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July 05, 2008
ADA  Changes Coming from Congress

 

DPC Action Alert
Ask Your Representative to be an Original Cosponsor of the ADA Restoration Act of 2007

Take Action!

 
Background

Next Thursday, July 26, marks the 17th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  On this day, the ADA Restoration Act of 2007 will be introduced by chief cosponsors Representatives Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) to restore protections for Americans with disabilities under the landmark law.

Despite the ADA's intent to create a level playing field in the workplace, the full promise of the law has never been fulfilled.  In recent years, the Supreme Court has slowly chipped away at the broad protections of the ADA and created a new set of barriers to employment for people with disabilities.

Courts across the country have been quick to side with businesses and employers, deciding against people with disabilities who challenge employment discrimination 97% of the time, often before the person has even had a chance to show that the employer treated them unfairly. Indeed, courts have created an absurd catch-22 by allowing employers to say a person is too disabled to do the job, but not disabled enough to be protected by the ADA.  For example, people with conditions like epilepsy, diabetes, hearing loss, and mental illness that manage their disabilities with medication, prosthetics, hearing aids, etc. or mitigating measures are viewed as too functional to have a disability and are denied the ADA's protection from employment discrimination.

This is not what Congress intended when it passed the law and President George H.W. Bush enacted it into law in 1990.  The law was intended to be broadly - not narrowly - interpreted.

The bipartisan ADA Restoration Act will amend the ADA to require courts to focus on whether a person has experienced discrimination "on the basis of disability," rather than requiring individuals with disabilities to first demonstrate that they are substantially limited in some major life activity.

Disability advocates have been working tirelessly for the last several years to restore the original intent of the ADA by meeting with Members of Congress, collecting stories about disability discrimination and ADA success stories, issuing a petition to support the ADA Restoration Act, and leading a bus tour that has traveled more than 13,000 miles in 28 states.  We need your support now more than ever.

Status

On July 20, a "Dear Colleague" letter was sent by Representatives Hoyer and Sensenbrenner to all members of the House of Representatives seeking original cosponsors before the bill is introduced next week on July 26.

Take Action

Call your Representative TODAY and ask him/her to cosponsor the ADA Restoration Act now! Our champions need to have as many original cosponsors as possible to make a good showing on introduction.

 


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Congressional Contacts
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Senator Edward M. Kennedy

Connie Garner

317 RUSSELL OFFICE BUILDING

WASHINGTON DC 20510

(202) 224-4543

E-mail: senator@kennedy.senate.gov

 

Senator John Kerry

 

304 RUSSELL OFFICE BUILDING

WASHINGTON DC 20510

(202) 224-2742

Web Form: kerry.senate.gov/low/contact_email.html

 

 

House of Representatives

 

Email to Congress is not recommended unless you live in the Congressman’s district. Use this link for email otherwise your mail will be rejected! In some cases a direct email address is listed.

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

 

 

Congressman Michael E. Capuano
1232 Longworth House Office Building
Washington
, DC 20515

(202) 225-5111

Fax (202) 225-9322

 

Cambridge

110 First Street
Cambridge, MA 02141

(617) 621-6208

Fax (617) 621-8628

 

 

 

Congressman William Delahunt

william.delahunt@mail.house.gov

 

DC

1317 Longworth House Office Building
Washington
, DC 20515

(202) 225-3111

 

Hyannis

146 Main Street
Hyannis, MA 02601

(508) 771-0666
Toll-Free: (800) 870-2626

Quincy
1250 Hancock Street , Suite 802-N
Quincy, MA 02169

(617) 770-3700
Toll-Free: (800) 794-9911

 

Congressman Barney Frank

 

DC

2252 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5931

 

Newton

29 Crafts Street
Newton, MA 02458

(617) 332-3920

New Bedford

558 Pleasant Street
Room 309
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508) 999-6462

Taunton
The Jones Building
29 Broadway
Suite 310
Taunton, MA 02780
(508) 822-4796

 

 

 

Congressman Steven Lynch

 

DC

319 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

(phone) 202-225-8273
(fax) 202-225-3984

 

Boston

88 Black Falcon Avenue
Suite 340

Boston, MA 02210

(phone) 617-428-2000
(fax) 617-428-2011

 

Brockton Office

Brockton Federal Building
166 Main Street
Brockton, MA 02301

(phone) 508-586-5555
(fax) 508-580-4692

 

Congressman James McGovern

DC

430 Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6101
Fax: (202) 225-5759

 

Worcester

34 Mechanic Street
Worcester, MA 01608

Phone: (508) 831-7356
Fax: (508) 754-0982

 

Attleboro

1 Park Street
Attleboro, MA 02703

Phone: (508) 431-8025
Fax: (508) 431-8017

 

Fall River

218 S. Main Street
Room 204
Fall River, MA 02721
Phone: (508) 677-0140
Fax: (508) 677-0992

 

Marlborough

255 Main Street
Room 104
Marlborough, MA 01752
Phone: (508) 460-9292
Fax: (508) 460-6869

 

Congressman Martin Meehan

martin.meehan@mail.house.gov

 

DC

U.S. House of Representatives

2229 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Phone: (202) 225-3411

Fax: (202) 226-0771

TTY: (202) 225-1904

 

Lowell District Office

11 Kearney Square

Lowell, MA 01852

Phone: (978) 459-0101

Fax: (978) 459-1907

 

Lawrence District Office

305 Essex Street., 4th Floor

Lawrence, MA 01840

Phone: (978) 681-6200

Fax: (978) 682-6070

 

Haverhill District Office

Haverhill City Hall

2nd Floor, Room 201 A

4 Summer Street

Haverhill, MA 01830

Phone: (978) 521-1845

Fax: (978) 521-1843

 

Congressman Ed Markey

 

Katharine.reinhalter@mail.house.gov

 

DC
2108 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington
, DC 20515
202-225-2836

 

 

 

Medford
5 High Street, Suite 101
Medford, MA 02155
781-396-2900

 

Framingham
188 Concord Street, Suite 102
Framingham, MA 01702
508-875-2900

 

Congressman Richard Neal

 

DC

2133 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-5601

Milford

4 Congress Street
Milford, MA 01757

(508) 634-8198

Springfield

The Federal Building
1550 Main Street, Suite 309
Springfield, MA 01103

(413) 785-0325

 

Congressman John Olver

 

DC
1027 Longworth HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515

TEL: 202-225-5335
FAX: 202-226-1224

In Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties
57 Suffolk Street Suite 310
Holyoke, MA 01040

TEL: 413-532-7010
FAX: 413-532-6543

In Berkshire County
78 Center Street
Pittsfield, MA 01202

TEL: 413-442-0946
FAX: 413-443-2792

For Worcester and Middlesex Counties
463 Main Street
Fitchburg, MA 01420

TEL: 978-342-8722
FAX: 978-343-8156

 

 

Congressman James Tierney

 

DC

120 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-8020
Fax: (202) 225-5915

 

Peabody
 17 Peabody Square
Peabody, MA 01960

Phone: (978) 531-1669
Fax: (978) 531-1996

 

Lynn
 Room 514, Lynn City Hall
Lynn, MA 01902
Phone: (781) 595-7375
Fax: (781) 595-7492