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VOR FEDERAL BUDGET ACTION ALERT
SUPPORT YOUR VOR MEMBERS TRAVELING TO WASHINGTON, DC
June 2006
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Table of Contents
1. The VOR Washington Initiative is the week of June 12 -- support VOR
participants with your calls and letters
2. Overview of the Issues
3. Template Phone Message
4. Template Fax/Letter Message
5. Congressional Contact Information
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1. The VOR Washington Initiative is the week of June 12 -- support VOR
participants with your calls and letters
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VOR members from around the country will be traveling to Washington, D.C.
this week to attend VOR's Annual Meeting and Washington Initiative. At
least
25 states will be represented and every Congressional office will be
visited
the week of June 12.
You can help!
We know from feedback from participants in past years, and from
Congressional offices, that VOR's issues and credibility are elevated when
calls and faxes arrive at the time VOR members are also blanketing Capitol
Hill.
Therefore, we are asking all VOR advocates to make calls and fax letters
between now and Friday, June 16.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!!
An overview of the issues, template call and fax messages,
and Congressional contact information follows.
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2. Overview of the Issues
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For the 2006 Washington Initiative, VOR will describe to Members of
Congress
and their staff the service needs (including facility-based care) of people
with severe and profound mental retardation, who also have medical
complexities and/or severe behavioral challenges.
We will focus on three specific requests for Congress:
(A) Adopt a budget with appropriate funding levels to increase vital,
lifesaving programs and services for people with mental retardation and
developmental disabilities. VOR strongly supports the proposal by numerous
Members of Congress to increase domestic discretionary appropriations by 2
percent.
(B) Oppose House proposals to create a Sunset Commission, designed to grant
unelected commission members, appointed by the President, the power to
review all federal programs and recommend whether they live, die, or get
"realigned." People with mental retardation who receive "optional"
Medicaid-funded supports are most vulnerable to seeing their life-line
services eliminated.
(C) Approve a technical correction to address a serious apparent drafting
error contained in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA). The DRA added
a
new section (1916A) to the Social Security Act, which could be interpreted
to allow unlimited cost-sharing and premiums for beneficiaries with incomes
below the poverty line while limiting cost-sharing for beneficiaries with
incomes above poverty. Apparently, an intended provision that would have
left in place prior cost-sharing amounts for low-income beneficiaries was
dropped. People with mental retardation receiving community-based
residential supports, assisted living or group home services, are among
those vulnerable citizens who will be seriously impacted by this language.
VOR feels certain that Congress did not intend this result. A technical
correction is needed.
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3. Template Phone Message
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I am a constituent. My family member has mental retardation and he/she
relies heavily on Medicaid-supported services.
PLEASE
(A) ADOPT a budget with appropriate funding levels to increase vital,
lifesaving programs and services for people with mental retardation and
developmental disabilities. Please support the proposal by some Members of
Congress to increase domestic discretionary appropriations by 2 percent.
(B) OPPOSE House proposals to create a Sunset Commission. People with
mental
retardation who receive "optional" Medicaid-funded supports are most
vulnerable to seeing their life-line services eliminated.
(C) APPROVE a technical correction to the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
(DRA) to correct an apparent error in 1916A of the Social Security Act,
which could be interpreted to allow unlimited cost-sharing and premiums for
beneficiaries with incomes below the poverty line while limiting
cost-sharing for beneficiaries with incomes above poverty. People with
mental retardation receiving community-based residential supports, assisted
living or group home services, are among those vulnerable citizens who will
be seriously impacted by this language.
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4. Template Fax Message
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June 2006
PROTECT SERVICES FOR
PEOPLE WITH MENTAL RETARDATION
Dear Rep/Senator _____________:
I am your constituent and a member of VOR (Voice of the Retarded).
During the week of June 12, your office will receive a visit from a VOR
representative, who will share VOR's positions on a number of federal
issues
impacting people with mental retardation.
These issues are also very important to me and I share VOR's perspective.
Thank you for taking time to review what VOR's information. (If you or your
staff would like additional copies of the VOR presentation, visit
http://vor.net/LeaveBehindPositions2006.html, or contact Tamie Hopp at
605-399-1624).
I join VOR in calling for action on the following issues:
(A) Adopt a budget with appropriate funding levels to increase vital,
lifesaving programs and services for people with mental retardation and
developmental disabilities. VOR strongly supports the proposal by numerous
Members of Congress to increase domestic discretionary appropriations by 2
percent.
(B) Oppose House proposals to create a Sunset Commission, designed to grant
unelected commission members, appointed by the President, the power to
review all federal programs and recommend whether they live, die, or get
"realigned." People with mental retardation who receive "optional"
Medicaid-funded supports are most vulnerable to seeing their life-line
services eliminated.
(C) Approve a technical correction to address a serious apparent drafting
error contained in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA). The DRA added
a
new section (1916A) to the Social Security Act, which could be interpreted
to allow unlimited cost-sharing and premiums for beneficiaries with incomes
below the poverty line while limiting cost-sharing for beneficiaries with
incomes above poverty. Apparently, an intended provision that would have
left in place prior cost-sharing amounts for low-income beneficiaries was
dropped. People with mental retardation receiving community-based
residential supports, assisted living or group home services, are among
those vulnerable citizens who will be seriously impacted by this language.
VOR feels certain that Congress did not intend this result. A technical
correction is needed.
Americans with mental retardation cannot endure the hardships that will
occur if deeper cuts and harsh reforms to their programs and services are
implemented.
Remember that Americans who can't help themselves because of no fault of
their own are dependent upon the good will of the Congress. Thank you for
your compassionate support.
Sincerely,
Name, Address, Phone, Fax, E-Mail
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5. Congressional Contact Information
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To identify your two Senators and one Representative, visit
http://www.congress.org. The Capitol Switchboard can also identify for your
Senators and Representative, and connect you to their offices:
1-202-224-3121.
At http://www.congress.org, you can also get direct phone and fax numbers.
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SEND YOUR FAX OR MAKE YOUR CALLS TODAY!!
THANK YOU FOR YOU PARTICIPATION!!
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