Cathy McMorris Rodgers to Retire from Congress

 In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the congressional role in the issue.

I have an article at The Forum: "Disability Policy in the Contemporary Congress." Abstract:

The politics of disability policy in the contemporary Congress confirms the observation by James Curry and Frances Lee that lawmaking largely remains a process of bipartisan accommodation. Most major disability legislation since the 1970s has passed with bipartisan sponsorship and support. One reason is that the issue affects so many Americans, including members of Congress. There have been some exceptions to this bipartisan pattern, particularly when disability policy intersects with more contentious issues. And bipartisanship does not guarantee outcomes that are satisfactory to people with disabilities.

Andru Zodrow NonStop Local:

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) has announced that she is not seeking reelection in 2024. She has served in congress since 2005 and is an influential figure in both Congress and the Republican Party. Her choice to not run again marks a sea-change in regional politics.

...

Eric Michael Garcia, an MSNBC columnist and advocate for autistic people, noted that McMorris Rodgers made disability issues a consistent theme of her legislative work.

“Cathy McMorris Rodgers is an outspoken voice on ending subminimum wage labor for people with [disabilities.] Her son has Down Syndrome. I was surprised she didn’t put herself up for speaker,” Garcia wrote.

Conservative media figure Brandi Kruse registered her surprise with the decision, and argued that McMorris Rodgers’ departure was part of a broader shift in the Congress.

“We’ve seen this really across the country, from some of the more sane members of congress, where it's just become too much–it's become a sideshow,” Kruse said.

She chairs the Education and Workforce Committee. Daniela Altimari and David Jordan at Roll Call:

Most recently, she led the House debate ahead of passage of a bill this week to ban federal programs from using “quality-adjusted life years” in assessing the value of treatments. Disability advocates argue the strategy discounts people with disabilities. Democrats, for their part, support the concept but argued that the bill, as written, goes further and could hinder other strategies to assess cost-effectiveness.

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Her son, Cole Rodgers, was born with an extra chromosome and that, she said, inspired her to become an advocate for people with disabilities.

“Cole was with me on the House floor when we passed the ABLE Act, which marked a new chapter of opportunity and independence for people living with a disability,’’ she said, referring to legislation she helped shepherd through that helps people with disabilities open tax-free savings accounts.

Rodgers has cited her son as a reason she is passionately against abortion. She frequently references him as a motivator on issues related to protecting life.

ABLE Act Press Conference

A release from Rep. Ander Crenshaw:

Congressman Ander Crenshaw (R-FL) and Senator Robert Casey (D-PA) today (11/15) recognized the year anniversary of the introduction of the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act – HR 3423/S 1872), citing growing support for creating tax-free savings accounts for the disabled and underscoring their continued fight to push the bipartisan bill to passage during the current lame duck session of Congress.

House and Senate bill co-sponsors and representatives from the National Down Syndrome Society, The Arc, and Autism Speaks joined them at a press conference at the House Triangle on the grounds of the United States Capitol on Thursday, Nov. 15. There, members of the group marked the anniversary of the bill’s introduction in the 112th Congress, outlined the road ahead for the bill, and described an improved quality of life for individuals with disabilities through the legislation.

The ABLE Act would amend Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Service Code of 1986 to create tax-free savings accounts for individuals with disabilities. The bill was introduced in the 112th Congress on November 15, 2011 and has earned the support of 234 House Members and 40 Senate Members.

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Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers stated, “As the mom of a child with special needs and Co-Chair of the Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus, I know firsthand the importance of promoting policies that will help those with disabilities lead independent lives. The ABLE Act will allow parents to save for their children’s futures and give kids with disabilities an added layer of security. I’m proud to join a bipartisan group of House and Senate leaders in support of this legislation, and I will do all that I can to ensure that individuals with disabilities have better and brighter futures.”

Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX) stated, “The support we’ve seen for the ABLE Act this year is encouraging, and I will continue to work with my colleagues on moving this common-sense legislation forward. As the father of a young man with Down syndrome, I am committed to finding ways to enhance the quality of life and maximize the potential for all individuals with disabilities. I strongly believe that allowing families to form tax-free savings accounts to cover certain expenses, like education and housing, will create a brighter future for our loved ones with disabilities.”
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Peter Bell, Executive Vice President of Programs and Services for Autism Speaks, stated: “With the prevalence of autism on the rise and the lifetime cost of caring for a single individual now estimated at about $2 million, ABLE offers a fiscally responsible solution to address this public health crisis. We urge Congress to recognize the overwhelming bipartisan support for this measure and act for all families with disabilities this session.”


CONTACT INFORMATION:
Congressman Ander Crenshaw
• Barbara Riley, Communications Director
Email: barbara.riley@mail.house.gov, Phone: 202.225.2501
Senator Robert Casey
• April Mellody, Communications Director/ John Rizzo, Press Secretary
Email: april_mellody@casey.senate.gov and john_rizzo@casey.senate.gov
Phone: 202.224.6324
National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS)
• Chip Gerhardt, National Down Syndrome Society Board Chair
• NDSS Self Advocate Jenny Cunningham, Worthington, OH
• NDSS contact: Sara Hart Weir, Vice President, Advocacy & Affiliate Relations
Email: sweir@ndss.org, Phone: 202.680.8867
TheArc
• Joyce Lipman, Former Board Member of TheArc and her daughter Elise Lipman, Rockville, MD
• TheArc contact: Kristen McKiernan, Communications Director
Email: mckiernan@thearc.org, Phone: 202.534.3712 | Toll free: 800.433.5255
Autism Speaks
• Peter Bell, Executive Vice President, Autism Speaks
• Autism Speaks Self Advocate Scott Gladstone, Bethesda, MD
• Autism Speaks contact: Rick Remington, Communications Director, Government Relations
Email: rick.remington@autismspeaks.org, Phone: 646.367.5334

Disability Parents Get Top House Posts

LifeNews.com reports:

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers a pro-life congresswoman from Washington state, was elected House Republican Conference chair, making her the highest-ranked Republican woman in the House of Representatives.

McMorris Rodgers occupies the fourth-highest leadership position in the party, which will again be headed by pro-life Speaker John Boehner and pro-life Majority Leader Eric Cantor. She defeated pro-life Georgia Rep. Tom Price for the position that essentially becomes the party’s chief messenger on issues, including abortion....

 She also has a son who has Down Syndrome and has spoken out eloquently about him. 

Because of Cole, I meet and work with so many individuals and organizations across the country that strive to make the lives of those with disabilities better: the National Down Syndrome Society, the National Down Syndrome Congress, Global Down Syndrome, Autism Speaks, Keep Infants with Down Syndrome (KIDS), the Evergreen Club and so many more. I work with the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) to offer students with physical and intellectual disabilities internships in my office. I have become part of an extensive network of people who focus on the gifts — not the limitations — that those with disabilities bring to this world.... 

In fact, in this Congress alone, I’ve worked with my colleagues across the aisle to introduce the Achieve a Better Life Expectancy (ABLE) Act, which would empower individuals with disabilities by reforming the tax code and enabling them to have access to their benefits. When Cole was born, we were advised not to put any assets in his name because it would penalize him if he needed to qualify for a government program someday. Millions of others parents face the same impediment: they want to expand their children’s options without jeopardizing their access to benefits. We must get rid of federal policies that limit those with disabilities and make them dependent on the government. We need the ABLE Act so that children with special needs can have the opportunity for better and brighter futures.

Another Down Syndrome parent, Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), will chair the powerful House Rules Committee.