Policy work is an ongoing cycle. Every year we face new challenges and often, new threats. Too often, our community members’ lives hang in the balance. Dealing with that can feel isolating, but you’re not alone. We’re gearing up for another year of defending our rights alongside you. With your support so far, we’ve managed to build up our advoca-city further and faster than we expected!

We’ve raised $58,833.58 so far — but we still have far to go to reach the goal that will give us the best chance to meet upcoming threats to our community. Read on to learn more about what we’re facing in 2025, and how you can support our fight.

This year in policy, we’ll be working to stop Medicaid funding from being taken away through caps or block grants. We will also fight back against proposed work requirements, which would hurt disabled people and waste government resources. We talked about the fight to protect Medicaid in years past, and what we expect going forward in a recent webinar - you can find a recording of it here.

We’re also preparing to defend against attacks on the Affordable Care Act. The ACA covers millions of Americans who would otherwise not have health coverage. The ACA is especially critical for people with pre-existing conditions, like disabilities and illnesses. Without the ACA, insurance companies would be allowed to deny us coverage for our disabilities, if we had those disabilities before we got health insurance.

These attacks on vital services are just a few among many threats in Project 2025, a plan the incoming administration has shown support for. There are more parts of Project 2025 that would harm disabled people, including: 

• Efforts to destabilize housing supports through work requirements and cuts to funding.

• Cuts to funding for infrastructure (which is critical for those of us who depend on public transit, curb cuts, and other parts of the world around us). 

• A proposal to get rid of the Department of Education, which enforces disability protections in public education.

This is a terrifying moment in disability policy — but ASAN is ready to take on all these fights for our community. We will face down threats to our civil rights and lifeline programs with grassroots advocacy, legislative pressure, legal challenges, and more. There will be plenty of ways for you to join this work in the months ahead. For now, if you’re able to, please consider donating to support our work! You can become a member, or make a one-time donation. Thank you for everything you do to keep ASAN fighting during these difficult times.

Autistic Self Advocacy Network

PO Box 66122
Washington, DC 20035

 

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