Support Ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Vote No on all Amendments

Recipient: U.S. Senate

Dear Senator:

On behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 210 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States, we urge you to support U.S. ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as reported out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with no additional amendments. The treaty embodies the American ideals that form the basis of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which has served as model legislation for ending discriminatory practices throughout the world and was a key inspiration for the CRPD.

The CRPD seeks to ensure that countries across the globe provide people with disabilities with the same rights as everyone else, so that they can live full, satisfying, and productive lives. To this end, the CRPD will create greater access for individuals serving, working, traveling, and studying abroad. The Leadership Conference believes that ratification is critical to promoting the ADA’s and CRPD’s shared principles of equality, nondiscrimination, inclusion in society, accessibility, and respect for the inherent dignity of persons with disabilities in the United States. Furthermore, ratification of the treaty will reflect U.S. commitment to disability rights and core American values such as the dignity of the individual, access to justice, and the right to education.

The Leadership Conference is committed to ensuring that our country maintains its leadership role in promoting the rights and dignity of all people with disabilities. We believe that ratification of the CRPD will allow the U.S. to continue its legacy of global leadership on disability rights. We therefore urge the Senate to continue the bipartisan tradition of supporting human rights, including the rights of persons with disabilities, by uniting in support of ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with no l amendments. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact June Zeitlin at [email protected] or 202/263-2852.

Thank you for your consideration of this important issue.

Sincerely,

Wade Henderson
President & CEO

Nancy Zirkin
Executive Vice President