AN IMPORTANT LAW PASSED IN CONGRESS
When Wisconsin Upside Down was founded in 2008 one of our pillars was Advocacy for people with Down syndrome. We immediately went to work on two bills, The Prenatal Diagnosis Bill and the ABLE Bill. We lead the Down syndrome community in Wisconsin by being the first groups to make trips to Congress to push our Wisconsin congressmen to support our cause.
At first no one knew who we were and we seemed to get nowhere. But after yearly visits, and constant contact with their offices and greeting the Madison Area Down Syndrome Society and the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin to join our efforts, we started to be remembered and they started to listen. Our membership started to really get involved making calls and sending postcards. We had families come with us to DC and tell their stories.
Our first success was being part of the passage of the Prenatal Diagnosis Act, which states that parents must now receive accurate information about Down syndrome when receiving news that their infant will be born with Down syndrome. It was a quick victory. ABLE, Achieving a Better Life Experience, has been a much harder battle because it means a change in tax law.
In December, just after Christmas, the bill carried. Named for Steve Beck, who passed away just before Christmas. Steve had wanted to start a fund for his daughter with Down syndrome's future only to find out that the law was that she could have no more than $2000 to her name. Rather than accept this and have his daughter eventually live in poverty, he challenged the law and was the person behind ABLE.
Both Wisconsin Senators and most of our representatives voted yes to this bill which has been called, "The most significant piece of legislation affecting the disabled since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act 25 years ago," according to Senator Bob Casey of PA. Initially turned down for support by our congressional offices, WIUSD with the help of the National Down Syndrome Society and partnering with other Wisconsin disability organizations continued to push our congressmen and work to educate them on the importance of this bill. It was a sweet victory for us all when it passed with overwhelming support.
So-what does it mean to you? The National Down Syndrome Society will host a call on January 22nd entitled, "The ABLE Act is Now the Law of the Land - What is Next? "
You can register HERE. You may also be interested in learning more from about ABLE at Autism Speaks HERE.
If you'd like to go to Washington with Wisconsin Upside Down to advocate for our families, Contact
[email protected] or call 262-563-1060 for more information.
