UPDATE: Thank you for your calls. Because Senator Lee held his ground and maintained his unanimous consent objection, Senate leadership was forced to move on and the Senate is now adjourned until after the election.
This issue is almost certain to come up during the lame duck session, so please get as many people as you can to urge your Senators to take a public stand against this Treaty.
September 21, 2012
On Wednesday evening, Senator Dick Durbin attempted to bring the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) to the Senate floor by Unanimous Consent. Thankfully, Utah Senator Mike Lee was on the floor and objected to bringing the Treaty to the floor.
Liberal Senators Dick Durbin and Tom Harkin made impassioned pleas to bring the Treaty to the floor, but Senator Lee held his ground.
We need you to call your Senators and urge them to support Senator Lee in opposing this Treaty.
Earlier this week, Senator Lee garnered signatures from 36 Senators urging leadership not to bring up any Treaties during the lame duck session following the election. The Senators that have signed this letter are listed below. Please thank your Senators for signing this letter, or urge them to sign if they have not already.
Just as Treaties should not be rushed through a lame duck session, they should not be rushed through the Senate in the last few hours of a pre-election session.
Take Action!
We need you to call your Senators this morning and urge them to support Senator Lee and oppose the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Here is a list of Senators who have signed Senator Lee’s letter urging no Treaties during the lame duck session:
| Alabama Jeff Sessions Richard Shelby Arizona John Kyl John McCain Arkansas Florida Georgia Idaho Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Mississippi Missouri |
Nebraska Mike Johanns Nevada North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Wyoming |
| Alaska Lisa Murkowski (I)Illinois Mark Kirk Indiana Kansas |
Georgia Saxby ChamblissMaine Susan Collins Olympia Snowe New Hampshire Wyoming |
Further Reading:
Vote NO on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Please vote NO on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
CRPD would expand the UN’s powers, undermining our national sovereignty.
CRPD would usurp parents’ rights to do what is best for their special-needs child.
The Senate should take time to thoughtfully consider Treaties. The ratification process should not be rushed through for political purposes.