Action Alert
Urge Congress to Pass the EMPOWER Care Act
Major Recent Events
Rights – Senate Approves Kavanaugh Nomination
On October 6, the Senate approved the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court by a vote of 50 to 48. Read The Arc’s statement on Judge Kavanaugh’s appointment here.
Transportation – Senate Approves FAA Reauthorization
On October 3, the Senate approved the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2018 by a vote of 93-6. This bill includes numerous provisions that benefit people with disabilities, including required training for Transportation Security Administration officers on working with passengers with disabilities, increased civil penalties for bodily harm to a passenger with a disability or damage to wheelchairs or other mobility aids, a new Advisory Committee on Air Travel Needs of Passengers with Disabilities, and a study of potential in-cabin wheelchair restraint systems that will allow passengers to remain in their wheelchairs during flight. The bill now heads to the President’s desk.
Social Security – Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Nomination of SSA Commissioner
On October 2, the Senate Committee on Finance held a hearing on the Nomination of Andrew M. Saul, of New York, to be Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) for the term expiring January 19, 2019. Visit the Committee web site for more information or to access live video on the day of the hearing.
Announcements
Miscellaneous – New AoD Commissioner Appointed
Julie Hocker became the new Commissioner of the Administration on Disabilities (AoD) within the Administration on Community Living (ACL) on October 1. Ms. Hocker joins ACL from the Charles Koch Foundation, where she served as a senior manager since 2016. In that role, she led several key initiatives to improve the foundation’s operations, including development of an integrated technology and data solution for fundraising, grantmaking and expenditures; redesigning process to improve investment tracking and enable better analysis of effectiveness; and creation and implementation of risk-management processes. Read more here.
Education – Report on State ESSA Plans and Students with Disabilities Released
The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) has released a report titled “Assessing ESSA: Missed Opportunities for Students with Disabilities”. The report rates states on whether their accountability systems under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) include students with disabilities, whether they are developing support systems to help struggling schools meet the needs of students with disabilities, and whether the plan meaningfully includes and discusses the needs of students with disabilities. The report shows that most states had low long-term goals for students with disabilities. For example, New York’s long-term graduation rate goal for students with disabilities is 63% and New Mexico aims only for a 50% proficiency rate in mathematics and English language arts for students with disabilities. Read the report here.
