Duckworth calls for disability rights treaty

Democratic Congresswoman-elect Tammy Duckworth, of Hoffman Estates, made one of her first public statements this week in support of a United Nations treaty that would ban discrimination against people with disabilities.

The double amputee Iraq War veteran said she personally knows “the challenges that face millions of disabled persons around the globe everyday," and noted the “treaty would make no changes to current U.S. law and failing to ratify the treaty would leave the global community without its foremost leader on disability rights.”

Republicans quietly voted down the treaty Tuesday, after former senator and presidentail candidate Bob Dole’s appearance in the upper chamber to support the treaty, which would require people with disabilities to have the same general rights as those without disabilities.
Democratic Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Springfield voted for the measure, as did a handful of moderate Republicans, including Senator senators John McCain of Arizona, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Olympia Snowe of Maine and Richard Lugar.

No word yet as to how Republican Sen. Mark Kirk - who is at home in Highland Park recovering for a stroke - would have voted.

Democratic Congresswoman-elect Tammy Duckworth, of Hoffman Estates, made one of her first public statements this week in support OF for a United Nations treaty that would ban discrimination against people with disabilities.

The double amputee Iraq War veteran said she personally knows “the challenges that face millions of disabled persons around the globe everyday," and noted the “treaty would make no changes to current U.S. law and failing to ratify the treaty would leave the global community without its foremost leader on disability rights.”

Republicans quietly voted down the treaty Tuesday, after former senator and presidentail candidate Bob Dole’s appearance in the upper chamber to support the treaty, which would require people with disabilities to have the same general rights as those without disabilities.
Democratic Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Springfield voted for the measure, as did a handful of moderate Republicans, including Senator senators John McCain of Arizona, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Olympia Snowe of Maine and Richard Lugar. No word yet as to how Republican Sen. Mark Kirk - who is at home in Highland Park recovering for a stroke - would have voted.