denying the fact that these constituencies have established political power and that their issues are taken seriously at both the local and national levels. People with disabilities are the largest minority community in this country, but are the least mobilized voting block. We make up 20 percent of society, yet we vote at a 35-45 percent turnout rate. There is little argument to the fact that people with disabilities are the poorest, most unemployed, and the most vulnerable to state and federal budget cuts, perhaps because we don't vote. How can we change this? In Missouri we worked with the AAPD DVP and a major coalition of disability groups to form a statewide get-out-the-vote (GOTV) effort that brought a dramatic increase of voters with disabilities to the polls. The Missouri Disability Vote Project Getting Out The Vote Getting out the vote is a process that has not been applied before on a large scale to the disability community, which explains to a large degree our lack of voting power. GOTV is relatively easy and also highly effective. During the November 2002 elections, the Missouri Disability Vote Project, a statewide coalition of organizations representing cross-disability constituents, was established. Nineteen organizations contacted over 21,000 registered voters in the first-ever statewide GOTV effort targeted at Missouri's disability community. These groups organized mailings and nonpartisan, volunteer phone banks to contact people who have interests in the disability community. The results of this historic GOTV effort were astounding. All organizations in the coalition reported a substantial increase in voter turnout from that of the last off- year election cycle in 1998. In 1998 members of the organizations in the coalition voted at a 54% rate. Overall turnout in 2002 was 70%, an increase of 16% from the 1998 election cycle. The increase in voter turnout for individual organizations ranged from 5% to 39%, with an average increase of 16%. This effort resulted in 2,837 new voters statewide. Not only that, but for the first time in history people with disabilities out-voted the general population by 10%. One critical component of the success of this project was the attention paid by coalition members to the development of their membership lists. An organization's membership (often in the form of consumers, participants, newsletter mailing lists, boards, volunteers, donors, etc.) represents that organization's power potential. The bigger the membership, plus the ability an organization has to activate that membership, the greater that organization's influence. If, for instance, an organization has a membership list of 500 people, but only 200 have phone numbers and are registered to vote, an organization's influence is decreased significantly. In order to have the most effective GOTV effort, these 19 organizations participated in what is known as "list enhancement." List enhancement is the process of matching membership lists against the public voter file. By doing this, organizations learned who among their membership was and was not registered to vote, as well as a person's voter history. In knowing a person's voter history, an organization can target their GOTV efforts on those who typically do not vote, thus increasing their voter turnout rate. List enhancement also gives organizations the capacity to account for voters for legislative advocacy, meaning they can say to a legislator, "of the 16,000 people who voted in your district, 2,000 are represented by disability organizations." Politicians quickly translate these numbers into votes, which further translates into political power. In order to see issues of full and real inclusion of people with disabilities take priority in our legislatures, it is imperative that we work to mobilize and organize our voters. GOTV shows us that it can be done, and our current economic crises and legislative trends show us that it must be done. Other states with active Disability Vote Projects include Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois (Chicago area), New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Iowa. These programs are collaborations between local groups and AAPD. Want a Get-Out-the-Vote Project In Your Area? If you can bring together representative coalitions of disability groups who are committed to spending just three hours learning how to put together an effective get-out-the-vote effort and who will pool their financial resources to pay for the plane fare and hotel for one or two trainers, AAPD can help you establish a successful disability vote project like the one in Missouri. For more information, contact AAPD Vice President and Disability Vote Project Director, Jim Dickson, at jamescdickson@earthlink.net or call toll free 1-800-840- 8844 (V/TTY). Ending Poverty and Paternalism Dear AAPD Members, At the October Women with Disabilities & Allies Forum that AAPD hosted with the National Organization for Women (NOW) Foundation, one of the highlights was a diverse panel of young feminists with and without disabilities who were asked a series of questions by moderator and long-time activist Harilyn Rousso. When Harilyn asked the group to identify some key overarching issues that could unify the disability and women's rights movements, Kelly Anthony, a young feminist who has led the cross-disability coalition's successful get-out-the-vote efforts in Missouri, raised her hand and said that both movements at their core were about fighting poverty and paternalism. In many ways, some of the greatest barriers we face as a disability community can be attributed to public policy and public attitudes that equate disability status with poverty and invoke paternalistic stereotypes to keep disabled people outside the mainstream of American life. The institutional bias in the Medicaid program is grounded in outdated, paternalistic views about what kind of life a person