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As the nation celebrates Mother’s Day this month, we all remember the wonderful things moms do to make life better. While we sometimes take a mom’s day-to-day sacrifices for granted, Mother’s Day provides a much-deserved opportunity to show our appreciation.
Unfortunately, direct support professionals, many of whom are single mothers struggling to make ends meet, don’t get their formal day of recognition. Americans with disabilities depend on them to provide critical daily supports–help with meals, medications, mobility, employment, etc.–but their only reward is poor wages (often below the federal poverty level) and high-turnover rates (as high as 86% in residential settings).
Thanks to the efforts of advocates from all over the country, the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act (H.R. 1279), a bill intended to help stabilize the direct support workforce, has already gained 26 co-sponsors (see full list at bottom of this alert) since being introduced in the 110th Congress. That’s an average of 13 co-sponsors a month since the bill was introduced March 1, 2007!
We have lots more work to do and we ask you to contact your U.S. Representative today to seek their support for H.R. 1279.
This request for action is particularly important at this time because it precedes a Dear Colleague letter to all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives from H.R. 1279’s lead sponsors, Representatives Lois Capps (D-CA) and Lee Terry (R-NE). To get full value out of the Dear Colleague letter urging each Representative to join as cosponsors, you need to let your U.S. Representative know that this issue and this bill is a top priority to you.
Act now, in the spirit of Mother’s Day, and before your Representative next heads home for the Memorial Day recess! Let your U.S. Representative know that direct support professionals and the people with disabilities who rely on them, cannot be taken for granted.
H.R. 1279 Co-Sponsors as 5/7/09
Rep Allen, Thomas H. [ME]
Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA]
Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA]
Rep Braley, Bruce L. [IA]
Rep Lois Capps [CA]
Rep Cooper, Jim [TN]
Rep Filner, Bob [CA]
Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE]
Rep Gordon, Bart [TN]
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX]
Rep Kildee, Dale E. [MI]
Rep Kuhl, John R., Jr. [NY]
Rep LaHood, Ray [IL]
Rep Latham, Tom [IA]
Rep Lewis, Ron [KY]
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA]
Rep McCollum, Betty [MN]
Rep McHugh, John M. [NY]
Rep McNulty, Michael R. [NY]
Rep Moran, Jerry [KS]
Rep Platts, Todd Russell [PA]
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II [WV]
Rep Ramstad, Jim [MN]
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ]
Rep Terry, Lee [NE]
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA]
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