Joe Lieberman: Working for Americans with Disabilities
October 23, 2003Joe Lieberman has been a strong and consistent supporter of equal opportunity for Americans with disabilities. As President, he'll give a helping hand to those who need it and give all our people the tools to live stronger, healthier, and more self-sufficient lives.
Supporting the Americans with Disabilities Act. Joe Lieberman was an original cosponsor of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act, which guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, government services, and telecommunications. The ADA remains vital to the disability community's progress; currently, 70% of adults with disabilities are unemployed. As President, Joe Lieberman will protect the ADA by nominating fair-minded federal judges and Supreme Court Justices and fully enforcing it through the Department of Justice.
Fully Funding IDEA. Fully Funding IDEA. Joe Lieberman has consistently supported fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which supports academic programs for the nation's 5.4 million children with disabilities, and which George Bush has severely underfunded. Joe Lieberman fought to shift money from Bush's unfair and unaffordable tax cuts toward IDEA. And, he will support aligning IDEA with the new No Child Left Act so that states and localities can better focus federal resources to provide a higher quality education for special education students and ensure that schools are held accountable for raising academic achievement for all students, including those with special needs.
Funding Community-based Supports and Services. Joe Lieberman will continue to support community-based supports and services through full enforcement of Olmstead v. LC, which supports giving people with mental disabilities an alternative to institutionalized living. He has also supported the creation of a $2 billion Independent Living Fund. Joe Lieberman would also increase the availability of HUD Section 8 vouchers for home ownership or rental by low incomes families with a member with a disability, and enforce federal requirements for accessible transportation to assists persons with disabilities to live and work in their community.
Making Assistive Technology Available. Joe Lieberman will continue to support funding for the Assistive Technology Act (ATA), which gives disabled Americans the chance to take full advantage of information technologies, which increase economic opportunities and lead to greater social inclusion. President Bush's 2004 budget proposal zeros out all funding for the ATA, down from the 2003 budget's request for $30 million dollars)
Expanding Medicaid Coverage for the Disabled. Joe Lieberman has consistently supported the Family Opportunity Act to give states the option of allowing families of disabled children to purchase Medicaid coverage, and cosponsored a measure that expanded Medicaid services to those who became disabled before age 22. He also supported a move to eliminate income, assets, and resource limitations for disabled workers who buy into Medicaid. As President, Joe Lieberman will work to protect against unfair restrictions of Medicaid rights, such as President Bush's proposals to cut Medicaid eligibility and benefits and to waive due process protections to challenge and appeal adverse Medicaid decisions.
Ensuring Safe Evacuation for Disabled Persons. Joe Lieberman will continue to call for government at all levels to integrate the needs of persons with disabilities into plans for safe building emergency evacuation.
Protecting Disability Voting Rights. Recognizing that all Americans have the right to have their vote counted, Joe Lieberman supported the Help America Vote Act of 2002, including a requirement for polling places to have accessible voting machines. To view the article see Joe Lieberman Working for Americans with Disabilities.
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