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The RespectAbility Report Posts

Rubio Promotes Early Intervention, Education for Children with Disabilities

Rochester, NH, Dec. 23 – Sen. Marco Rubio stressed the importance of early intervention and education when asked on Monday how he would help people with disabilities achieve employment success and the American Dream by RespectAbility Fellow James Trout, who has Asperger’s syndrome. “You get those first few years –…

O’Malley: Identify Best Practices to Increase Employment of People with Disabilities

Manchester, NH, Dec. 22 – Former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley called for identifying best practices when asked to address the large unemployment numbers for people with disabilities. “We need to lift up the best practices state by state and do a better job as a nation in seeding, feeding and supporting…

Drug addiction takes center stage at third Democratic debate

Manchester, NH, Dec. 20 – The third Democratic presidential debate touched on a topic often overlooked among the myriad of issues candidates face at debates – drug addiction, in particular the growing heroin epidemic in New Hampshire and across the country. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders called the epidemic a “tragedy…

On Santorum’s Statement on ISIS Fatwa Condemning Children with Disabilities to Death

Washington, Dec. 16 – Foreign affairs, terrorism and ISIS dominated the conversation throughout both of last night’s Republican primary debates. During Rick Santorum’s closing statement, however, the former senator called out ISIS for killing kids with Down Syndrome and brought up his daughter Bella, who has trisomy 18. “Ladies and…

Bush Talks Education, Jobs for People with Disabilities

Washington, Dec. 12 – Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said in order to help people with disabilities achieve the American Dream through access to appropriate education and employment, you must include people with disabilities in the decision process. “One of the things I insisted on was that people with disabilities…

Santorum: Use Presidential Bully Pulpit to Expand Job Opportunities for People with Disabilities

Washington, Dec. 12 – In an exclusive interview with a coalition of disability groups including RespectAbility, Paralyzed Veterans of America and the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, Sen. Rick Santorum defended his opposition to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities U.N. treaty and talked about…

Huckabee Calls for Full Integration of Disability Community in Employment and Education

Washington, Dec. 12 – In an exclusive interview, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee stressed the need to employ people with disabilities, calling people who are blind, deaf and with physical disabilities his “best staff members.” The presidential hopeful also talked about inclusion in the educational setting in the interview with…

Gilmore on Job Opportunities for People with Disabilities

Washington, Dec. 12 – Since leaving government, former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore was named to the Board of Directors of the Alexandria, Virginia Chamber of Commerce, which recognizes businesses that hire people with disabilities. The presidential hopeful talked about this initiative as well as how he has helped people with…

Pataki: More Economic Opportunities for People with Disabilities

Washington, Dec. 12 – Former New York Gov. George Pataki discussed his experience with enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act in New York and the use of assisted technologies to assist people who are deaf or blind in an exclusive interview with a coalition of disability groups including RespectAbility, Paralyzed…

Graham Pledges to Take Hands-on Approach to Help #PwDs Enter Workforce

Washington, Dec. 12 – In an exclusive interview with a coalition of disability groups including RespectAbility, Paralyzed Veterans of America and the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, Sen. Lindsey Graham discussed his policies to help wounded veterans and other people with disabilities achieve the American Dream by entering…

Kasich Prioritizes Mental Health Treatment Following San Bernardino Shooting

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,…

In New Ad, Kasich Calls Out Trump for Mocking Reporter with a Disability

Washington, Dec. 1 – In a new ad, Ohio Gov. John Kasich takes a shot at Donald Trump for publicly poking fun at an award-winning reporter with a congenital joint condition. The ad, titled “Is he worthy,” says Trump is too heartless to be president and not worthy to follow in the footsteps…

Donald Trump’s Attacks on People with Disabilities

Washington, Nov. 28 – By publicly poking fun at an award-winning reporter who has significant physical disabilities, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump expanded stigmas that have been undermining people with disabilities for ages.  It’s now been more than 25 years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). True, physical architecture…

Huckabee Expanded Accessibility of Arkansas State Capitol, Encourages People with Disabilities to Examine His Record

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…

Santorum Values Dignity & Contributions of People with Disabilities, Seeks Engagement in Political Process

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…