Petition in support of the ADA Restoration Act of 2007 (H.R. 3195 and S. 1881)
- da: Casey Jean Chapman
- destinatario: Members of United States Senate and House of Representatives
The historic Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) was created to protect the rights of those living with disabilities of all kinds including physical, mental and developmental disabilities.
Recent Supreme Court decisions have narrowly interpreted the definition of disability, denying protection for many people the law was designed to fight for. Individuals living with conditions as diverse as breast cancer, depression, epilepsy and cognitive impairments are being denied the opportunity to stand up to employers who discriminated against them because the courts have deemed these citizens not disabled enough. Radical judges are twisting the ADA so that disabled Americans lose their cases, even against employers who freely admit to discrimination on the basis of disability.
The ADA Restoration act of 2007 (H.R. 3195 and S. 1881) seeks to strengthen the language of the original ADA so that it cannot be used to exclude citizens it was meant to protect. The act is a direct response to the actions of the aforementioned judges, and aims to ensure the broad interpretation of the term %u2018disability%u2019 that the original act intended.
The ADA Restoration act of 2007 is not important only for people with disabilities, but for all Americans. A judge%u2019s choice to side with discriminatory employers over hard-working citizens is abominable. The idea that public servants sworn to uphold the law would use it to hurt people who are already hurting is unthinkable. Yet, it is happening.
We, your constituents, urge you to support this bill. We urge you to stand up for the rights of disabled persons under the ADA. We ask you to stand up for the right of all Americans to be treated fairly and to have our voices heard.
In the words of Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, %u201CTogether, we can send a clear message that we will not rest until the original promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act is realized and the fundamental rights of all Americans are protected.%u201D
As the creator of this petition, the fate of the ADA Restoration Act of 2007 is very important to me. After being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder I repeatedly faced discrimination based on my illness. I was twice wrongly fired because of my disability, but felt there was nothing I could do about it. After reading the stories of people turned down by the courts in their claims against employers under the ADA my feeling of helplessness only increased.
A law that is meant to be protecting individuals like myself, and giving us the opportunity to be open about our illnesses and disabilities is not doing its job. It is vitally important the the House of Representatives and the Senate pass this bill, the ADA Restoration Act of 2007, so the historic Americans with Disabilities Act can live up to its purpose, and stop being undermined by the narrow interpretation of judges, for whom protecting the rights of citizens is the last thing on their minds.
Please join with me, others who have faced the challenges of being discriminated against on the basis of disability, and all Americans who believe in equal rights, in supporting this bill.
With your support we can get this bill passed. With your support I and thousands like me will finally be able to get and keep jobs without hiding our illnesses and disabilities and living in fear that someone will find out.
Thank you for your time in reading this letter and considering this issue. It means an untold amount to me, and, I am sure, many others.
Respectfully,
Casey Jean Chapman
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