with a significant disability would hope to lead, where they would choose to live, and the degree of control they are capable of asserting over the support systems in their lives. The poverty orientation of the Medicaid program (and associated income support programs) also reflects anachronistic views about the earning capacity of disabled people and the ability of the private health insurance market to adequately address our needs. Paternalism has led some advocates to promote coercive tools like involuntary outpatient commitment and other forms of forced treatment within the mental health system. It seems that paternalism can be especially strong in the context of people with intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. In many arenas, it is hard for people with mental disabilities to even get a seat at the table when policymakers seek to dialogue with stakeholders for input on public policy priorities and new proposals. Even in the post-ADA era, paternalism continues to work its way to the lexicon of our national leaders. When President Clinton and Congressional leaders were promoting the first round of welfare reform, one of their refrains was that "every able-bodied person on welfare should work." The subtext, more than five years after passage of the ADA, was that the government didn't really expect disabled people to work. In a separate panel at the October forum, Kathy Martinez from the World Institute on Disability talked about the importance of promoting asset development, home ownership, and economic independence for women with disabilities. Economic security can be thought of as the cornerstone of a public policy agenda that truly empowers women and men with disabilities. Ultimately, a quality education and workplace skills and experience are the building blocks that disabled people will need to break free from the poverty that has come to define the disability experience for far too many Americans. I look forward to working with AAPD's members and allies across the women's and civil rights movements as we strive to challenge poverty and paternalism and redefine the disability experience as one of opportunity and self-determination. Andrew J. Imparato AAPD President and CEO ImparatoA@aol.com Save the Date: What: 2004 AAPD Leadership Gala When: Tuesday, March 16, 2004 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Where: Washington Hilton & Towers Washington, DC For information: Mariana Nork, aapdmvn@aol.com 800-840-8844 (V/TTY) Would You Like to Volunteer at the 2004 Gala? If you plan to be in Washington March 16, 2004, and are interested in attending and volunteering at the 2004 Gala, please contact Mariana Nork by e-mail at aapdmvn@aol.com, or call AAPD at 800-840-8844 (V/TTY). We regret that AAPD is unable to pay for volunteers' travel and housing. Attendance at the Gala will, of course, be complimentary for individuals serving as volunteers. Please let us hear from you. Your help is important to making the 2004 Gala a successful event. Member chat To AAPD Members From Diane DeAngelis Director of Marketing and Members Services dianedeangelis@earthlink.net Our membership numbers reached record highs this year. Our membership benefits continued to grow. Our relationship with the Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU), for instance, has provided more than $21 million in Mobility Vehicle Loans to nearly 850 AAPD members. Also this year through DCU, Access Loans for assistive technology (any product, device, or building modification designed to assist someone with a disability) were made available to our members. In 2003, we established a mail-order discount Pharmacy Program and offered a discounted subscription to New Mobility magazine. All of this and more has been accomplished, while continuing to offer membership fees of only $8 for one year, $15 for 2 years and $20 for 3 years. But we also continue to develop and seek out more AAPD membership benefits. AAPD has made great strides in advancing disability rights. We have worked toward overcoming preconceived notions about the disability community through Disability Mentoring Day (DMD), our Congressional and Federal IT internships, and our Disability Vote Project (DVP). In 2003, a record number of students and job seekers with disabilities participated in an international DMD, 17 college students with disabilities participated in our internship programs, and more people with disabilities around the country registered to vote because of DVP. We have led the way and collaborated with other organizations to bring a greater force of advocates into the political arena. In the August 2003 issue of AAPDNews, AAPD President and CEO Andrew Imparato said, "In light of recent events (the confirmation of Jeffrey Sutton and problems with IDEA reauthorization) and likely outcomes of battles to come in the civil-rights- unfriendly 108th Congress, disability advocates have no choice but to place a higher priority on political activism and advocacy." We know that to be politically active one must be encouraged and well-informed. Toward that end, AAPD communicates with the disability community on a regular basis through its web site, www.aapd-dc.org, through this newsletter, and through the Justice for All (JFA) list serve where thousands of individuals are kept up-to-date on issues important to each of us. And, AAPD continues to prepare for the future by encouraging emerging leaders in the disability community through the annual Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards Program. Now, more than ever, it is important for you to keep your AAPD membership current, so that you can continue to take advantage of these AAPD member benefits. Forum Inspires Women's Rights and Disability Rights Supporters to Work Together Excerpts from Lisa Bennett's article, which can be found at www.nowfoundation.org/issues/disability/forum2003/ 102403forum.html. Bennett