CALL TO ACTION!!
In 2017, then US Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson eliminated the Special Advisor for International
Disability Rights, a position established under the Obama
Administration and held by long-time disability activist,
Judith Heumann. USICD wrote to both Secretary Tillerson and
Secretary Pompeo with our concerns and no acknowledgment or
response was ever received. The Trump administration has not
appointed a Special Advisor. Letters can be
found on our website.
USICD is asking our members, the US disability
community and our allies, to respond by communicating your support
for the bipartisan Office of International Disability Rights Act
(HR 3373). The Bill was introduced on 20 June 2019 by Congresswoman
Dina TItus (D-NV) and has six co-sponsors as of today.
We have one Republican co-sponsor (Representative Don Young R-AK)
and need more to show strong bipartisan support for the bill.
The Office of International Disability Act
establishes a permanent office at the US Department of State. The
bill also requires the appointment of a Special Advisor and
mandatory disability inclusion training for all civil service,
foreign service personnel, and chiefs of mission. Read the Office
of International Disability Rights Act.
Please visit the USICD Call to
Action web page to learn more and to download the Call
to Action Packet. The packet contains a
letter from USICD's President, Dr. Patricia Morrissey and a sample
letter to send to members of the House of Representatives. The last
page of the packet contains a list of Representatives we would like
you to contact as soon as possible. Please share this
important announcement with your friends, family and colleagues!
Establishing a permanent Office of
International Disability Rights has been a key advocacy priority
for USICD.
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