Vice President Biden has just released his disability plan. There are some important policy commitments reflected within it that are worth highlighting. #CripTheVote https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1266098165511380992

The plan promises to restore the Obama Administration's aggressive enforcement of disability rights law, including through Olmstead enforcement, directing DOJ to review state guardianship laws and protecting the parenting rights of people with disabilities. #CripTheVote

The Trump Administration had previously revoked DOJ guidance applying Olmstead to employment services - Biden would restore that guidance and has highlighted employment as one of the areas for Olmstead enforcement. #CripTheVote

Relatedly, the plan promises to reverse the Trump Administration's weakening of the HCBS Settings Rule - this is a crucial Obama-era protection to make sure that community serves don't control people's lives like institutions do. #CripTheVote

Some good background on the Settings Rule is available here: https://autisticadvocacy.org/policy/toolkits/hcbsrule/ #CripTheVote

The plan also promises to increase the SSI benefit level to the federal poverty level and would eliminate the SSI marriage penalty while raising the SSI asset test, all long overdue reforms. #CripTheVote

On issues of racial justice in special education, Biden promises to restore the Obama Administration's regulations addressing disproportional segregation and discipline of students of color in the special education system. #CripTheVote

Biden would make people with disabilities a Medically Underserved Population, driving new resources to closing health disparities experienced by people with disabilities. #CripTheVote

The plan also includes a wide array of legislative commitments, such as fixing Medicaid's institutional bias, passing the Keeping All Students Safe Act and permanently re-authorizing the Money Follows the Person program. #CripTheVote

But the plan's most important provisions are in the realm of executive action, from restoring protections weakened by Trump to taking new steps forward. #CripTheVote

It's good to push the envelope and it's always worth pressing candidates and elected officials for more.

But this plan reflects important policy commitments, and it should be obvious to disability rights activists what to do come November. #CripTheVote

This is a substantive, substantial set of disability policy commitments and VP Biden should be applauded for putting forward a vision for including people with disabilities in his plans for governing. #CripTheVote