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Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

Action Alert: Invite Your Members of Congress to the 2018 NCIL Congressional Briefing & Reception on Capitol Hill!

Logo: 2018 Congressional Briefing and Reception. Graphic features the US Capitol BuildingDear NCIL Members,

It’s time for the annual NCIL Congressional Briefing & Reception on Capitol Hill! If you are in the DC area, we hope you will join us. Please see the event details and RSVP at our website.

Wherever you are, we are asking for your help to get your members of Congress to attend this briefing. NCIL, as the national advocate for CILs, SILCs, and the Independent Living philosophy, has the mission of being your voice in Washington DC and representing your interests. NCIL hosts this annual briefing and reception in order to educate members of Congress on a number of relevant policy initiatives that aim to advance disability rights and the ability of people with disabilities to live more independently.

There is a lot at stake for our community in 2018. This event is a great opportunity for your members of Congress to learn more about the issues affecting our members, and they will hopefully leave better equipped to vote in the interests of the Independent Living community.

To invite your members, simply email the customizable invitation below to your Senators and Representatives, and urge them to attend! They are much more likely to attend if they hear from constituents within their home districts, so we are really counting on our members to make this event a success.

Follow the links below to find contact information for your state’s Representatives and Senators. You will likely have to submit an email using the form on their website.

Sample Invitation Letter

Dear [Senator or Representative’s Name],

The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) would like to invite you and your staff to our Congressional Briefing & Reception on the State of Disability in America. With so much at stake in 2018, our members want to ensure that our elected officials understand the issues that are most important to our community. The event will take place on Wednesday, February 28 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in the Russell Senate Office Building 385.

I am your constituent, and I am inviting you to attend this year’s event because it is important to me that my elected officials strongly support their constituents with disabilities. Last year’s NCIL Briefing was extremely successful, and was well attended by leaders in the disability community, the Administration, and both parties in Congress. NCIL was proud to host an engaging event on the Hill in 2017, and we invite you to start of 2018 with the same spirit of progress and collaboration.

NCIL is America’s oldest cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents Centers for Independent Living (CILs), Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs), individuals with disabilities, and other organizations that advocate for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities throughout the United States. There are currently over 700 locations across America providing Independent Living services.

We are looking forward to an exciting event this year. We would like to thank Anthem, Inc. for the continued support, and Senator Casey for sponsoring the room for this event. If you plan to attend, please RSVP at the link below or to NCIL’s Policy Analyst, Lindsay Baran, at [email protected] by Thursday, February 22, 2018.

NCIL Congressional Briefing & Reception
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Russell Senate Office Building 385

Sincerely,

[Your Name]