Friday Fax 107

AUGUST 28, 1998...........................................................NUMBER 107

TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE INCLUDE:

SUPPORT IDEA '97
Senate Call-In Day To Save IDEA--August 31st

IDEA is being attacked from all over. The time for action is NOW! When Congress reconvenes next week, they have 5-6 weeks to finish its work. At least three attacks to IDEA are pending. You have already heard about the Livingston and Riggs Amendments.

Now we have a new bill to add to the attack. On August 6, 1998, Representative Jim Nussle (R-IA) introduced the *Freedom to Learn Act* H.R. 4491. In essence, H.R. 4491 would authorize states and local educational agencies to establish their own discipline policies. It is identical to the Gregg and Gorton Amendments and would allow schools to punish kids simply for having a disability.

The Nussle bill and the Livingston and Riggs amendments are very detrimental to all that we have fought so hard for and need to be stopped in the House. NOW! If they would reach the Senate there are those that would pick up the language and continue the attack on IDEA. If both the House and the Senate have similar bills and amendments, it is almost impossible to get rid of them. By the time they get to conference it is usually too late.

Because Congress is currently on recess through Labor Day, now is the perfect opportunity for you to contact your Representatives at their district offices, and strongly urge them to vote *NO* on any amendments to IDEA. This is also a good reason to get people together to participate in the SENATE CALL-IN Day on August 31.

Call To Action

Call your Senators and House Members
Tell them:

To contact your congressional members: call (202) 224-3121 - (Capitol Switchboard)

You can also access your congressional members on the Internet by either http://www.senate.gov or http://www.house.gov.

WIIA UPDATE

The Jeffords/Kennedy Work Incentives Improvement Act Substitute Legislation to H.R. 3433 is hot off the press. This is a great piece of legislation that needs everyone's support, but especially it needs Co-sponsors from ALL our Senators. The vote on the bill will be VERY SOON!

The summary of the Substitute is available on the NPND Website. If you do not have access to the Internet, send a fax to Anne at (402) 488-6908 and request a copy of the summary.

Let us make sure that ALL people with disabilities can move past the barriers and continue to work or start to work.

The Summary

ON A ROLL - TALK RADIO ON LIFE & DISABILITY

Sunday, September 6th at 7:00 PM Eastern Time

In a special nationally syndicated radio broadcast callers with disabilities who are unemployed as a result of existing Social Security and healthcare employment disincentives will talk about their situations to a national radio audience. On A Roll is broadcast live on the Radio America Network. Call Greg Smith, host and founder, at (602) 759-3657 for more information. You may also visit the On A Roll website: http://www.onarollradio.com

NPCMCH VIDEO TELECONFERENCE

"Bright Futures for Families,

Keeping Our Kids Healthy & Safe:

Violence Prevention"

The National Parent Consortium on Maternal and Child Health (NPCMCH) will broadcast a national video teleconference Bright Futures for Families — Keeping Our Kids Healthy & Safe: Violence Prevention on October 6th at 8:00 PM EDT. The National Parent Network on Disabilities (NPND) is the coordinator of the NPCMCH sponsored by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The Consortium Working Group members include:

ACCH Parent Network, The ASPIRA Association,
Family Resource Coalition Family Service America, Inc.
Family Voices Federation for Children's Mental Health
Head Start Resource and Training Center Institute for Family Centered Care
La Leche League International National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health
National Coalition of Title I/Chapter 1 Parents The National Family for the Advancement of Minorities with Disabilities
National Head Start Association National Parent Network on Disabilities
The National PTA Specialized Training of Military Parents (STOMP)

The 90-minute program will be carried on a C band satellite, is free and part of the activities planned in October for National Child Health Month.

Where do we start?

Identify possible sites for the video teleconference. You should be able to find a facility that you can use free of charge. Places that might have the ability to down-link from a satellite are public schools, universities, community colleges, hospitals, hotels, local cable companies, or local cable or public TV stations.

Get involved - it’s easier than you might think!

For more information on how you and/or your organization can participate and host a downlink site, please fill out the form below and fax it to Laura Farah at: (617) 847-1593. You may also contact Laura by voice mail at (617) 471-1570 or by E-mailmailto:lfarah8@aol.com . More information will be posted on the NPND website , including resources materials for families and the agenda for the program.

______ I/We would like to participate in the video teleconference (please send a participation packet)
______ I/We would like to host a downlink site for the video teleconference (please send a downlink site information packet)
______ I/We are interested in receiving more information on the video teleconference.

Name:

Organization:

Address:

Phone Number:

Fax Number:

E-mail Address:

THE FRIDAY FAX IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE NATIONAL PARENT NETWORK ON DISABILITIES

(effective September 1st) NPND * 1130 17th Street, NW * Suite 400 * Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-2299 * (202) 463-9403 (fax) * E-Mail: npnd@cs.net * Website: http://www.npnd.org