Several weeks ago, Walking Spirit was retained to coordinate an advocacy event in Indianapolis to welcome the Caravan for Disability Freedom & Justice to Indiana. The Caravan has been traveling the country since April promoting the Latonya Reeves Freedom Act (H.R. 2708 & S. 1193) and nonpartisan voter registration. This legislation, when passed will expand the civil rights of all American citizens by enshrining the Right of People with Disabilities to live independently in the community of their choice with Long Term Services & Supports as civil rights law. It has national bi-partisan support in both the United States House of Representatives & Senate, and its passage is part of the legislative agenda presented at the recent National Council on Independent Living conference. It was an honor to coordinate the Rally for Disability Freedom & Justice.
With no budget, minimal funding, limited time, and a small group of volunteers we held the rally on Wednesday, August 14th on the lawn in front of the Indiana State Museum. To the back drop of the patriotic Caravan decorated in Tom Olin’s historical disability rights photography, a food truck, and Disability Rights themed music an ADA & Disability Rights Info booth provided by ADA IN and a non-partisan Voter Registration booth provided by Indiana Disability Rights, a representative from Congressman Andre Carson’s office and comments from Congressman Frank J. Mrvan, who are both Co-Sponsors of H.R. 2708, the focal point of the rally was the stories of Hoosiers with Disabilities. Four families shared their stories of living independent lives with diverse disabilities; several are facing their independence being threatened by Indiana’s recent Medicaid Waiver Redesign. All members of Indiana’s delegation to the United States’ 118th Congress were invited to attend, and to close the rally I read aloud from a document for them to sign their commitment to Co-Sponsor the bills. None, including our Gubernatorial candidate Senator Mike Braun, were present nor did any representatives from their office identify themselves.
The document stated: Whereas People with Disabilities are estimated to represent over 20% of Indiana’s population. Whereas People with Disabilities are a cross-demographic culture that is growing exponentially due to conditions of aging, birth, and trauma. Whereas People with Disabilities are innovative members of our communities who can live and function independently with Long Term Services & Supports. Whereas most Hoosiers will experience some form of disability, whether their own or that of a loved one, we recognize the relevance of the Latonya Reeves Freedom Act (H.R. 2708 & S. 1193) as a necessary expansion of the Civil Rights that are vital to protect the independence of all Hoosiers. Joining Indiana’s current Co-Sponsors, 1st District Representative Frank J. Mrvan and 7th District Representative André Carson, to show support for all Hoosiers through the national passage of this legislation; as of Wednesday, August 14th, 2024, we the undersigned members of Indiana’s delegation to the United States’ 118th Congress commit to Co-Sponsor the Latonya Reeves Freedom Act of 2023.
While I understand that this was planned on very short notice, despite over two weeks of statewide outreach, Indiana’s disability community did not show up to support this advocacy event. (I regularly hear comments among the Disability Community that “Indiana has to do better”…this is one example of what we can do better, gather our people for advocacy events by ensuring they are aware of the opportunity and able to remove any barriers they may encounter). Though poorly attended, the Rally for Disability Freedom & Justice successfully caught the attention of several media outlets. (Links to some of their press coverage are included at the end of this post). That Thursday morning I sent the unsigned document to each of Indiana’s US Legislators who have not Co-Sponsored the Latonya Reeves Freedom Act, asking that they Co-Sponsor the bill. (FYI, Congressmen Baird & Yakym’s offices have both replied that they were forwarding my email to their Legislative Aids, though it certainly will get more attention if they hear from others with the same request). In my email to Senator Braun, I also mentioned his candidacy for Governor and what his leadership in getting his fellow members to Co-Sponsor this legislation would show Indiana’s Disability Community. The document was also sent to the media.
This is a non-partisan issue that deserves bi-partisan support and Hoosiers with Disabilities should demand unanimous support from Indiana. We should demand that the man who wants to be our next Governor lead the way. The house bill currently has enough Co-Sponsors to warrant a hearing in the House Ways & Means Committee and already has enough Co-Sponsors to pass a full House floor vote. Through a process called “Public Discharge” H.R. 2708 can bypass the House Ways & Means Committee and move straight to a full House floor vote which would then pass it to the Senate, where it has 25 Co-Sponsors…and when Vice-President Harris was a Senator she Co-Sponsored the Disability Integration Act which was a previous version of this legislation. With enough of an advocacy effort the Latonya Reeves Freedom Act could be signed into law by President Biden before the election.
The bill still needs more support to get a Public Discharge including our other 9 Indiana US Legislators. For the Public Discharge to happen there are also 10 Democrats and 5 Republicans from outside of Indiana who need to support H.R. 2708. I’ve been told that until our Rally for Disability Freedom & Justice there had been no advocacy effort in Indiana to support this legislation beyond our two current Co-Sponsors. That said, please do not feel any obligation, but if you are interested in reaching out to our Legislators to ask that they Co-Sponsor the bills (H.R. 2708 & S. 1193) their contact info is below. I’ve also listed contact info for the 10 Democratic and 5 Republican Representatives who need to support it for a Public Discharge; you are welcome and encouraged to reach out to them. If you want to contact the House Ways & Means Committee Leadership to demand they call a hearing for H.R. 2708, their contact info is included as well.
