Inclusion for People who Experience Disabilities
“I first became involved in public service because I wanted to make sure that children like my son, Ben, who experiences severe disabilities, would be fully included in their communities, and I will continue fighting to ensure that people with disabilities have the support that they need to thrive.” - Senator Hassan
Senator Hassan is working to ensure that individuals who experience disabilities receive the support that they need to be fully included in society.
Senator Hassan believes that all students – regardless of personal circumstance – should have access to a high-quality public education. Under the landmark Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students who experience disabilities are guaranteed the right to a free and appropriate public education. Unfortunately, since IDEA’s passage in 1975, Congress has failed to provide the funding it promised under the bill, and Senator Hassan strongly supports legislation to fully fund IDEA so that communities across the country have the resources that they need to ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.
Senator Hassan also joined in introducing the RISE Act that would remove burdensome and unnecessary barriers for students who experience disabilities during their transition from K-12 to higher education, and she has cosponsored legislation to better protect students with disabilities – who face higher rates of sexual assault – from sexual violence on college campuses.
It is imperative that individuals who experience disabilities have access to employment opportunities and the resources and support that they need to enter and remain in the workforce. Senator Hassan supports increasing tax credits for employers who hire and retain employees who experience disabilities and who make their workplaces more accessible. When everyone comes together to support these efforts, our economy and our businesses will thrive.
As Governor of New Hampshire, Senator Hassan signed legislation banning employers from paying workers with disabilities at a lower rate than the minimum wage, making New Hampshire the first state in the nation to ban sub-minimum wages, and she is a cosponsor of the Transformation to Competitive Employment Act, which would phase out this practice nationwide.
Senator Hassan will continue to work across party lines to build on our nation’s promise of equality and inclusion to ensure that all Americans and Granite Staters, regardless of personal circumstance, have the opportunity to join in our shared success.
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February 10, 2020
Senator Hassan Joins Colleagues in Urging Food and Drug Administration to Immediately Ban the Use of Electrical Shock Devices on Children and Adults with Disabilities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined her colleagues in urging Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn to immediately ban the use of electrical stimulation devices (ESDs) on children and adults with disabilities.
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December 04, 2019
Senator Hassan Continues to Lead Charge to Eliminate Discriminatory Pay for Workers Who Experience Disabilities
WASHINGTON - Senator Maggie Hassan sent a letter to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights urging it to support repealing a discriminatory federal policy that allows employers to pay subminimum wages to employees who experience disabilities. Then-Governor Hassan led efforts to eliminate the payment of subminimum wages to individuals who experience disabilities in New Hampshire, which became the first state in the nation to outlaw this practice.
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November 21, 2019
Senators Hassan, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Seniors and People with Disabilities Struggling with Eating Disorders
WASHINGTON - Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve access to care for seniors and people living with disabilities who struggle with eating disorders.
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October 24, 2019
Governor Chris Sununu, Senator Maggie Hassan Issue Bipartisan Letter to President Trump Regarding Supportive Housing
Concord, NH - Earlier this week, Governor Chris Sununu and United States Senator Maggie Hassan sent a letter to President Trump urging the Administration to expand access to supportive housing.
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May 22, 2019
Casey, Cassidy, Hassan, Young Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Remove Unnecessary Barriers for Students with Disabilities
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act to help ease the burden of transitioning to college for students with disabilities. The legislation would amend the Higher Education Act (HEA) and clarify that students with previous documentation of a disability would be able to continue using that documentation as proof when they transition to higher education. This would help ensure students who receive special education or accommodations because of a disability do not need to spend time and money to go through unnecessary new diagnostic testing.
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February 08, 2019
Shaheen, Hassan & Kuster Announce $2.1 Million for Harbor Homes in Nashua
( U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) today announced $2,160,714 from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to Harbor Homes in Nashua. The funding will allow Harbor Homes to continue to provide low-income, homeless, and disabled New Hampshire community members with affordable housing, primary and behavioral health care, employment and job training, and supportive services
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January 31, 2019
Senator Hassan Joins in Reintroducing Legislation to Increase Employment Opportunities for Granite Staters and All Americans who Experience Disabilities
WASHINGTON - Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) this week joined Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in reintroducing legislation to help increase employment opportunities for Granite Staters and Americans who experience disabilities.
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