Prepare Your Story. It Matters Now More Than Ever

This is a long post., but it is worth it. 

It is time to prepare your personal story.

Be ready to explain: 

• Why special education matters to you or your family
• Why well-trained professionals make a difference
• Why accessible voting is essential

Why research and demonstration projects change lives. 

Your story is your most powerful tool.

Why This Matters Now

The President has released a proposed FY 2027 budget. If adopted by Congress, it could significantly change how disability-related programs are funded and delivered.

Proposals under discussion include:

• Eliminating or reducing key disability provisions, including parts of the Help America Vote Act
• Shifting funding for training and services to state discretion
• Reducing federal leadership in setting standards for quality, access, and equity. 

This represents a fundamental shift—from a coordinated national system to a fragmented, state-by-state approach.

Over decades, a national infrastructure has been built based on:

• Fair competition
• Professional standards
• Evidence-based practices

That infrastructure could be weakened or lost.

Why Your Voice Is Critical

Congress—not the President—makes final funding decisions.

And within Congress, Appropriations Committee members are the key decision-makers.

They decide:

• What programs are funded
• How much funding they receive
• Whether national priorities continue—or disappear

What You Should Do Now

1. Identify Appropriators in Your State
   
• Look for members of the House or Senate Appropriations Committees
2. Write Your Story
   
• Keep it personal and specific
• Explain what works—and why it matters
• Describe what would happen if support is reduced or delayed
3. Send It Early
   
• Late spring and early summer are critical
• Decisions are shaped before final votes. 

WHY DO PERSONAL STORIES MATTER

Data informs. Stories persuade.

When Members of Congress hear:

• How your child learned because of trained educators
• How accessible voting allowed independence and dignity
• How services made employment possible

—it changes how they think about funding decisions.

The Bottom Line

If people do nothing, decisions will be made without your voice.

And programs you rely on could:

• Change dramatically
• Be reduced
• Or disappear

Now is the time to act.

Key Members of the Appropriations Committees (119th Congress)

Senate Appropriations Committee

(Party – State)

Republicans

• Susan Collins (R – ME, Chair)
• Mitch McConnell (R – KY)
• Lisa Murkowski (R – AK)
• Lindsey Graham (R – SC)
• Jerry Moran (R – KS)
• John Hoeven (R – ND)
• John Boozman (R – AR)
• Shelley Moore Capito (R – WV)
• John Kennedy (R – LA)
• Cindy Hyde-Smith (R – MS)
• Bill Hagerty (R – TN)
• Katie Britt (R – AL)
• Deb Fischer (R – NE)
• Mike Rounds (R – SD)
• Jon Husted (R – OH)

Democrats

• Patty Murray (D – WA, Vice Chair)
• Richard Durbin (D – IL)
• Jack Reed (D – RI)
• Jeanne Shaheen (D – NH)
• Jeff Merkley (D – OR)
• Chris Coons (D – DE)
• Brian Schatz (D – HI)
• Tammy Baldwin (D – WI)
• Chris Murphy (D – CT)
• Chris Van Hollen (D – MD)
• Martin Heinrich (D – NM)
• Gary Peters (D – MI)
• Kirsten Gillibrand (D – NY)
• Jon Ossoff (D – GA)  

House Appropriations Committee

(Party – State)

Republicans

• Tom Cole (R – OK, Chair)
• Harold Rogers (R – KY)
• Robert Aderholt (R – AL)
• Mike Simpson (R – ID)
• John Carter (R – TX)
• Ken Calvert (R – CA)
• Mario Díaz-Balart (R – FL)
• Steve Womack (R – AR)
• Chuck Fleischmann (R – TN)
• David Joyce (R – OH)
• Andy Harris (R – MD)
• Mark Amodei (R – NV)
• David Valadao (R – CA)
• Dan Newhouse (R – WA)
• John Moolenaar (R – MI)
• John Rutherford (R – FL)
• Ben Cline (R – VA)
• Guy Reschenthaler (R – PA)
• Ashley Hinson (R – IA)
• Tony Gonzales (R – TX)
• Julia Letlow (R – LA)
• Michael Cloud (R – TX)
• Michael Guest (R – MS)
• Ryan Zinke (R – MT)
• Andrew Clyde (R – GA)
• Stephanie Bice (R – OK)
• Scott Franklin (R – FL)
• Jake Ellzey (R – TX)
• Juan Ciscomani (R – AZ)
• Chuck Edwards (R – NC)
• Mark Alford (R – MO)
• Nick LaLota (R – NY)
• Dale Strong (R – AL)
• Celeste Maloy (R – UT)
• Riley Moore (R – WV)

Democrats

• Rosa DeLauro (D – CT, Ranking Member)
• Steny Hoyer (D – MD)
• Marcy Kaptur (D – OH)
• James Clyburn (D – SC)
• Sanford Bishop (D – GA)
• Betty McCollum (D – MN)
• Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D – FL)
• Henry Cuellar (D – TX)
• Chellie Pingree (D – ME)
• Mike Quigley (D – IL)
• Grace Meng (D – NY)
• Mark Pocan (D – WI)
• Pete Aguilar (D – CA)
• Lois Frankel (D – FL)
• Bonnie Watson Coleman (D – NJ)
• Norma Torres (D – CA)
• Ed Case (D – HI)
• Adriano Espaillat (D – NY)
• Josh Harder (D – CA)
• Lauren Underwood (D – IL)
• Susie Lee (D – NV)
• Joseph Morelle (D – NY)
• Mike Levin (D – CA)
• Madeleine Dean (D – PA)
• Veronica Escobar (D – TX)
• Frank Mrvan (D – IN)
• Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D – WA)
• Glenn Ivey (D – MD

Here is a template letter:

 Subject: Protect Disability Programs in FY 2027 Budget

Dear [Senator/Representative Last Name],

I am writing as a constituent from [City, State] to urge you, as a member of the Appropriations Committee, to protect and sustain federal funding for programs that support people with disabilities.

These programs are not abstract to me—they directly affect my life.

[Insert your personal story here (3–5 sentences):

• Who you are (parent, person with a disability, professional, etc.)
• What programs/services have mattered (special education, trained professionals, accessible voting, employment supports, etc.)
• What difference they have made in real terms
• What would happen if they were reduced or delayed]

Federal investment ensures:

• Well-trained professionals who understand how to support people with disabilities
• Accessible voting systems that allow full participation in our democracy
• Research and demonstration projects that improve outcomes and expand opportunity
• A consistent national standard of quality and access

Shifting these responsibilities entirely to the states risks weakening a system that has taken decades to build. Without federal leadership, access and quality will vary widely, and many individuals and families will fall through the cracks.

I respectfully ask that you:

• Oppose cuts to disability-related programs in the FY 2027 budget
• Maintain strong federal support for training, accessibility, and research
• Ensure that people with disabilities remain a national priority

Personal stories like mine reflect what is at stake. These programs make it possible for people with disabilities to live, work, vote, and contribute in their communities.

Thank you for your leadership and for your consideration of my request.

Sincerely,

[Your Full Name]

[Your Address]

[City, State, ZIP]

[Email]

[Phone]

Hope this helps.

Common Grounder