Disability Rights
With almost 50 million Americans identifying as disabled, people with disabilities form the largest minority group in the United States. Disability isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience; anyone can become disabled at any point in their lives. The disability community is diverse, consisting of individuals from various races, socioeconomic backgrounds, and ages. Despite being protected by the same laws, disabled folks encounter different challenges. Qasim acknowledges that current laws prioritize equality over equity. To bridge existing gaps and uplift disabled individuals facing multiple layers of marginalization, Qasim will:
- Increase asset caps for SSI benefit recipients with the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act.
- Support the Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act to allow disabled people to marry without risk of losing benefits.
- Strengthen community-based funding infrastructure for disabled people who rely on community funds to afford assistive technologies.
- Clearly define universities’ mandatory compliance with “reasonable accommodations” under the Fair Housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504, ensuring disabled students never face barriers to living a fully supported and comfortable life on campus.
- Advocate for expanding the Americans with Disabilities Act to safeguard a broader range of classes, recognizing that disability spans all races, sexual orientations, religions, economic statuses, and national origins.
- Encourage states to provide less restrictive options than conservatorships and encourage self-determination.
- Implement programs that improve job prospects for disabled veterans, including vocational rehabilitation and incentives for businesses to hire veterans with disabilities.
- Increase accessibility to pro-bono legal services for disabled individuals facing financial barriers in upholding their rights.
- Introduce legislation in the House to incorporate transition planning in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students navigating big changes, such as moving from elementary to middle school or from high school to the workforce.
- Introduce federal policy to override state laws that allow employers to pay people with disabilities under the minimum wage and support transition programs to fully integrated workplaces.
- Provide federal funding for training to ensure that first responders are trained on how to work with disabled people experiencing behavioral or mental health crises.
- Back the Disability Access to Transportation Act to address ongoing discrimination and limited transportation options for individuals with disabilities.
- Support the Housing Fairness Act of 2023 which would monitor and minimize discrimination against renters, homebuyers, or borrowers irrespective of their race, religion, sex, family situation, disability status, or national origin.
- Improve enforcement of the Help America Vote Act to ensure disabled Americans have equal access to the polls.