NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY

March 6, 2009

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

On behalf of the National Council on Disability (NCD), it is my pleasure to invite you to attend NCD’s next quarterly meeting, which will take place at the Academy for Educational Development (AED), 1825 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. – 8th Floor Conference Center, Washington, DC 20009 beginning on Monday, March 30 through Wednesday, April 1, 2009. This meeting is open to the public, and free.

In carrying out our mission, we believe it is vital to hear from communities around the country on what works and what does not for people with disabilities. This quarterly meeting will provide us another opportunity for that exchange. Our agenda will include the release of our annual Progress Report to the President and Congress that details the challenges, issues and solutions impacting people with disabilities nationwide, and much of the information in that report came directly from those disability stakeholders. The progress report will be released at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, March 31, and an expert panel will be available to react to the contents of the report.

Besides the Progress Report release, our agenda will include sessions on emergency preparedness, healthcare, employment, civil rights and several other subjects of interest to the disability community. In addition to these committee reports, NCD will be releasing the latest NCD policy paper on the federal employment of people with disabilities, and that will occur on Tuesday morning, March 31, at 10:15 a.m.

Later on that Tuesday afternoon we will hear from a panel of congressional staff members about the latest news from Capitol Hill, converse with a representative from the Obama Administration on the implementation of policies and programs important to the disability community, and will host a reception at the meeting location. This is an opportunity to meet NCD members and staff and offer your comments during the public comment sessions, and we hope you will attend and participate.

Specific times are designated to receive public comment, supported by a toll-free call-in line, and input is encouraged and greatly appreciated. Individuals or organizations can also provide written comments by e-mail, fax, or mail.  Public comment sessions will be held Monday, March 30 from 11:30 a.m. until noon (EDT), and on Tuesday, March 31 from 1 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. The toll-free call-in number is 888-790-6568, and the pass code is “NCD Meeting.”

You are invited to join us during the reception for meeting participants, audience members, and stakeholders from the disability community at the AED Conference Center on Tuesday, March 31 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., immediately following our session for the day. Additional details about the meeting will be posted on the NCD website at www.ncd.gov as soon as they become available. You will also find the meeting agenda posted there approximately 10 days before the meeting.

NCD is an independent federal agency, composed of 15 members appointed by the President, by and with the consent of the U.S. Senate. The purpose of the NCD is to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, and that empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society. To carry out this mandate we gather public and stakeholder input, including that received at our public meetings held around the country; review and evaluate federal programs and legislation; and provide the President, Congress and federal agencies with advice and recommendations.

For more information, please contact NCD’s Director of External Affairs, Mark S. Quigley, at mquigley@ncd.gov or by telephone at 202-272-2004 (V), 202-272-2074 (TTY), and please visit our Web site at www.ncd.gov.

Sincerely,

John R. Vaughn                                                        
Chairperson