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ShareAction Alert: Protect the ADA Restoration Act of 2007
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business federation, in a letter addressed to the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, went on record as opposing the ADA Restoration Act of 2007 (H.R. 3195) and urging Members not to co- sponsor or show support of the bill. The Chamber's letter mischaracterizes the ADA Restoration Act as an expansion of the ADA, when in fact, it is, as its name suggests, a restoration of the original intent of Congress when passing the ADA in 1990, which was to create a level playing field for everyone who wants a job to have an equal opportunity to work. Just like other civil rights laws prohibit employers from basing decisions on characteristics like race or sex, Congress wanted the ADA to stop employers from making decisions based on disability. “Now is the time to react strongly and directly to the Chamber regarding their opposition to ADA Restoration by writing or calling the Chamber of Commerce,” said Marcie Roth, NSCIA Chief Executive Officer.
However, that original, bipartisan, bicameral intent has since been distorted by the Courts through extremely narrow interpretations of the ADA. The employment rate of people with disabilities has not improved and two-thirds of people with disabilities who do not have a job indicate they would work if they could only find employment.
What's more, for those fortunate enough to find jobs, Courts are deciding against people with disabilities who challenge disability discrimination 97% of the time, often before the person with a disability even has a chance to show that the employer treated them unfairly!
The Chamber argues that they "strongly support equal opportunity in employment" yet they adamantly oppose H.R. 3195 which seeks to make equal opportunities for people with disabilities possible!
TAKE ACTION!!
React directly to the Chamber regarding their opposition to ADA Restoration by writing (Sample letter below) or calling the Chamber of Commerce at:
U.S.Chamber of Commerce
1615 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20062-2000
Main Number: 202-659-6000
Customer Service: 1-800-638-6582
Send your complaints to your regional Chamber offices, too. To determine contact information for the regional office nearest you, go to:http://www.uschamber.com/about/contact/regional.htm
To read the letter the Chamber of Commerce sent to the U.S. House of Representatives, go to:http://www.aapd.com/News/adainthe/070827uscc.htm
We also encourage you to send copies of your letter to your Member of Congress in the House of Representatives (to determine who your Representative is, go to www.house.gov and enter your zip code in the upper left corner), so they continue to hear from advocates just how important this bill is to people with disabilities.
SAMPLE LETTER TO CHAMBER
[YOUR NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY, STATE, ZIP]
[DATE]
Paul S. Speranza, Jr.,
Chairman of the Board of Directors
U.S.Chamber of Commerce
1615 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20062-2000
Re: Letter from R. Bruce Josten, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, attacking the AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) RESTORATION ACT
Dear Mr. Speranza,
I am writing to protest the letter the U.S. Chamber sent to the U.S. House of Representatives on August 22, 2007 to indicate the Chamber's opposition to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Restoration Act of 2007 (H.R. 3195).
In the letter, Mr. Josten writes that the ADA Restoration Act is not a simple tweak of the ADA, but rather a wholesale re-writing of it. This is untrue and a mischaracterization of the ADA Restoration Act's bipartisan attempt to correct some narrow Supreme Court interpretations of the ADA, which is an activity that the Congress has every right and power to do.
The bill, as its name suggests, is a restoration of the intent of the original ADA, which was to create an equal opportunity for all Americans, including Americans with disabilities, to work and to prohibit employers from obstructing this opportunity on the basis of fears, myths, and stereotypes surrounding disability.
[INSERT YOUR PERSONAL THOUGHTS HERE - identifying yourself as a person with a disability or as a family member or friend, as a taxpayer, as a registered voter, and state why the ADA Restoration Act is important to you, etc.]
I am very disappointed with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and urge you to recall the letter and change your position.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
CC: [Your Member of the U.S. House of Representatives]