DISABILITY RIGHTS EDUCATION & DEFENSE, INC.

- Joined a broad coalition letter to specific members of Congress who have been "supported" with donations by "Leading the Future," a Super PAC opposing AI regulation, asking Democrats lawmakers who typically do NOT take an anti-AI regulation position to refuse the donations and emphasizing the importance of AI regulation;

- Joined a large coalition letter led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR) to Congress condemning the criminal charges brought by the Trump Administration against the Southern Poverty Law Center as the weaponization of criminal law against a longstanding civil rights organization;

- DREDF endorsed the Air Carriers Access Amendment Act which was re-introduction by Senator Baldwin in the current US Congress.

- Joined a letter jointly led by the Long-term Services and Supports Task Force (LTSS TF) of the Consortium of Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) and the Disability and Aging Collaborative (DAC) to Congress, opposing the inclusion of any further cuts to Medicaid or restrictions to state capacity to raise revenue in the Budget Reconciliation Process or any other bills, as this would inevitably lead to cuts in HCBS; - Joined a letter spearheaded by the National Health Law Program (NHeLP) to the House of Representatives to express opposition to the Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2026 (H.R. 8095) that would encourage treating foster youth in large congregate care mental health institutions rather than the community-based family-like settings that are more effective; - Organizational endorsement of the LIFT the BAR act that would restores access to basic needs programs like Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, and other federal benefit programs for immigrants authorized to be in the United States; - Joined a letter led by the Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation (CPR) that supports S. 4384/H.R. 8375, the Medicare Advantage Improvement Act (MAIA), a bipartisan bill that addresses unjustified prior authorization and other medical necessity-related restrictions that MA plans place on coverage of healthcare services for Medicare enrollees;

- joined a letter led by the National Women's Law Center to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the Dept of Health and Human Services, expressing opposition to OCR's proposed revisions that would diminish collection of granular demographic information and grounds for complaint in the Civil Rights and Conscience Complaint form; - Joined a coalition public statement spearheaded by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) responding to the Department of Justices Interim Final Rule extending the compliance deadline for the Title II digital accessibility rule, an unacceptable outcome that undermines timely access to digital services for people with disabilities; - Joined a coalition letter led by AAPD, condemning the Interim Final Rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which extended the compliance deadlines for the digital accessibility requirements established under the 2024 regulation enacted under Section 504; - Joined a comment letter led by the Technology Task Force of the Consortium of Constituents with Disabilities (CCD), responding to a proposed Interim Final Rule from the Department of Justice (RIN 1190-AA82) and strongly opposing the extension of compliance dates for the 2024 Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Applications of Recipients of Departmental Financial Assistance Final Rule (2024 Final Rule enacted under Section 504); - Signed on to a letter led by Advocates for Trans Equality letter to Congress in support of best practices policies that will support trans and nonbinary students so they can access a quality education free from harassment and discrimination;

- Organizational endorsement of the anticipated bill, Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act by Sen. Kelly and Hirono, that would repeal the provisions of the federal private school voucher tax credit program enacted by OBBBA;

- Joined letter led by Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) to Congress, urging strong funding and targeted report language in the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill to protect housing stability for people with disabilities; - Joined letter led by the Housing Task Force of the Consortium of Constituents with Disabilities urging Congress in the 2027 housing budget to protect and strengthen federal housing programs that support extremely low and low-income older adults and people with disabilities; - Joined letter from CCD's Housing TF to the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary, urging release of the latest Section 811 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO); If HUD does not release the NOFO very soon there is a high risk of losing 150 million dollars of appropriated funds for integrated, affordable, accessible homes for people with disabilities; - Joined letter from CCD's Housing TF to HUD opposing its proposed rule barring mixed-status families from HUD assistance and imposing additional verification requirements for US citizens; - Signed on to a national HIV/AIDS Housing Coalition letter to Congressional leadership calling for $600M for the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) Program and rejection of the President's budget; - Joined the CCD Housing Task Force's comments to HUD on HUDs proposed rule to include work requirements and time limits on housing benefits; - Signed on to a letter led by the CCD Housing Task Force to the US Congress Appropriation Committees to protect and expand Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 funding for critical HUD programs, including Section 811 and NED Voucher programs, the Fair Housing Initiatives Program, and Emergency Housing Vouchers; - Joined a coalition letter led by the CCD Housing Task Force opposing HUDs proposed rule that seeks to undermine HUDs 2012 and 2016 Equal Access Rules, which ensure equal access to HUD programs for LGBTQ+ individuals; - DREDF submitted comments to HUD opposing the proposed rule entitled Verification of Eligible Status" (RIN 2501-AE16; HUD Docket No. FR-6124-P-01), urging HUD to withdraw the proposed rule in its entirety and to allow its long-standing regulations governing mixed-status families and verification of immigration status to remain in effect.

- submitted comments responding to the RFI put out by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on prior authorization for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, and Orthotics items within the Interoperability and Prior Authorization rule recently put out by the administration. Our comments particularly focus on how the current process for providing medically necessary wheelchairs and other mobility devices negatively impacts patient care;

- Joined a letter led by the Census Project letter led by Census Project to congressional leader requesting sufficient funding at this critical midpoint for census operations and upgrades to ensure a fair and accurate 2030 decennial census count of the US population; - DREDF letter to the General Services Administration, opposing proposed changes to the System for Award Management that require new and renewal applicants for federal grant funding to certify that they are in compliance with broad and vague categories of conduct; - Joined a broad coalition letter to Congress letter urging support for structural Supreme Court reform - including term limits, expansion, and a binding code of ethics - as a necessary part of protecting individual and democratic rights and building a more representative democracy; -Joined a coalition letter led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR) to the US Dept of Commerce to implement modernized race/ethnicity census standards (SPD 15) that were introduced and approved in 2024; - signed on to a coalition letter to the Office Of Management and Budget (OMB), opposing OMB's proposed changes to overhaul the set of rules known as the Uniform Guidance which govern federal grants, cooperative agreements, and other monetary awards to nonprofits, state and local governments, and other grantees; - Joined comments led by Democracy Forward and Protect Democracy to the Office of Personnel Management, opposing OPM's proposal to require all federal employees to sign a non-disclosure agreement as a condition of employment

- Joined a letter led by the National Immigration Law Center letter to the Senate requesting their opposition to a Senate Budget Resolution that proposes new large funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP); - Led a coalition letter sent to Congress urging a no vote on an additional $71B in funding for ICE and CBP and any amendments in the reconciliation 2.0 appropriations package, also asking for a restoration of access to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), and premium assistance under the Affordable Care Act;

- Joined letter led by Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies and the Puerto Rico Center for Independent Living, to the Department of Energy and the Governor of Puerto Rico, calling for restoration of the rooftop solar and battery program for disabled people and low-income households in Puerto Rico.