We write you regarding America’s commitment to people with disabilities. With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the United States has been a world leader in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities. Now, as countries around the world work to draft a convention to protect the rights of those with disabilities, we urge you to support and call for a vote on House Concurrent Resolution 169.
June 4, 2004
Representative Tom Delay
Office of the House Majority Leader
The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative Delay,
We write you regarding America’s commitment to people with disabilities. With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the United States has been a world leader in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities. Now, as countries around the world work to draft a convention to protect the rights of those with disabilities, we urge you to support and call for a vote on House Concurrent Resolution 169.
In the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other protections enjoyed by U.S. citizens with disabilities, Resolution 169 calls for the United States to play a leading role in extending rights protections to individuals with disabilities around the world. The United States has the experience and leadership in disability rights to play a vital role in drafting and negotiating an international convention on disability rights. The resolution also calls for President Bush to urge the Secretary of State to send a delegation of leaders from the U.S. disabled rights movement to the UN Ad Hoc Committee Meetings. Such representation would demonstrate the commitment of the United States to ensuring that people with disabilities are protected from discrimination and abuse around the world. This resolution has unanimous support from the House International Relations Committee.
Human Rights Watch is an international human rights organization dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals worldwide. The rights of individuals with disabilities are recognized in the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and other human rights instruments. We support the creation of a UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities to further advance this cause and protect the rights of the disabled worldwide.
We urge you to support Resolution 169 and call for a vote in the House of Representatives.
Sincerely,
s/
Wendy Patten
U.S. Advocacy Director
