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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July 28, 2021
Senator Hassan Helps Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Access to Assistive Technology for Seniors and People Experiencing Disabilities
WASHINGTON - Senator Maggie Hassan helped introduce a bipartisan bill, along with Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND), to expand access to affordable assistive technology for seniors and individuals who experience disabilities. Assistive technology includes items such as hearing aids, wheelchair ramps, or devices to help individuals who are non-verbal to communicate.
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July 20, 2021
With Paralympic Athlete Becca Meyers Forced to Withdraw from Team USA, Senator Hassan Calls on U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to Address Inequities
WASHINGTON - Following the news that Becca Meyers, a six-time Paralympic medalist and member of the U.S.A.’s Paralympics team, withdrew from the team after being denied a reasonable accommodation, Senator Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) called on the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee as well as the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to take action and ensure that all athletes are able to compete safely and with the necessary accommodations.
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July 20, 2021
Senator Hassan Questions Dr. Fauci During Committee Hearing, Discusses Vaccinations for Children and Improvements to National Stockpile
WASHINGTON -- At a Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) questioned three top administration officials helping lead the federal COVID-19 response - Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Dawn O’Connell, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
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July 14, 2021
Senator Hassan Joins Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Support Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) in introducing the Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act to authorize over $1 billion in supporting the direct care workforce and family caregivers. Given low wages and high turnover, the direct care workforce has long experienced staffing shortages.
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July 02, 2021
Senators Hassan, Shaheen Announce $11.7 Million to New Hampshire to Support Students with Disabilities
WASHINGTON - Following U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan’s successful efforts to secure $3 billion in dedicated federal funding to support students with disabilities in the American Rescue Plan, Senators Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen announced today that New Hampshire will receive more than $11.7 million to help address the unique needs of students who experience disabilities in New Hampshire.
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June 11, 2021
Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill Cosponsored by Senator Hassan to Improve How Disabled Officers & Their Families Receive Benefits
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation yesterday that Senator Maggie Hassan cosponsored to better ensure that law enforcement officers and first responders who become disabled in the line of duty, as well as the families of those who died in the line of duty, have prompt access to the benefits that they deserve.
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April 23, 2021
Portman, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Relief to Parents of Children with Disabilities
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) have introduced Domenic and Ed’s Law. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would allow a parent whose child develops a total and permanent disability to qualify for student loan discharge. Representative Jim Langevin (D-RI) has introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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