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Wednesday, May 22, 2013

DISABILITY COMMUNITY URGES SWIFT VOTE OF TOM PEREZ; as U.S. Secretary of the Department of Labor

PRESS RELEASES
AAPD APPLAUDS SENATE VOTE TO ADVANCE NOMINATION OF TOM PEREZ

DISABILITY COMMUNITY URGES SWIFT CONFIRMATION

May 16, 2013 | AAPD Press Team

Today the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions voted along party lines for Tom Perez’s nomination as Secretary of the Department of Labor. Perez’s extensive record of enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act mobilized 64 disability organizations, led by American Association of People with Disabilities, to endorse his nomination.

With the disability unemployment rate at 79 percent, Americans with disabilities urgently need leadership at the Department of Labor to address the underlying causes and the negative consequences of this high level of joblessness. Perez has a strong and lengthy record on disability issues, which makes him the most experienced and qualified person for the job in the eyes of the disability community. AAPD urges the Senate to move swiftly on a vote to confirm Tom Perez.

Mark Perriello, the President and CEO of AAPD, said “I am glad that Tom Perez will receive a full vote by the US Senate on his nomination to be Secretary of Labor. There is a strong bi-partisan tradition of support for disability issues, and I invite Republican Senators to continue that tradition by recognizing that no one is currently fighting harder to improve the lives of people with disabilities than Tom Perez, and by voting to allow him to continue that work at the Department of Labor with a new focus on addressing our community’s dire employment situation.”

As the nomination proceeds to the full Senate, AAPD looks forward to educating Senators on both sides of the aisle about the obstacles people with disabilities face with employment opportunities. AAPD believes Tom Perez is uniquely qualified to address these issues and urges Senators to focus on the needs of all Americans. Tom's strong record on disability issues will help achieve progress for everyone who is a part of the workforce or seeking to join it.

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Take action now on Tom Perez: CLICK HERE

The American Association of People with Disabilities is the nation's largest disability rights organization. We promote equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation for people with disabilities. Our members, including people with disabilities and our family, friends, and supporters, represent a powerful force for change.

To learn more, visit the AAPD Web site: www.aapd.com.

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