Ayotte Hosts Roundtable with Representatives from NH Disability Rights Community

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today joined representatives from New Hampshire's disability rights community for a roundtable discussion focused on legislative efforts to break down barriers for individuals with disabilities.

Ayotte discussed her support for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) - an international Convention that would help Americans with disabilities more easily live, travel, study and work abroad. She also highlighted relevant legislation she is cosponsoring, including the ABLE Act (S. 313), that would allow for the creation of tax-free savings accounts to permit persons with disabilities and their families to save for expenses such as education, housing, health prevention and wellness, employment support, and transportation, and the TEACH Act (S. 2060), which would ensure that college students with disabilities have greater accessibility to the educational materials they need to succeed in their pursuit of higher education.

"Today's roundtable was an important opportunity to hear directly from members of New Hampshire's disability rights community and discuss their legislative priorities, as well as challenges that they are facing," said Senator Ayotte. "Their input helps guide my efforts on Capitol Hill, and I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to expand opportunities and improve the lives of individuals with disabilities."

"I appreciate Senator Ayotte's ongoing efforts to solicit New Hampshire's considerable expertise on disabilities rights," said Susan Parker of Greenland, a New Hampshire member of the U.S. International Council on Disabilities (USICD). "I am deeply impressed by Senator Ayotte's steadfast advocacy to build support for the ratification of CRPD, including working with her Senatorial colleagues to debunk misinformation thrown up by the opposition. We in the disability community have a genuinely strong supporter of quality implementation of programs to assist people with disabilities to live, work, and play more independently."

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