is Communications Director, National Organization for Women. "Utterly fantastic!" exclaimed Linda L. Royster, executive director of the Disability Rights Council of Greater Washington. "Thank you for organizing such a powerful conference . . . I was energized by the wonderful women (and men) present and all the work being done by disability activists and allies. This was a great opportunity to share information, ideas and organize." "I know organizing a conference takes enormous amounts of work. Please know that it was well worth it!" wrote Kathy McMahon-Klosterman of Miami University. The common concerns of the women's rights and disability rights movements converged at the "Women with Disabilities & Allies Forum: Linking Arms for Equality and Justice for All" in Bethesda, Md., Oct. 17-19. The forum, the first of its kind, was organized by the NOW Foundation and AAPD. It was an enlightening and inspiring experience for both the conference organizers and the participants, for those who have worked on the issues for a long time and those who were new to political activism. Women and men with and without disabilities found that their shared interests ran deep and that together they could lift each other higher. NOW Foundation Disability Rights Committee Co-chair Stephanie Orloleva and AAPD Board Vice Chair Helen Roth welcomed guests from around the country at a Friday night reception designed for relaxed socializing. Starting early Saturday morning, forum speakers, workshop presenters, and attendees dug into the serious issues on the agenda — political action, civil rights, health care, reproductive rights, economic empowerment, violence against women, and much more. The Saturday lunch panel, facilitated by Harilyn Rousso, executive director of Disabilities Unlimited Consulting Services and a member of NOW's national Disability Rights Committee, featured emerging leaders in both movements. NOW Foundation Vice President-Education Olga Vives spoke about the danger of Bush's nominees to the federal courts—many who pose a genuine threat to women and people with disabilities. Following Vives was AAPD's Vice President for Governmental Affairs, Jim Dickson, who spoke about voting access for all. While addressing the future of civil rights, keynote speaker Marca Bristo, the president and CEO of Access Living, shared her personal story. Bristo told the crowd how her early career of nursing was turned upside down when she became paralyzed at the age of 23, and how she had to look beyond the "medical model," which focuses on what's wrong with individuals with disabilities, in order to see how our society might be improved to allow full participation by all people. Karen Thompson, president of the Home Care Chapter (Local 99) of Service Employees International Union, Local 503 in Oregon, gave an energetic and passionate speech about organizing home health care workers. The story of her unexpected rise from home care worker to national speaker, all the while recovering from breast and ovarian cancer, was particularly stirring. As Thompson looked out on the crowd she said, "I don't see your disabilities; I see all of your strengths and abilities." The final session of the forum focused on violence against women. Purna Shova Chitrakar, coordinator of the Ban Landmines Campaign Nepal, traveled halfway around the globe to attend the forum and inform attendees about the dangers women face in her war-ravaged country. Beverly Frantz, the project coordinator for the National Academy for Equal Justice for People with Developmental Disabilities at Temple University, and Pat Reuss, policy analyst for the NOW Foundation, discussed the added hardships women with disabilities face when experiencing violence. At the top of the list of solutions for all of the problems discussed over the weekend were: education, organizing, speaking out, and voting. 2003 Disability Mentoring Day Reaches All 50 States, 14 Other Countries More than 7,000 students and job seekers with disabilities worldwide participated in this year's Disability Mentoring Day (DMD). For the first time since the program was established in 1999, job shadowing efforts were organized in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Additionally, 14 other countries participated in the event, including Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Kosovo, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. This year's participants ranged in age from elementary school students to graduate students and job seekers. Event activities included one-on-one job shadowing, group tours, seminars for parents and teachers while students were being mentored, a series of hour-long preparation classes for mentees, and exposure to a myriad of job settings. DMD is a national/international effort designed to promote the employment of students and job seekers with all types of disabilities. If you want to participate in DMD 2004, now is the time to begin. Disability Mentoring Day 2004 will be held on Wednesday, October 20, 2004. Please contact AAPD by e-mail at generalcnsl@aol.com or by phone: 800-840-8844 (V/TTY-toll-free) to find out who the local coordinators are in your area. Information is also available at the DMD web site, www.dmd.aapd.org. AAPD extends its sincere gratitude to the United States Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy, a National Public Sponsor of 2003 DMD, for its generous funding, and to the following National Corporate Sponsors for their major support: 2003 DMD Lead National Corporate Sponsors: Honeywell Verizon 2003 DMD National Corporate Sponsors: American Airlines America Online Inc. BellSouth Cingular Wireless Citigroup Darden Restaurants Hewlett Packard Independence Technology Microsoft Northrop Grumman Pitney Bowes SunTrust U.S. Cellular Because of the support provided by all of these sponsors, AAPD was able to significantly expand the scope and outreach of DMD in 2003. We're