Post from Stella Adams's Blog:
Our Disabled Veterans Need Our Help!
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I am passing on this article from the Air Force Times about veterans who are fighting to have Segways classified in the same catagory as wheelchairs under the ADA (medical devices). Segways have been donated to over 150 disabled vets of Iraq and Afghanistan, and there are solid medical reasons for using them rather than wheelchairs. The current rules don't cover them and the proposed rules would classify them in the same catagory as golf carts and bicycles. Fellow Democrats this is important, Please take 5 minutes out of your day to comment. Comments can be submitted at http://www.regulations.gov.

The deadline is Aug. 18.

Sample Comment

I am writing to support the position of the Disability Rights Advocates for Technology that the Segway should be classified identically to the wheelchair, it is specifically designed for indoor and outdoor environments. The footprint of the Segway is smaller than a wheelchair, and it weighs less than power wheelchairs and most scooters. The proposed guidance threatens to deal a severe setback to America�s disabled community and senior citizens, by discriminating against Segways and other technology devices that improve the quality of their lives.

Reader Comments
  
thank you
By SPIRITED DONA Jul 22nd 2008 at 12:35 pm EDT
i am marking your post. i had to get my mom a wheelchair to go to the dr in, though, she walks in the house. i have physical problems, so i got a light weight travel wheelchair. i can no longer push a regular wheelchair. i am sorry we are so busy fighting-- we missed your post. would you care, if, i repost this? if you did, i'll take it down. we'll do it like that.
Re: thank you
By Stella Adams Jul 22nd 2008 at 4:34 pm EDT
Thank you and please repost and share with as many people as possible. After reading through some of the comments this proposal will definately set back the entire movement. I will submit a longer comment before the 18th
  
bad
By Lincoln Park Dem Jul 22nd 2008 at 12:51 pm EDT
it's really bad here. I am on the board of a homeless shlter that we purchased last year, hird a person to write our grant and is now up and runing here in Wheaton. Just had a golf outing Sunday and raised another 60K for it. We are already filled to capacity, six. We provide everything the vet needs from health care to job training a palce to live and a home until they get on thier feet. This is not a drop in the bucket as far as what we need to do to take care of vets.

FYI, this is no ordinary homeless shelter. it a $600,000 home in the subsurbs with staff 24 hours a day. We actually give the vets what they need for as long as they need it and not just a place to lay thier head in inclement weather.,
Re: bad
By Stella Adams Jul 22nd 2008 at 4:36 pm EDT
Thank you for all you do for our veterans, the republicans wave flags and wear pins but their patriotism does not extend to the long term needs of our veterans.