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CURRENT ADVOCACY
Last week’s confirmation hearing for Judge Brett Kavanaugh did nothing to allay concerns that if he were appointed to the Supreme Court, he would pose a threat to the hard-won rights and protections for people with disabilities. Judge Kavanaugh’s record indicates that his confirmation would place at risk access to health care and civil rights protections for people with disabilities, opportunities for people with disabilities to make choices about their own lives, and the ability of executive branch agencies to interpret and enforce laws protecting people with disabilities.
What We Learned at Kavanaugh’s Confirmation Hearing
During his hearing, Judge Kavanaugh refused to answer even basic questions concerning his views on important issues, and repeatedly refused to say that he would uphold the Affordable Care Act’s protections.
The hearing featured testimony from Liz Weintraub, senior advocacy specialist at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, about her concerns that Judge Kavanaugh has shown a lack of respect for the self-determination rights of people with disabilities. “If Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed,” said Weintraub, “I’m afraid that my right to make decisions for myself will be taken away.”
Jackson Corbin, a 13-year old boy with complex medical needs due to Noonan’s Syndrome, testified about the impact that appointing Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court would have on health care. Corbin said: “If you destroy protections for preexisting conditions, you leave me and all kids and adults like me without care and without the ability to afford our care, all because of who we are.”
What You Can Do
The Senate Judiciary Committee, and then the full Senate, will soon vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination. Here is what you can do:
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