The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill for FY 2007 (HR 5441), has some very positive disability-specific provisions that were included from the Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform Bill.
The authors of the original measure worked with CCD’s Emergency Management Task Force to help craft the provisions. Some of the specific provisions in the bill that we particularly support include:
- The inclusion of people with disabilities in every phase of emergency management activities at all levels of government
- Post-disaster case management services
- Requirements for accessible temporary and replacement housing
- Non-discrimination in services on the basis of disability
- A national Disability Coordinator
Of particular note are the accessible communications provisions. A follow-up letter from the Task Force reiterated the importance of accessible formats and a wide variety of communications strategies.
In addition, there is language in the legislation that mandates nondiscrimination in disaster assistance for people with disabilities - specifically requiring that service animals are considered “essential assistance.”
If the list above seems familiar, it is because many of the provisions were included in a separate bill that ACB supported at Legislative Seminar in February. Although that legislation did not move, the language and provisions that were listed on the ACB Legislative Imperatives, and that ACB members supported and went up on the Hill and advocated for are those same provisions now in HR 5441. Every visit, every call, every letter makes a difference and the proof is evidenced by the successful inclusion of our issues in this bill.
Day Al-Mohamed
Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs
American Council of the Blind
1155 15th St. NW
Washington DC 20005
Tel. 202-467-5081
dalmohamed@acb.org