The Friday before Christmas, President Obama signed a key piece of legislation into law that will improve the lives of those with disabilities. It showed that gridlock can be overcome by common sense proposals with broad grass roots support.
I wrote previously about the broad bi-partisan support the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act received when it passed the house with over 400 votes (and less than 20 “Nays”).
The ABLE Act was championed by many grass roots advocates, but chief among them was Steve Beck. Sadly, just days after passing the House, and before it would pass the Senate with similar broad bi-partisan support, Steve unexpectedly passed away. In recognition of his key role in the ABLE Act’s passage, the bill’s name was amended. When President Obama signed the bill into law, he signed the Stephen Beck, Jr. ABLE Act.
This past weekend our local paper, Louisville’s Courier-Journal, ran an op-ed by Jim McDonnell, President of the Board of Trustees for Down Syndrome of Louisville, and myself, DSL’s immediate past president. The column covers how the ABLE Act allows for equal treatment of Jim’s son with Down syndrome and his daughter who does not have Down syndrome and equal treatment for my children Juliet and James. It concludes with a note on Beck’s key role.
I hope you’ll click this link and read the whole thing.
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