Nancy Pelosi Heckled by Disabled During Speech

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi thought that she would sail into the America's Future Now! 2010 Conference (organized by the group, Campaign for America's Future), give her keynote speech, and breeze out amid thunderous applause. She did get the hearty applause, but the speech wasn't easy. Disabled activists chanted and heckled the Speaker during her address.

Among the registered guests at the conference, which took place on June 8, 2010, were 25 members of ADAPT, a national grassroots disability rights organization. I was one of the frustrated activists who interrupted Nancy Pelosi as she was addressing the group. In addition to raucous chanting, we unfurled banners, and passed out fliers.

The level of frustration that drove ADAPT to disrupt the Speaker's remarks stem from the fact that she refuses to support the Community Choice Act, a piece of legislation that would give people with disabilities and seniors the choice to receive their care at home, rather than a nursing facility, or other institution.

We have done our best to educate Speaker Pelosi regarding the Community Choice Act, to no avail. Our written requests to meet with her have gone unanswered. She repeatedly makes statements to the effect that she does not know how the Community Choice Act will be paid for despite the fact that ADAPT has sent her detailed information regarding cost savings, and payment strategies for this legislation.

Shortly after she began her speech, ADAPT members implored the Speaker to not only support, but to champion the Community Choice Act. Her response was that she had worked to get the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act into the health care reform bill. While the CLASS Act is an important piece of legislation that will help middle class Americans with disabilities, it does not address the institutional bias that federally mandates institutional care while leaving home and community-based care as "optional" services. The Community Choice Act would eliminate the institutional bias by mandating home and community-based services and supports.

To her credit, though clearly rattled, Nancy Pelosi maintained her composure, making lighthearted remarks about the noise, as she shouted to be heard above the relentless chants of "Our homes, not nursing homes!"

Some conference participants were angry, cursing and shouting at us, but after the speech was over, many of them calmed down and talked with us about why we were there. Robert Borosage, president of Campaign for America's Future, thanked us for coming and stated that he was interested in our issues.

Meanwhile, a national alert had gone out, asking people to call Speaker Pelosi's office and urge her to support the Community Choice Act. Later that day, I and four ADAPT members visited the Speaker's office at the Capitol to make yet another formal request for a meeting. The next morning, I was interviewed by Fox News about the protest.

It is my hope that the Speaker will meet with ADAPT and work with us to end the institutional bias that traps people with disabilities and seniors in costly facilities rather than living in freedom in our own homes and communities.

Sources:

Personal experience - I was there!