DISABILITY RIGHTS EDUCATION & DEFENSE, INC.

- Joined coalition letter spearheaded by the National Coalition for Gender Justice in Health Policy urging the US Senate to protect Medicaid and oppose all attempts to cut the program; - Part of a broad coalition letter of CA advocates, providers, and organizations to the US Senate and House speaking out against Medicaid cuts and calling for continued support for Marketplace coverage; - Joined a coalition letter from the Disability and Aging Collaborative expressing extreme concern about Secretary Robert Kennedy's announcement on the destruction of several vital agencies that support aging adults, disabled people of all ages, caregivers, and care workers; - Joined coalition letter opposing the nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz for the position of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator.

- Joined letter led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR) opposing the nomination of Pam Bondi for US Attorney General; - Joined letter led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR) stressing the importance of qualities such as demonstrated and stated commitment to protecting the rights of all people, not only the wealthy and powerful, for anyone who is considered for a federal judgeship; - Joined a letter headed by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights asking Congressional Democrats to stop Elon Musk's access, use, and retention of information, including private citizens' personal information, from federal data bases; - Joined open letter to the American people, spearheaded by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, urging the population to unite and speak out against attacks on civil rights and freedoms that protect everyone.

- Signed on to coalition letter that supports the Census Bureaus request for an extension of funding for the Census Bureaus American Community Survey (ACS) and Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS). The request was published in the Federal Register on November 5, 2024 (notice) (Docket Number USBC-2024-0029); - signed on coalition letter led by Project on Government Oversight that opposed the nomination of Russell Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget; - Joined letter led by the Census Project to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees outlining how a prolonged failure to sign a Continuing Resolution may jeopardize key operations at the U.S. Census Bureau. and requesting ongoing support for ensuring the Bureau receives no less than the Senate-recommended level of funding ($1.57 billion) in the final FY 2025 CJS Appropriations bill.

- Joined a letter led by the Leadership Conference of Civil and Human Rights asking members of Congress to oppose S 5, the Laken Riley Act which would require the mandatory detention - without any possibility of bond - of any undocumented person who is merely arrested for or charged with certain offenses, all without conviction".

- Joined coalition letter headed by the Consortium of Constituents with Disabilities opposing the nomination of Linda McMahon for the position of Secretary of Education; - Joined coalition letter led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights opposing the nomination of Linda McMahon for the position of Secretary of Education; - Joined a coalition letter opposing an unusual interpretation of federal law espoused in a "Dear Colleague" guidance and FAQ issued by the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights, which is likely to increase segregation and inequality in PK-12 schools and higher education institutions; - Signed a letter to Secretary Linda McMahon expressing the concerns of members of the Senate over efforts to shutter the Department of Education and the negative impact this will have on students with disabilities.

- Among over 800 organizations that joined by the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) in endorsing the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, H.R. 1061 and S. 455, reintroduced by Representative Espaillat and Senator Blumenthal in response to the announced rescission of the Protected Areas policy by the current Trump Administration; - Joined a letter led by the National Immigration Law Center to Congress requesting a NO vote on HR32 which would allow the current federal administration to block education, transportation, housing, food aid, public health, crime prevention and many other forms of federal funding for jurisdictions that don't cooperate with ICE requests.

- Joined a coalition letter that urges lawmakers to vote NO on cloture and any Continuing Budget Resolution that would prohibit the District of Columbia from spending $1 billion of its own local taxpayer dollars.

- Signed coalition letter from the Care Cant Wait Coalition to the 119th US Congress on the importance of prioritizing families and needed safety net benefits over tax cuts for the richest and big corporations; - Joined coalition letter protesting the sudden termination of the Social Security Administration's Retirement and Disability Research Consortium programs that are meant to increase efficiency and monitor fraud at the agency; - Jointed letter urging Congress to refrain from further restricting immigrant access to federal benefits as the few targets left would be those legally in the county such as humanitarian immigrants, pregnant persons, and so forth, preventing them from getting such basic assistance as food stamps and emergency healthcare; - Expressed support to the sponsors or the Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act (S. 3109/H.R. 8018) which would help reduce red tape and formalities that family care providers of people with disabilities have to navigate to maintain their family members' health and other benefits.