Washington, D.C., July 4 – In painful irony, on the very day our nation celebrates independence and freedom, President Trump signed into law a budget reconciliation bill that strips away critical lifeline programs—threatening the independence, health, and dignity of millions across the country. Disability Belongs, a nonpartisan, disability-led nonprofit, strongly condemns the passage of this harmful legislation and reaffirms our unwavering commitment to advocacy and systemic change for people with disabilities.
“Across the country, we’re reeling from the passage of this legislation,” said President and Chief Executive Officer, Ariel Simms. “We’re deeply concerned about what this will mean for us, our friends, our families, our loved ones, and our communities. Despite the uncertainty of what lies ahead, we know that advocates and allies will continue to rally together to champion good policy, policy that benefits and uplifts disabled and marginalized communities, rather than harms us. We have been through this before, and as a community, we will continue to fight.”
The swift and opaque process that led to the passage of this bill represents an utter disregard for democratic norms and the lives of millions of Americans. Decisions made behind closed doors and in the middle of the night are now set [...]