



Archive for January 23rd, 2017
There’s only a month left to apply for ACI!
Â
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network is now accepting applications for the 2017 Autism Campus Inclusion (ACI) Leadership Academy! The ACI summer leadership training prepares Autistic students to engage in disability advocacy on their college campuses. Accepted applicants will travel to Washington, DC and participate in advocacy training from June 10th to June 17th. Participants will acquire valuable skills in community organizing, policy advocacy, and activism. Travel and lodging are fully covered by ASAN.
Â
Applicants must identify as Autistic and be current college students with at least one year remaining before graduation. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network will cover travel and lodging costs for all ACI students. Students in TPSID programs (Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities), 2-year community colleges, 4-year colleges, and graduate school are eligible to apply. We especially encourage students of color, LGBT students, low-income students, students with intellectual disabilities, AAC users, and students from other or multiply marginalized communities to apply.
Â
To apply, please submit a completed application by Sunday, February 19th, 2017 to Reid Caplan at rcaplan@autisticadvocacy.org.
Â
View and download the application here!
Â
If you need assistance or accommodations at any stage, or have any questions about ACI, please contact Reid Caplan at rcaplan@autisticadvocacy.org
Download your application today!
Dear friends,
Less than two weeks ago, the Senate took the first steps toward repealing the Affordable Care Act. Since then, you’ve mobilized to defend our health care, calling Senate Committees and asking them not to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement plan in place – and it’s working. More and more Senators are starting to express their hesitation. But the people working to take health care away from 18 million Americans aren’t stopping – and neither should we.
Many lawmakers have mentioned a repeal-and-replace strategy — but the budget process Congress is using can only be used to repeal. Without a replacement plan in place, it’s estimated that at least 18 million Americans would lose their health insurance within the first year of the repeal.
We won’t give up our health care that easily. Here’s what you can do:
-
Find out if either of your state Senators is on the Senate HELP Committee or the Finance Committee. Click here to see the members of the HELP Committee, and click here to see the members of the Finance Committee.
-
If you have a Senator on one or both committees, they should be the primary target of your calls. Senators care a lot about hearing from the people from the state they represent. Find the number for your Senators’ offices here.
-
If neither of your Senators is on either committee, you can call the office of the Chair and Ranking Member of each committee:
HELP Committee
Chair: Lamar Alexander – (202) 224-4944
Ranking Member: Patty Murray – (202) 224-2621
Finance Committee
Chair: Orrin Hatch – (202) 224-5251
Ranking Member: Ron Wyden – (202) 224-5244
Â
Here’s a script you can use:
Hi, my name is [Your Name] and I’m a constituent of Senator [Name]. I’m calling to ask Senator [Name] to preserve the Affordable Care Act during the budget reconciliation process. Specifically, I’m urging the Senator to defend Medicaid expansion and the premium tax credit. I’m also asking the Senator to take the words of [his/her] colleagues in the Senate to heart and figure out how to replace the ACA before starting to repeal it. Thanks for your time.
If you can’t use the phone, you can ask someone to call on your behalf. They can say, “I’m calling on behalf of [NAME,] who is a constituent of the Senator’s. [NAME] has a disability and isn’t able to make phone calls, but they want to ask the Senator to to preserve the Affordable Care Act during the budget reconciliation process. Specifically, they’re urging the Senator to defend Medicaid expansion and the premium tax credit. They’re also asking the Senator to take the words of [his/her] colleagues in the Senate to heart and figure out how to replace the ACA before starting to repeal it. Thanks for your time.
