Hooksett, N.H., Feb. 4 – In 2014, more than 300 people in New Hampshire died from drug overdose, many due to the spike in heroin use throughout the state. This was the topic at the “New Hampshire Roundtable Discussion on Addiction and the Heroin Epidemic” sponsored by The Addiction Policy Forum. Sen. Ted…
Bow, N.H., Feb. 3 – Rubio credits his father and grandfather with shaping his views about people with disabilities. “The two most influential men growing up in my life were my father and my grandfather. They both happened to be disabled,” presidential candidate Marco Rubio said in Bow, New Hampshire…
Nashua, N.H., Feb. 2 – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is calling for people with disabilities to be able to live with their families in their own homes and not in institutions. “We have moved in New Jersey toward favoring homecare over institutional care,” Christie said at a town hall…
Washington, Jan. 23 – In an appearance for his wife, former President Bill Clinton told the crowd he loves Iowa because people are not afraid to tell him exactly what to do. Most recently, he recounted a story with an individual who commended him for getting a law changed while president “that…
Urbandale, Iowa, Jan. 15 – When a grieving father with a son who died of a heroin overdose asked Donald Trump how he’ll address this epidemic, the presidential hopeful said he’s going to stop the drug traffic from coming in through Mexico. “We’re going to build a wall,” he said…
Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 14 – Presidential candidate Jeb Bush is working on a plan to help the 70 percent of people with disabilities who are not employed obtain jobs. “We are working on a strategy to eliminate the barriers to work,” the former governor of Florida said Tuesday at…
Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 11 – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said he’ll be working on a plan to provide more opportunities for autistic adults to work. Jane, a self-described autistic woman, asked Trump for a plan to help “autistic adults like myself get employed.” “We’re going to work on…
Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 10 – Republican presidential hopeful Sen. Marco Rubio called for high-risk pools at the state level for people with preexisting conditions. “For someone with a disability or a preexisting condition or a chronic illness that makes it difficult to ensure, that’s where I think government can…
Washington, Dec. 30 – I’m Justin Chappell, one of The RespectAbility Report’s newest reporters. I also have Spina bifida, and, as a result, use a wheelchair. But this does not limit me. There are negative stigmas out there that discriminate against people with disabilities. But these stigmas are inaccurate and I…
Washington, Dec. 11 – I’m Justin Chappell, The RespectAbility Report’s newest reporter. I spent the month of November with fellow disability community leaders traveling throughout Iowa, using my wheelchair in nearly nine inches of snow to interview almost every candidate for president on both sides of the aisle. Our travels…
Washington, Dec. 9 – Ohio Gov. John Kasich says gun control will not fix attacks like the San Bernardino shooting, which he had called a terrorist attack early on. In addition to more security, Kasich also talked about treatment for people with mental illness. “If we can strengthen our families,…
Des Moines, Nov. 25 – Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee said people with disabilities could “look at his record” and be comforted. “I’ve been very supportive of the ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) in my own state,” the former governor of Arkansas said following the Presidential Family Forum Friday night. “When we did renovations to the…
Des Moines, Nov. 24 – “We have a little girl with a severe disability and we treasure her,” former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum said following the Presidential Family Forum on Friday. “We believe she’s every bit as important a member of our family and contributing to society as any one of our kids,” the…
Des Moines, Nov. 23 – “People with disabilities want independence,” Sen. Ted Cruz said to The RespectAbility Report. “They don’t want to be dependent on government,” the presidential hopeful added. “There are many programs that provide, but sometimes trap people in dependency.” Fully one-in-five Americans have a disability and polls show…
Newton, Iowa, Nov. 20 – Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump said, “I will” when asked if he is committed to getting more veterans and people with disabilities employed. “You gotta give them hope, build their spirit,” Trump said during a town hall Thursday night in Newton, IA. “The unemployment numbers don’t…
Des Moines, Nov. 17 – At a roundtable with family caregivers and medical experts, presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders listened to Iowans talk about how both retirees needing additional help and working age people with disabilities who choose to work may lose coverage for personal care attendants under Medicaid and Medicare –…
Des Moines, Nov. 17 – Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton pledged to be a strong voice for people with disabilities. “This has been a strong concern and priority of mine,” Clinton said in an exclusive interview with The RespectAbility Report immediately following the Democratic presidential debate in Iowa Saturday night. The former Secretary…
Des Moines, Nov. 15 – Maryland increased its effectiveness of its workforce training programs, presidential hopeful Martin O’Malley said of his time as Maryland’s governor. “I learned as governor the very disparate way, that people with disabilities are kept out of our workforce, and so as governor we actually increased…
Des Moines, Nov. 14 – I’m Justin Chappell, The RespectAbility Report’s newest reporter. I’m covering the CBS Democratic debate this evening along with hundreds of other journalists from around the country. To my knowledge, I’m the only reporter here who uses a wheelchair – and glad to be keeping with…
