CRPD Update and Urgent Action Items

 
Yesterday the U.S. Senate voted 61-36 to take up discussion of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). For a full discussion of this treaty and its dangers, visit our CRPD page here.

We expected the treaty to be taken up, as it was. We also had reason to expect that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) would file for cloture at 5:00 p.m. That would likely put an end time on the discussion leading to an actual vote on treaty ratification as early as this weekend.

Thanks, I believe, to the efforts of concerned and active Americans just like you, the cloture filing was pushed back, then ultimately failed to take place yesterday at all. If we are correct in our assessment, this is very good news; we believe it signals that Senator Reid does not yet have the votes he needs to pass this treaty, as he had expected to!

This is exciting news, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Here is what we must do now if we are to reach victory over this treaty and preserve parental rights for all Americans, including those whose children have special needs:

Urgent Action Items

1. Thank the 36 Senators who voted against taking up the CRPD at this time. This is a very gracious way of encouraging them to stand strong and not back off of their position. Harry Reid and his colleagues will be trying hard to pull a few of these Senators away. We must persuade them not to bend.

Please find the list here and call or email their offices expressing your thanks for their courageous stand for American self-government and parental rights.

2. Call you Senators (again?) and urge them to vote “No” on CRPD. Proponents of the treaty are calling as well; our voice must be louder.

Find a script you can use here. You might also email them or call their district office in addition to their D.C. office.

The following senators are especially important targets. Please be sure they hear from you right away:

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX): 202-224-5922
Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN): 202-224-4944
Sen. Dean Heller (NV): 202-224-6244
Sen. Mike Johanns (NE): 202-224-4224
Sen. Jerry Moran (KS): 202-224-6521
Sen. Thad Cochran (MS): 202-224-5054
Sen. Joe Manchin (WV): 202-224-3954

3. Spread the word. Whether you pass this email along, speak out against #CRPD on Twitter, or post a comment on your Facebook page (or join the discussion on ours), please get the word out to as many concerned Americans as you can.

From 2:15 until almost 7:00 yesterday, the Senate focused on nothing but this treaty. Yet the only part of the whole thing that made the news is the fact that Bob Dole is in the hospital. The media will not cover this. We have to cover it ourselves, letting our friends know that instead of avoiding the fiscal cliff their senators have been trying to take parental rights away from parents of children with disabilities.

Thank you for standing strong and making your voices heard. Now we need to turn up the volume.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Director of Communications & Research