If you are so inclined, I ask that you share this advocacy opportunity with your community and that you pick up the phone and write an email yourselves. I recommend calling their offices and asking for a good email address to send a request for the Legislator to Co-Sponsor a current piece of legislation. Tell them what legislation you would like for them to co-sponsor and why. If they ask if you are a constituent, I suggest telling them that you are a Hoosier who needs their support on a non-partisan issue for all their constituents with disabilities. Feel free to share this advocacy opportunity with your own spheres of influence and ask for their support with action through calls & emails to these Senators and Representatives of Indiana and beyond. Please also look for and share social media posts related to passage of the Latonya Reeves Freedom Act.
Indiana US Legislators:
Senator Mike Braun: (317) 822-8240 (202) 224-4814 email: [email protected];[email protected]
Senator Todd Young: (317) 226-6700 (202) 224-5623 email: [email protected]
2nd Dist. Representative Rudy Yakym: (574) 204-2645 (574) 223-4373 (202) 225-3915 email:[email protected]
3rd Dist. Representative Jim Banks: (260) 702-4750 (202) 225-4436 email: [email protected]
4th Dist. Representative Jim Baird: (317) 563-5567 (202) 225-5037 email: [email protected]
5th Dist. Representative Victoria Spartz: (317) 848-0201 (765) 639-0671 (202) 225-2276 email: [email protected]
6th Dist. Representative Greg Pence: (812) 447-3647 (765) 660-1083 (812) 799-5230 (202) 225-3021 email: [email protected]
8th Dist. Representative Larry Bucshon: (812) 465-6484 (812) 232-0523 (202) 225-4636 email: [email protected]
9th Dist. Representative Erin Houchin: (812) 288-3999 (202) 225-5315 email: [email protected]
Democratic Leadership: (a * indicates they previously Co-Sponsored the Disability Integration Act, the prior version of H.R. 2708)
VA 8th Dist. Representative Donald S. Beyer Jr. (202) 225-4376 email: https://beyer.house.gov/contact/
*MA 5th Dist. Representative Katherine M. Clark* (202) 225-2836 email: https://katherineclark.house.gov/email-me
*CA 16th Dist. Representative Anna G. Eshoo* (202) 225-8104 email: https://eshoo.house.gov/address_authentication?form=/contact/email-me
MD 5th Dist. Representative Steny H. Hoyer (202) 225-4131 email: https://hoyer.house.gov/address_authentication?form=/help/contact
*NY 8th Dist. Representative Hakeem S. Jeffries* (202) 225-5936 email: https://jeffries.house.gov/contact/email-me/
NJ 6th Dist. Representative Frank J. Pallone (202) 225-4671 email: https://palloneforms.house.gov/contact/
CA 11th Dist. Representative Nancy Pelosi (202) 225-4965 email: https://pelosi.house.gov/address_authentication?form=/contact/email-me
WA 3rd Dist. Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (202) 225-3536 email: https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/contact
*WA 8th Dist. Representative Kim Schrier* (202) 225-7761 email: https://schrier.house.gov/contact
*VA 3rd Dist. Representative Robert C. “Bobby” Scott* (202) 225-8351 email: https://bobbyscott.house.gov/address_authentication?form=/contact
Republican Leadership:
Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson (202) 225-2777 email: https://mikejohnson.house.gov/contact/
House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise (202) 225-3015 email: https://scaliseforms.house.gov/contact/
Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer (202) 225-2331 email: https://emmer.house.gov/contact
Republican Conference Chairman Rep. Elise Stefanik (202) 225-4611 email: https://stefanik.house.gov/email-me
Republican Policy Committee Chairman Rep. Gary Palmer (202) 225-4921 email: https://palmer.house.gov/address_authentication?form=/contact
US House of Representatives Ways & Means Committee:
Chairman: Jason Smith (MO): (202) 225-4404 email: https://jasonsmith.house.gov/contact/
Ranking Member: Richard Neal (MA): (202) 225-5601 email: https://neal.house.gov/contact/
Media Coverage:
| Hoosiers with disabilities welcome caravan supporting federal legislationDiscussions centered around bipartisan federal legislation called the LaTonya Reeves Freedom Act that would help people with disabilities.www.wishtv.com |
https://www.instagram.com/thearcin/p/C-dPI7ATQXs
| Advocates urge disabled community to voteThe Caravan for Disability and Justice 2024 visited Wednesday.www.wthr.com |
https://downtownindy.org/do/rally-for-disability-freedom-and-justice