A press release issued after the hearing on day eleven urges protesters outside the building to continue their support.
504 Coalition, HEW Building
Room 455, 50 United Nations Plaza, SF, Ca. (415) 626 9101
Section 504 is part of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and is the first major federal civil rights law to cover the disabled. The regulations to implement the law have gone unsigned for three-and-a-half years, during which time we have made innumerable compromises, and HEW Secretary Califano is now trying to change the regulations even further in such a way as to totally impair their effectiveness. We want the January 21st 504 regulations signed immediately, without change.
In response to the occupation of HEW offices for over a week by the 504 Emergency Coalition, Phil Burton and George Miller called a special congressional hearing on April 15 at HEW to hear testimony about 504. This hearing is by no means the end of the struggle.
We will continue our demonstration inside the building, and we ask those of you on the outside to continue supporting us in whatever way you can; participate in the on-going vigil outside the building, donate or raise money, send telegrams to Carter and Califano urging the immediate signing of the January 504 regulations without change. We will need your support beyond Friday, and we want to stress the importance of not letting up the struggle. We will not be satisfied until we get the regulations signed, without change.
Disabled people will no longer accept segregation and oppression. We want jobs, accessible buildings (with ramps, wide doorways, elevators, braille signs, grip bars in the bathroom etc.), accessible transportation, education, communication devices and interpreters for the deaf, decent health care. There are ta least 36 million disabled people in this country, and it is clearly within the reach of our technology to provide an accessible environment. It is simply a matter of priorities: it appears that the U.S. government would rather make bombs than accessible schools. We want basic services and civil rights to which all people are an important force in the struggle for the liberation of all people.
Please continue your support!
SIGN 504 UNCHANGED!
SUPPORT THE 504 EMERGENCY COALITION! SUPPORT THE LIBERATION OF DISABLED PEOPLE! CONTINUE THE VIGIL! SEND TELEGRAMS! SEND MONEY! JOIN THE STRUGGLE! SIGN 504 WITHOUT CHANGES!