Stronger Together By Andrew Stern "We're stronger together." Three simple, but potent words have formed the backbone of a movement that has pulled thousands out of poverty, ended child labor in America, and improved the wages and health care of millions of workers. At the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), we believe these words also hold the key to building an even stronger disability rights movement—one that recognizes the value of every individual and prizes self-sufficiency, consumer choice, and self-determination above all else. Founded in 1921 by immigrant workers, the SEIU was the first union to reach out to and organize the underpaid and overlooked, including janitors, home care workers, and office employees. We marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. and we continue to fight for the economic and civil rights of all workers who make up our diverse membership —one that includes many individuals with disabilities. Today, SEIU and the disability rights movement are at historic and unprecedented crossroads. We are each equally stronger than we once were, but we still aren't quite together. We believe that now is the time to change that. Now is the time for all of us to join together in a stronger alliance that will fight for the rights of every individual and will enable all of us to have greater control over the course of our lives. SEIU has endorsed MiCASSA, and we've played an important role in protecting disability service funding. This spring, SEIU members led a nationwide coalition of workers, health care providers, and activists that convinced Congress to grant $20 billion in additional federal funding to the states, including $10 billion that was specifically designated for Medicaid. Additionally, as the nation's largest home and health care union, SEIU has taken the lead in building a system that provides workers with better pay, benefits, and more secure jobs and translates into a more qualified, experienced, and reliable workforce that better serves both people with disabilities and seniors. Recently, SEIU members helped provide greater choice within California's In-Home Support Service system — a model that is now being showcased to demonstrate that choice and control for people with disabilities is not an impossible task nor is it in conflict with improvements for personal assistants. At SEIU, we've come to recognize that we have much to gain from working in tandem with the disability rights community. In partnership, the worker and disability movements are uniquely positioned to jointly exercise our collective power to create a system that values choice, self-determination, and workers' rights. Andrew Stern is the president of the SEIU, the largest union in the AFL-CIO. SEIU sponsored and presented at the October, 2003 Women with Disabilities & Allies Forum hosted by AAPD and the NOW Foundation. An Appeal to AAPD Members and Friends It is that time of year again when many of us think about giving to those not-for- profit organizations we consider important in our lives. We hope, as you consider your personal gifts, you will think of us. AAPD is your organization, and it will only be as beneficial and influential as you and others deem it to be through financial contributions to support its programs of importance to people with all disabilities. We are very proud of our increase in membership over the past two years. However, our expenses have also risen during that period of time and our membership dues pay for less than five percent of AAPD program costs. We must look for gifts within our own family. Indeed, most businesses and foundations ask how much our members are donating as a part of their review process. Member giving is often used as criteria for corporate and foundation giving. Your gifts will not only be a gift of money to AAPD, it will also help us generate more dollars from other sources. As we conclude 2003 and you are thinking about your personal philanthropy, please remember AAPD. Any size gift will be greatly appreciated. Your gift is tax-deductible and will help AAPD continue to operate and grow in 2004. To make your giving easier, just use AAPD's toll-free number (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY) and phone in your contribution by credit card. Thank you, and best wishes to you and your families for a wonderful holiday season and a very Happy New Year! Name Street City State Zip Phone E-mail Contribution Amount: $10 $25 $50 $100 $250 Other $____ I am enclosing a check or money order in this amount. - or - Please charge that contribution to my credit card: MasterCard VISA American Express Discover Credit Card Number Expiration Date Name as it appears on card Please return this completed form to: AAPD 1629 K Street, N.W. Suite 503 Washington, DC 20006 Thank you for your continued support of AAPD! AAPD Director and Former Congressman Tony Coelho Calls for Action For Disability Rights and Employment Challenges Presidential Candidates to Endorse His Five-Point Agenda At a speech presented October 24, 2003 at the New York Law School, AAPD board member and former Congressman Tony Coelho challenged all Presidential candidates to develop a solid, meaningful, more-than-rhetoric agenda to reach the original goals of the ADA and improve working opportunities for Americans with disabilities. Coelho calls on the Presidential candidates to endorse a five-point disability rights agenda (outlined below) and calls on each of us to only support those candidates who do. The following is an excerpt from his address. To read the entire speech visit AAPD's web site at www.aapd-dc.org. There are 377 days until the 2004 election. It's going to be very close. To win this election — and to govern with greatness — I believe that each candidate running for President should look to our community for the margin of victory for his campaign and moral advantage for his cause. We