The Disability community is calling far and wide for people to take action against H.R. 620, saying that it is a bill that “fundamentally weakens the protections of the American with Disabilities Act.” Here are some resources to help you determine if it affects you or someone you love, as well as resources to help you to take action!

Does this affect you or someone you love?

• What is the issue?
• Another overview of the issue
• Read the bill itself.
• See which organizations have united to oppose it.
• Myths & Truths
• Where is the bill in the process?
• Watch a Representative’s comments in the House floor. (below)

Take action!

A link originally shared by Disability Rights Arkansas gives these tips:

“Please contact your House Representative(and others from your state) and encourage them to stay strong in their opposition to H.R.620 and any “notice and cure” bill, as a rollback of civil rights. SAVE THE ADA!

• Go to Contacting Congress using your zip code to find out how to reach your House representative via e-mail, phone, Facebook, Twitter, fax, etc.
• Call your Representative using the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. They will help you find your Representative’s name, and switch you to their office. If you know your Representative’s name, you can use the House of Representatives phone list.

Sample Script:

“Hello, my name is [your name]. I’m a constituent from [your state], zip code [your zip code]. I am opposed to H.R. 620 and any change to the equal access protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act. I strongly encourage Representative [add last name] to oppose any reform efforts. Thank you.”

Reasons To Oppose H.R.620:

• H.R. 620 would weaken the civil rights of people with disabilities, making it harder for us to use the same restrooms, shop at the same department stores, and eat at the same restaurants as our non-disabled friends, family members, and peers.
• Disability rights are civil rights. The ADA is a civil rights law. H.R. 620 would not only roll back important parts of the ADA, it would pose risks for other civil rights laws as well (such as Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars public accommodations such as hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues from discriminating based on race; Title III of the ADA was based on this law).
• H.R. 620 would not solve the problems its supporters are claiming it would fix. It would not stop fraudulent lawsuits. State courts and state bar associations are already equipped to address those problems, in better ways, without denying anyone equal access, or their civil rights. They have been successfully shutting down those bad practices in many areas.” More info

How to make sure Congress is listening to you.