Thank you, Shelbi, for your advocacy leadership on this important legislation! You rocked it! And thank you to Senator José Menéndez and State Representative John Bucy III for championing the bill and standing by Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities! Thanks also to Brooke Hohfield with Texas Advocates, Kason Erwin and so many other friends for joining your voices with ours! (fb)

ADVOCATE SPOTLIGHT! We're thrilled to recognize Ricky Broussard of Texas City, Texas, for his many years of determination, honesty, and unwavering commitment to advancing the rights of Texans with disabilities. He has and continues to help shape a better future for generations to come! A longtime friend of The Arc of Texas, thoughtful member of our Public Policy and Advocacy Committee, and respected leader in the disability rights community, Ricky is a veteran self-advocate whose voice has resonated with lawmakers and citizens across our state, as well as at the federal level. Congress is considering HR 1—legislation that, as written, would enact massive cuts to Medicaid, the federal-state program that provides health insurance to more than 71 million Americans (approximately 1 in 5), including those living with disabilities. Ricky's story firmly underscores the need for Medicaid waiver programs, and exemplifies the positive impact these investments have on people living with disabilities and their ability to live and work in, and contribute to, their community. His story was recently shared by Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (Texas) to other members of Congress in a May 13 hearing of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, demonstrating the foundational impact services provided by Medicaid waiver programs have on the self-determination, well-being, and success of people living with disabilities. Fletcher shared her remarks on X, to which Congressman Randy Weber (Texas) falsely claimed "Ricky's Medicaid isn't being touched." Despite what Weber said, on May 22, the U.S. House passed HR 1, signaling their approval to slash critical Medicaid dollars from the federal budget. The bill is now headed to the U.S. Senate for consideration. Ever a strong voice in helping legislators understand the perspectives and power of people with disabilities, Ricky released a video in response, urging Congress to do the right thing—to protect their constituents with disabilities by protecting Medicaid. Watch it here: https://ow.ly/jm2E50W1jR5 #TxLege #ProtectMedicaid #DisabilityRights #DisabilityJustice #AdvocacyInAction Texas Advocates (fb)