This week the United States Senate will take up legislation to fund the nation’s highway system. Most of us think this is a good thing. However, we have learned that one or more of the amendments to the legislation would cut Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) to help fund the highways. Specifically, the proposal talks about cutting benefits for people who receive SSDI and Unemployment Insurance (UI).

Typically, the UI overlay is because SSDI beneficiaries have attempted to work, as the law encourages, but lost their job to no fault of their own.
The National Association of Disability Representatives (NADR) has encouraged us to write to our New York State Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand urging them to oppose this and other amendments to the Highway bill.

Here is a sample letter from the Consortium for Citizens With Disabilities for your consideration. Please share your concern with our State Senators, whose email addresses are shown below.

Senator Chuck Shumer: robert_gardner@schumer.senate.gov
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: karina_cabrera@gillibrand.senate.gov