Action Alert: "Stop The Gang of Six"

Action Alert: Stop The Gang of Six!

Now is the time to fight for your rights! August 2nd is just days away and Congress must hear our voices. Your representatives are preparing to dismantle The CLASS Act community living services and supports. We must stop them.

The “Gang of Six” is a bipartisan group of senators who have proposed to repeal this important program, which provides seniors and people with disabilities with services that offer them the freedom to live and work in their communities. Currently, there are approximately 12 million Americans who require long-term supports and services. We ask you, our grassroots advocates, to make sure your representatives know there is a human face connected to these proposed budget cuts.

The “Gang of Six” presented an immediate $500 billion “down payment” on the deficit. This would also affect other areas of the healthcare law, including Social Security and Medicare. The plan to cut entitlement funds would be devastating to many of our brothers and sisters in the disability community.

This elimination of CLASS funds does not reduce the deficit. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that over the next ten years, CLASS will reduce federal deficits by $83 billion. This proposed legislation also calls for a “curb on the growth” of Social Security benefits, while our aging population is increasing rapidly each year.

This is a call to action to the NCIL family! Your representatives at the state and federal level must understand the importance of the CLASS Act and Medicaid funding in the lives of persons with disabilities. Your voice and the voices of your family members, friends, co-workers and community are critical.

You Can Make a Difference

Tell your senators and representatives not to support the “Gang of Six” proposals to cut entitlement funds (Medicaid) and repeal The CLASS Act. Both programs provide seniors and persons with disabilities the ability to live and work in their own communities.

Then get your family, friends, co-workers and other community members to call in as well!

Contacting Your Legislators

Online: Find a senator or representative in your state and click on their contact form to submit your letter. In your letter, identify yourself as a constituent and urge your senator / representative: “Please do not support the repeal of The CLASS Act and do not cut Medicaid funds. These cuts would be devastating to my community.”

Phone: Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your senators’ and / or representative’s office, or use the links above to find their direct phone number.

Once connected, ask to speak with an office aide who handles budget and finance and / or healthcare issues. Give your name and identify yourself as a constituent.

Tell the aide to “Please tell Senator / Representative [NAME] that I do not want [him / her] to support the repeal of The CLASS Act or cuts to Medicaid funding.”