have the power to decide the election; if we choose to use it. But I am not sure that we will. Let's be honest: we're not powerful, we're not registered or rich, and we're not really well-organized. Many of us fight important battles for education and health care, but we're not united in our priorities. Some of us ask for everything, and that's completely unrealistic. Some of us settle for the empty promise of more federal funds; the empty gestures of White House summits or a Presidential advisor; or the empty warmth of rhetoric that too often sounds like pity. And if we settle for those things this year, we'll get nothing, or close to it; and shame on us if we do. We need a leader who brings his or her passion to our issues. My five-point agenda for candidates is as follows: 1. Any candidate asking for our support must answer this question: will you work to appoint judges who understand the importance of broadening, not narrowing, access for the disabled to work? 2. Will you pledge to restore ADA to its original goals and purposes? 3. Will you pledge to use the federal government's massive purchasing power to increase the employment of people with disabilities in the private sector? 4. Will you dramatically increase the number of people with disabilities employed by the federal government? 5. Will you change the federal policies that stop people with disabilities from working? This election has to be about our right to succeed... our right to prosper and to pay taxes... our right to lead independent lives... our right to provide for our families... our right to advance... our right to the American dream. These are our goals — and we must make ourselves heard. If we force these candidates to speak, clearly and directly, about how they will take down our barriers to work, we will not simply be heard, we will be respected. And, if we force a change in this campaign's debate, we will forever change national policy toward disabled people, and we will permanently change our lives and our nation for the generations that follow. AAPD Summer Internship Programs Expanded Significantly During 2003; AAPD Accepting Applications for 2004 Programs This past summer, AAPD expanded its internship programs to 17 college students with disabilities wishing to work in the executive and legislative branches of government in Washington, D.C. Thanks to a grant from Microsoft, 10 students pursuing careers in Information Technology worked in federal agencies including the Department of Labor, the Department of Education, and the Department of Homeland Security. And, thanks to grants from Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation and Independence Technology, seven college students received the opportunity to work in various congressional offices on Capitol Hill including Senators Max Baucus and Tom Harkin and Representatives James R. Langevin and Steny H. Hoyer. During a summer characterized by one intern as "life changing," the 17 students acquired valuable and practical work experience. The following are just a few of their own thoughts: "The internship has just fed the fire in terms of my educational pursuits. I have a new-found interest and fascination with policy ... What I liked most about my internship experience was the opportunity to immerse myself in the real world." — Jessie Shulman, 2003 Microsoft-AAPD Federal IT Intern "Now that I have an internship on my resume, a career in politics, whether on the Hill or not, is much more available to me. I have a much more reality-based idea of exactly what I would want to do." — Shayla Parker, 2003 AAPD Congressional Intern "I highly recommend the Internship Program because it empowers you to aspire beyond your disability by getting to see other people [with disabilities] who are at the helm of affairs in their respective government offices. Attending ADA engagements inspired me to fight for my right to equal opportunity, independence, and the pursuit of happiness." – Nwokoma "Oma" Sampson, 2003 Microsoft-AAPD Federal IT Intern If you are interested in applying for a 2004 summer internship or know of someone who is, the application deadline for the Congressional and IT internship programs is December 15, 2003. For full details and to learn more, visit www.aapd-dc.org, or call AAPD toll-free at (800) 840-8844 (V/TTY). AAPD Web Site Hits Nearing One Million Mark During the past 12 months more than 750,000 people have visited the AAPD web site, www.aapd-dc.org. This represents a growth of 440% since 2001. During the month of September 2003, 85,000 hits were registered on the web site. By October that figure had grown to 114,000. With more of you visiting our web site every day we are sure to pass the one million mark next year. Keep visiting us and we will keep bringing you the latest up-to-date information on www.aapd-dc.org! New Online Consumer Resource Connects Individuals to Pharmacy Drugs The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) recently established an online pharmacy resource line, www.helpingpatients.org, for consumers without prescription drug coverage. The new web site asks five basic eligibility questions (such as age, income, and needed medication) that are then checked against a database of company, state, and foundation-operated patient assistance programs. Individuals are then connected to the programs that most closely fit their unique criteria. Consumers who need help in obtaining medicines can just log on to www.helpingpatients.org, fill out an online form, and receive a list of programs for which they may qualify. In 2002, PhRMA member companies helped nearly 5.5 million patients obtain the medications they needed, up from 2.4 million in 2000. Since 1996, patient assistance programs have assisted an estimated 11.4 million patients. AAPD members are encouraged to log on to this new web site to determine if this is a viable option for getting their prescription drugs.