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ISNA SUPPORT OF ADA ACT

ISNA Joins with Interfaith Groups in support of Civil Rights for Americans with Disabilities

On May 1, 2008 a letter was sent to all members of Congress in support of the ADA Restoration Act of 2007 (H.R. 3195/S. 1881).  ISNA was a co-signatory along with twenty-five other religious organizations.  The letter encourages Congress to support this bill that is essential to protecting people with disabilities from discrimination as well correcting the rollback of civil rights that has occurred since enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.   

Since its enactment, courts have narrowed the definition of disability to the point that the law often harms the very individuals it was designed to protect. The ADA Restoration Act attempts to close loopholes in the ADA’s workplace provisions by clearly redefining the term “disability” to apply to any individual with a real or perceived physical or mental impairment. The definition of disability would also be restored to be in accordance with the intent of the original law, and would ensure that individuals with conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes, hearing loss, learning disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities who utilize “mitigating measures” such as prescription drugs, prosthetics, and hearing aids, will be protected. To encourage the courts to stop construing disability legislation narrowly and in defiance of the spirit of the law, the bill states that its provisions should be broadly construed to advance their remedial purpose.

The signatories made known to Congress in the letter that; “We are committed to eradicating all forms of discrimination and intolerance, which alienate individuals and divide our society. We believe that the restoration of civil rights to the disabled community is of crucial importance to this struggle.  The right to earn a livelihood is one that should be granted to all people, regardless of physical or mental disability.”  

The signatories include:
American Islamic Congress
American Jewish Committee
Catholic Charities Disabilities Services
Central Conference of American Rabbis
Disciples Justice Action Network (Disciples of Christ)
The Episcopal Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Hindu American Foundation
Islamic Society of North America
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Jewish Labor Committee
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
Muslim Public Affairs Council
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Jewish Women
NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office
The Salvation Army, United States
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Jewish Communities
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops