[Mn-abs] Call to Action, Please Support HR 3985

[Joe Orozco]

Dear all,

I received word this afternoon that tomorrow on the House floor 
representatives will vote on H.R. 3985, Over the Road Transportation 
Accessibility Act of 2007.  You can find the direct link to the bill text 
below, but in brief, the bill would place the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration in the position to consider ADA violations in determining a 
company's license to operate.  Currently, the FMCSA refuses to hear ADA 
violation cases, holding firm to their position that ADA matters lie 
squarely within the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation.  The 
FMCSA has maintained this position despite a lawsuit brought forth by Peter 
Pan Bus Lines in which judges ruled in favor of the plaintiff.  On a very 
real level, we need this law to help reign in transportation services that 
continue to discriminate against people with service animals and disabled 
persons who require wheelchairs and other forms of accommodations on these 
transportation services.

To my knowledge, neither ACB or NFB have taken an official position on the 
legislation.  If you contact your representative, please do so as a 
concerned constituent and not as an official endorsement of either 
organization.

To find your representative, please visit:

www.house.gov

To read the bill text, please visit:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-3985

Please show your support for what could be a crucial piece of legislation. 
It is not a matter of your organizational affiliation, no more than it is a 
matter of whether you use a service animal or require other accommodations. 
The fact is that in 2007 there are still entities who would dare take away 
rights guaranteed under the ADA, entities who would treat potential 
customers in a manner that is reminiscent of pre-Civil Rights era.  It only 
takes a few minutes of your time.  With your support, we can pass this out 
of the House and begin finding support in the Senate.

Please distribute this among your individual networks.  It is imperative 
that you call the congressional offices first thing Tuesday morning to 
ensure representatives are aware of the immense support in advance of their 
vote early tomorrow afternoon.

Thank you very sincerely for your assistance.

Joe Orozco

"Politics is not predictions and politics is not observations. Politics is 
what we do, what we create, by what we work for, by what we hope for and 
what we dare to imagine."--Senator Paul Wellstone