Three Things You Can Do to Restore the Americans with Disabilities Act!
Take Action Now: Senators are in their home states for August recess! This is the perfect time to mobilize your community and urge your senators to make the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (S. 3406) a law when they return! Below are three actions you can take during August recess to ensure this bill is brought to a vote in September!
1) Help educate others:Senators need to hear from as many constituents as possible. We need you to educate others about the importance of this bill, why we need their help and what they can do.
Refresh your facts! Listen to the audio recording or read the transcript of a Leadership Conference on Civil Rights' national conference call on the ADA Amendments Act featuring Sen. Tom Harkin, D. Iowa and Andy Imparato, President & CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities.
2) Make two quick phone calls to your senators: Tell your personal story or use the fact sheets to help state why this bill is important to you and why you want their support! (Don’t forget to ask others to make these calls as well!)
Find your senators' numbers at www.senate.gov or in your local phone book.
Find out if your senator is already a co-sponsor of the bill. If so, urge them to bring this bill to the floor for a vote in September. If not, urge them to co-sponsor the bill and vote yes in September!
3) Request a meeting with your senators or their staff in their local district offices: Try to organize meetings that bring the larger coalition of advocate voices to the table - if you need help “rounding out” the table of advocates, ask your national organization or email us at grassroots@civilrights.org.
If you do have a meeting, be sure to let either your national organization or LCCR know how it went.
Adapt thissample letter to request a meeting with your senators.
For helpful tips on how to prepare, meet and follow up with your senators, CHADD, Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, has an advocacy manual online . You can also use the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights’ one page: “Visiting your Member of Congress at Their Local Office”.
If you have personal stories that you want to share, please send them to Senator Harkin at https://harkin.senate.gov.
