United Spinal advocacy and policy staff participated in a quarterly meeting of the Disability Community Advisory Group with DC HSEMA.
United Spinal endorses the Veterans SPORT Act - H.R. Veterans Supporting Prosthetics Opportunities and Recreational Therapy Act or the Veterans SPORT Act.
United Spinal, along with veterans service organizations, disability organizations, and other aviation stakeholders wrote to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to express support of the U.S. Department of Transportations efforts to improve the safety and dignity of the air travel experience for disabled veterans and all passengers with disabilities. United Spinal Association supported and participated in the U.S. Department of Transportations Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) ongoing efforts to launch a new database, Aviation Complaint, Enforcement, and Reporting System (ACERS).
United Spinal policy staff provided feedback to a member of Congress on potential legislation that would improve the timeliness of repairs made to individually customized, medically prescribed wheelchairs. United Spinal endorsed the reintroduction of the CONNECT for Health Act in the 119th Congress. The CONNECT for Health Act will expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to connect with their doctors. Current flexibilities are set to expire on September 30 unless Congress extends them. Engage with House and Senate and CMS to ensure a benefciary coding decision for transanal irrigation devices to be categorized as prosthetic devices. Met with CMS to discuss access to ostomy supplies. As a member of the Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation Steering Committee - Support coverage of anti-obesity medications for people with disabilities. - Provided comments to the 2026 Medicare Advantage and Part D proposed rule. - Submitted New Policy Statement on Public Comment for Agency Rulemaking.
United Spinal advocated against Medicaid cuts. United Spinal asked members of Congress to sign onto letters of support with their colleagues, as part of United Spinal's virtual advocacy day urging bipartisan congressional leadership on the respective appropriations subcommittee to support increased federal funding for Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems as well as at the Burn Model Systems and the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems. Increased funding at all three Model Systems, including the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center is needed to translate data, research, and clinical knowledge into resources to benefit the SCI, TBI and burn injury communities. Advocate to save DOD CDMRP Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP). The Federal Budget Resolution that was passed on 3.14.25 cut 57% - approximately $850 million - out of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP). This is a Department of Defense program that funds biomedical research programs, including spinal cord injury. United Spinal, as a member of the Disability & Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC), supported a letter the DRRC co-coordinators submitted to the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget about the deep concerns the members of the Coalition had with the OMB Memorandum Pausing Federal Financial Assistance (M-25-13). United Spinal, as a member of the Disability & Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC), signed onto a letter to the Office of Management and Budget, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health about major concerns with cuts to NIH funding through indirect cost cap. The letter read in part, The Disability & Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC) appreciates and supports maximizing the federal return on investment in medical research but has serious concerns about the recently published Supplemental Guidance from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) capping indirect costs for grantees at 15 percent. This unprecedented policy change will have significant and permanent negative consequences on biomedical research, particularly the science of medical rehabilitation, disability, and chronic illness. We strongly urge you to reconsider this announcement and work with our coalition and other research organizations to chart an alternative path forward. United Spinal joined the American Association of People with Disabilities, along with numerous disability, civil rights, aging, and mental health organizations, in submitting a letter expressing deep concerns about the plan to re-organize the Department of Health and Human Services. especially the plan to eliminate the Administration for CommunityLiving (ACL) and split its functions across three other agencies, as well as the consolidation of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (SAMHSA). United Spinal, as a member of the Disability & Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC), signed onto a letter to urge and meet with HHS Secretary Kennedy to reconsider plans to dismantle the Administration for Community Living (ACL), including the National Institute for Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), in order to meet with national disability, rehabilitation, and other stakeholder organizations to discuss the future of ACL, and seriously reconsider the reorganization of this essential government agency for older Americans and individuals with disabilities. As a member of the Disability & Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC), United Spinal endorsed comments submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) about OMB Memorandum Pausing Federal Financial Assistance (M-25-13). United Spinal, as a member of the Disability & Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC), wrote to commend the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI) for their work to improve disability research across NIH on behalf of the one in four Americans with disabilities. Supporting disability research and investing in training the next generation of disability researchers must be a central goal at NIH given the critical need for biomedical, functional, and outcomes research. United Spinal, as members of the Disability and Aging Collaborative (DAC), the Health and Long-Term Services and Supports Task Forces of the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD), and allied organizations wrote to the bipartisan leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to urge excluding Medicaid cuts, work requirements, or any changes that limit funding or eligibility, from budget reconciliation or other legislation. The letter read in part, People with disabilities, older adults, family caregivers and their children, direct care workers, and other low-income individuals and families depend on Medicaid every day for their health, safety, and independence. Medicaid enables them to go to work and to care for their loved ones. It is our communities' lifeline, and we cannot afford for any part of it to be cut. United Spinal advocacy and policy staff met with staff for Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to discuss legislation to address wheelchair repair issues, as well as an appropriations letter for the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. United Spinal advocacy and policy staff met with House and Senate to discuss signing an appropriations letter in support of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. United Spinal advocacy and policy staff signed a CCD co-chairs statement expressing dismay and concern about the reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services. United Spinal supports H.R. 2320, the Mobility Means Freedom Tax Credit Act.
United Spinal submitted supportive comments to the Federal Communications Commission in response to CG Docket Nos. 10-213, 03-123, and 23-16, the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, on the need for additional accessibility features in video conferencing services, including: text-to-speech, and speech-to-speech functionality; automatic sign language interpretation; audio description and other functionality for participants who are blind or have low vision; and functionality needed by people with cognitive or mobility disabilities.
United Spinal policy staff, along with other members of the Consortium of Constituents with Disabilities Social Security Task Force, met with congressional staff to advocate for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program and for the reintroduction of legislation to help eliminate the programs savings penalty outdated financial limits. United Spinal, along with over 200 organizations, signed onto a letter to the bipartisan, bicameral sponsors of the proposed Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Savings Penalty Elimination Act endorsing the legislation which is planned to be reintroduced in the 119th Congress. The proposed legislation would, for the first time in nearly 40 years, raise the amount of money Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries can save without jeopardizing vital income support from the SSI program. United Spinal, along with numerous other disability organizations and as members of the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) Social Security Task Force (SSTF), wrote to the bipartisan leadership of the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance to express concerns about several ongoing developments at the Social Security Administration (SSA) that will have a disproportionate impact on people with disabilities. We urged the committee to take steps to protect Social Security beneficiaries from administrative actions that threaten the performance, integrity, and long-term stability of SSA. United Spinal, as a member of the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities Social Security Task Force, supported comments submitted by the cochairs of the Task Force supporting the Temporary Final Rule (TFR) concerning the Further Extension of the Flexibility In Evaluating Close Proximity of Time To Evaluate Ongoing Changes in Healthcare published at 90 Fed. Reg. 5582-5590.
United Spinal provided feedback to the National Council on Disability on autonomous vehicle accessibility for a forthcoming report on transportation. United Spinal advocacy and policy staff participated in a quarterly call with Amtrak along with other representatives from disability organizations. United Spinal advocacy and policy staff met with staff for Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) to discuss federal legislation to address accessible parking issues.
United Spinal signed a CCD comment letter in support of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would begin phasing out the 14(c) subminimum wage program for people with disabilities.