AFR News: Parental Rights- CRPD Is Back in the Senate!

Donate

October 24, 2013

CRPD Is Back in the Senate!

I have some exciting news for you, and also some very disturbing news.

The good news is about a very special event that’s about to take place! On November first, we begin our first ever national grassroots training for ParentalRights.org’s volunteer state leaders who are generously serving the cause all across the country. I want to let you know how you can help us with this important event, but first, I have an urgent update.

I just received word that our opponents in the Senate are scheduling two hearings for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) two weeks from now!

Sources tell me they hope to get it out of committee and pass it through the full Senate by the end of the year. By now, this feels like déjà vu all over again, but the truth is we could be in more danger than last time. CRPD advocates will almost certainly have no trouble getting it out of committee, and when they do, we will be in a similar position to last fall when Harry Reid tried to sneak it through by “unanimous consent” in a mostly-empty Senate chamber.

Actually, the situation may be even worse. While we were able to hold off ratification by just five votes in December, our opponents are now claiming with confidence that three of the five would have voted “yes” – they would have voted to ratify the CRPD – “if the vote mattered.” Our margin is not a narrow five votes, but a razor-thin wall of only two!

Unfortunately, we’re going to have to gear up and fight this yet again. But in doing so, we cannot lose sight of our primary goal, which is to permanently kill the threat of this treaty to children and parents by passing the Parental Rights Amendment. And that’s why the national leaders training I mentioned above is so important at this very moment.

As you know, my goal is to get the Parental Rights Amendment out of committee in this session of Congress. Whatever happens in the Senate, simply getting a House committee vote will move us light years forward. The more people we can mobilize to drive cosponsors to support the Amendment, the more significant this victory will be.

Our grassroots network is a vital key to making that happen. If not for the hard work of supporters in every state we could never have come as far as we have. I’m simply amazed by the generous commitment and success of our volunteers—especially the state leaders—and we want to do everything we can to help them in their roles.

Leaders from all over the country will come to get equipped for the fight. They will learn how to effectively recruit, organize, and activate volunteers; pass state statutes and resolutions; lobby elected officials; incorporate fundraising into their efforts; and speak persuasively about our issues.

As I mentioned before, these are volunteer leaders. They are not paid, and they cannot afford to bear the cost of this conference. So ParentalRights.org has shouldered a significant expense to provide it for them, because it is vital to driving results at the grassroots level. Because of this, funds are much tighter than usual, even as we need to ramp up against the CRPD right now.

The cost of this conference is nothing next to the value of having well-trained leaders in every state! But the timing has put us in a crucial bind. Because both needs are so important, I’d like you to consider making an immediate gift to help sponsor a state leader for this training. That will replenish our funds so we can fight the CRPD today!

Your gift right now means so much. We’ve had to be on high alert for the CRPD all year. Now that the battle is upon us, it is absolutely vital that we have the provisions to face this enemy again and win!

If we can drive results at the local level, then we can drive results in Congress! You and I have already seen how effective our grassroots support can be. Now, let’s make it even better, with trained leaders to halt the CRPD threat once and for all.

Sincerely,