USCCB and Catholic groups send joint letter to Congress

Six Catholic leaders, including two chairmen from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, sent a joint letter to Congress on October 14 calling for the protection of people living with disabilities. The group urged Congress to reaffirm that the Americans with Disabilities Act requires state and local governments to provide services within communities whenever appropriate.

The leaders expressed concern over a June slip opinion from the Department of Justice that suggests the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act do not require states to provide services in integrated settings. While the Department of Justice noted this view differs from how federal courts typically understand the 1999 Supreme Court ruling in Olmstead v. LC, the guidance suggests that safety concerns for an individual or the community could justify institutionalization.

The group includes Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre of Louisville, who chairs the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop Edward J. Burns of Dallas, who chairs the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. They were joined by leaders from four other Catholic organizations, including Sister Mary Haddad, president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association of the United States.