This past week John Faso voted for a bill that should enrage anyone over the age of 65.
If you’re that age or older, the likelihood that you’ll need a hip replacement at some point, or that your spouse will, and that that will mean you’ll have trouble getting around, is exponentially higher than for younger people.
And if you’re a woman you’re more likely to be disabled, too.
So why did Faso vote for a bill that makes it much harder to force a business to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act?
Consider who lobbied for it. A partial list includes:
The International Council of Shopping Centers, the National Restaurant association, the national association of Industrial & Office Properties, the National association of Realtors, the National Federation of Independent Business, Buffalo Wild Wings, Building Owners & Managers association, the US Chamber of Commerce, and Home Depot.
So, basically this bill was bought and paid for by businesses and associations that advocate for them, and pay Congress members to do their bidding.
Their beef?
They don’t like the ADA because it costs them money when they have to build entrances that have ramps, and larger bathroom stalls.
And what would the bill do if it becomes law?
Make it harder for anyone to sue for discrimination.
As written, the bill says that to sue you have to first contact the business, give the business two months just to respond, and another four months to show substantial progress toward changing a physical barrier. How is that “progress” quantified? Good question. And if a lawyer for the business could show that an effort was being made, whatever that “effort” might be, the business is bulletproof.
Which makes this very bad law, and it’s no wonder that over 100 disability rights groups signed a letter in opposition to it last fall.
And the AARP sent a letter to the speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, just ahead of the vote.
In part that letter states:
Mobility is the most common disability among older Americans: of those age 65+ with a disability (about 40% of older adults), two-thirds report trouble walking or climbing. With Boomers retiring and the population aging, access to medical offices, service establishments, restaurants, theaters, and other public accommodations is a salient issue for our membership. Moreover, an establishment that is not accessible to the public is also not accessible to employees with disabilities, leading to potential employment discrimination as well.
Just as galling, John Faso, who time and again pays lip service to veterans, ignored the Paralyzed Veterans of America, who also opposed the bill:
Veterans with disabilities who honorably served their country should not bear the burden of ensuring that businesses in their communities are meeting their ADA obligations. Instead, it is the responsibility of business owners and their associations to educate themselves about the law’s requirements. PVA is deeply disturbed by any efforts to gut the civil rights of veterans with catastrophic disabilities. All people with disabilities must have equality of opportunity and access to their communities.
The blatant disrespect by our member of Congress for seniors, for veterans—for anyone who isn’t lining his pockets—is despicable.
John Faso isn’t just failing to show up for us. He’s actively voting against us. It’s time to fire John Faso.
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