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Support Supreme Court Nominee Sotomayor Take Action!
Call your Senators Today
The Epilepsy Foundation joins many organizations in the disability community in applauding President Obama's selection of Judge Sonia Sotomayor for appointment to the United States Supreme Court. Judge Sonia Sotomayor's record shows a balanced, thoughtful approach to disability issues, analysis that is consistently thorough, unbiased, practical, and respectful of individual rights.
Epilepsy Foundation President and CEO Eric Hargis commended President Obama's choice. "We appreciate the President's selection of such a qualified nominee who not only understands disability rights, but who has a record of exceptional judicial experience and vigorous legal reasoning."
The Epilepsy Foundation urges all advocates to contact their Senators to urge full support for Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the United States Supreme Court. Click on "Take Action" or enter your zip code above to get contact information and talking points to make your calls to both of your Senators today!
Background: During the last ten years, the Supreme Court has decided a number of important cases that limited the reach of the ADA and closed the courthouse doors to many individuals with disabilities. As a result, many people were no longer considered "people with disabilities" and lost the ADA's protections - including individuals with diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, mental illness, and artificial limbs. Last fall, by an overwhelming bipartisan majority, Congress passed, and President Bush signed, the ADA Amendments Act to restore Congress's intended meaning to the ADA. Members of Congress felt strongly that the Supreme Court got it wrong when it interpreted the ADA too narrowly.
The history of the ADA Amendments Act demonstrates the need for Supreme Court justices who will give Congress's intent the respect it deserves. When the Supreme Court is called upon to interpret the ADA Amendments Act, it will be crucial that justices on the Court understand Congress's intent that the ADA be interpreted broadly, in favor of protecting millions of people with disabilities. Judge Sotomayor understands this. Even under the old ADA, Judge Sotomayor always conducted a careful and thorough analysis of the facts of the case, in order to make the right decision about whether a plaintiff has a disability and is protected by the ADA. Along with her statements at her confirmation hearing, the care that Judge Sotomayor has taken in her ADA decisions indicates a respect for Congress's intent to protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination. And she is not afraid to take bold positions to ensure that Congress's laws protecting
disability rights are upheld.
When the Supreme Court is called on to interpret the ADA Amendments Act in the coming years, we want a Justice like Sonia Sotomayor sitting on the bench. If you agree, contact your Senator now to ask that he or she vote to confirm Judge Sotomayor for the Supreme Court.
See a review of Judge Sotomayor's decisions involving disability rights.
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