View Congress Member / Senator

Name: Lizzie Fletcher
Position: House (TX, 7)
Party: Democrat

Staffer: Anne-Marie Boisseau
Telephone: 202-225-2571
Email: anne-marie.boisseau@mail.house.gov
Address: 1429 Longworth House Office Building

Number of Contacts: 4 ( or 0% in support)
Cosponsor in 116th: Yes

Message and Talking Points

Contacts

Ami Hyten writes on 5/29/2019 at 9:26AM:
5/26/19 Jennifer McPhail sent the following email to staff listed above:

Dear Congresswoman Fletcher,

My name is Jennifer McPhail. I am a Community Organizer with National ADAPT. I am writing on behalf of National ADAPT to invite you to co-sponsor the Disability Integration Act.(DIA)

The DIA establishes the right to receive community-based services for those who are eligible for long-term services and supports in the community. Currently, in the United States there exists an institutional bias. The bias exists because you have the right to institutional care such as nursing homes but you do not have the same right to community based settings.

Because there's an entitlement to institutional care and not the same to community services people like me who need community-based services to live independently are forced to live in fear of cuts in the next budget cycle. This is especially true in conservative States like Texas. The average lifespan in a Texas nursing home is 18 months. It is not simply because the residents are elderly. I say this because according to the Harkin report the fastest growing population are residents in nursing homes are people under 30 years of age.

In addition to eliminating the institutional bias the DIA also addresses the low wages personal attendants currently receive. States set the reimbursement rates for long-term service and support programs. In Texas the rate is currently $8 an hour for personal care attendants. This is way too low to live on so many attendants are forced to live below the poverty level. This makes it very hard to find reliable people to work in community settings.

The DIA requires better wages for personal attendants.

It is important to know that the majority of people doing the work in this industry are women and the majority of people receiving services are women as well. Which may explain why the rates are so low.

The women who receive these services and the women who provide these services deserve a champion. I'm asking that you be that champion. You are the only member of the Texas Congressional Delegation who has not yet co-sponsored the DIA. Even the party has endorsed the bill in a resolution during the last Democratic Party convention.

Please co-sponsor the DIA. We need your leadership now more than ever. If you have any questions feel free to call me at (512) 627-5869.

Sincerely,

Jennifer McPhail

Community Organizer

ADAPT of Texas

Kathryn Carroll writes on 5/16/2019 at 12:37PM:
K. Carroll sent a follo wup email on 5/16:

Dear Ms. Boisseau,

Thank you for taking my call yesterday regarding the Disability Integration Act, HR 555, and for agreeing to look at it despite your workload. When you have an opportunity, would you please let me know if the Congresswoman will be cosponsoring the bill? As I mentioned, ADAPT will be in D.C. next week, and we???d like to be able to stop by your office to thank the Congresswoman for supporting disability rights.

Please call me at (585)465-7510, or reply to this email address.

Thank you,
Kathryn Carroll
Member, ADAPT

Kathryn Carroll writes on 5/16/2019 at 12:34PM:
K. Carroll called the DC office on 5/15/19. Steven answered the phone and transferred K. Carroll to Anne Marie. Anne Marie recalled the number of the bill, said she was new to the office and trying to catch up no everything.

Kathryn Carroll writes on 12/31/2018 at 2:02PM:
On 12/31/18 K. Carroll emailed the Rep-elect's campaign.


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