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Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

CILs and SILCs: Sign-On Opportunity to Oppose Amy Coney Barrett’s Nomination – DUE TODAY!

Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to approve Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he expects the final confirmation vote as early as Monday.

As we explained in a previous alert, Judge Barrett’s opinions on a number of issues are damaging to disability rights, and her appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court would threaten the rights and lives of Americans with disabilities. NCIL strongly opposes her nomination, and we have signed on to a letter urging the Senate to oppose her nomination, and we hope you will join us in signing your organization on as well. (Note: this is similar to a previous letter that was sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee.)

To sign on:

Please send your name, the name of your organization exactly as you would like it listed on the letter, and the state your organization is located in to Jennifer Mathis at [email protected].

The deadline to add your organization as a signatory is 4:00pm Eastern TODAY, Friday, October 23, 2020.

Background:

As outlined in the letter, Judge Barrett has a history of decisions that have harmed the disability community. From siding against disabled students who were being discriminated against, to her opinion that the public charge rule does not discriminate against disabled people, to being a vocal opponent of the Affordable Care Act, Judge Barrett’s appointment to the US Supreme Court would bring immeasurable harm to our community.

Further, in the midst of a pandemic that has killed over 220,000 Americans, it is shameful that the Senate is prioritizing rushing through this highly politicized Supreme Court appointment, rather than focusing on much-needed additional COVID-19 relief. The situation for their constituents around the country is increasingly dire, and filling a vacant seat is absolutely not more important than our lives and livelihoods. 

For these reasons, and for others outlined in the letter, NCIL strongly opposes the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett. We urge you to sign your CIL, SILC, or organization on to the letter urging the Senate to oppose the nomination and to not act on any nomination until they have passed and the President has signed a COVID-19 relief bill.

Please sign your organization on to the letter today!

Comments

  1. Arthur GrayIII says

    . As an American living with physical challenges the actions reactions and actions to come by such a person with such a record should not only be more objective in their insight when dealing with Americans living with physical and mental challenges where alone just a common decency of standing up and speaking for those that do not have a voice to speak with himself there’s a lot in this case this elect has and will continue to fill us in this category of service