WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER OCTOBER 25, 2026
A READER SHARED THIS LETTER SENT THEM FROM SENATOR CHARLES SCHUMER IN RESPONSE TO THEIR LETTER EXPRESSING CONCERN FOR FUTURE OF THE DISABLED.
Thank you for writing to express your support for protecting funding for critical disability programs in the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) federal budget.
I wholeheartedly agree that these programs play a vital role in empowering people with disabilities to live independently, access essential services, and fully engage in community life.
President Donald Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) federal budget proposal poses a serious threat to the future of critical disability programs by proposing their elimination, restructuring, or conversion into block grants.
The programs at risk play an essential and irreplaceable role in enabling people with disabilities to live with dignity, independence, and full participation in community life. They offer a broad range of vital services-including housing assistance, vocational training, personal care support, transportation, and advocacy-that empower individuals to make choices about their lives and remain actively engaged in their communities.
While the FY26 proposal introduces new and deeply concerning threats, it comes on top of the lasting harm already inflicted on the disability community.
During the first six months of the Trump-Vance administration, President Donald Trump has enacted executive actions, budget cuts, layoffs, and legislation that significantly curtailed disability rights, reduced access to Medicaid, and undermined the right to a free and appropriate public education.
The budget proposal not only fails to repair this damage, but it also risks compounding it.
Throughout my career, I have been deeply committed to breaking down systemic barriers, addressing the unique and often overlooked needs of people with disabilities, and advancing their right to live with dignity, autonomy, and full inclusion.
My work has centered on expanding access to opportunity, ensuring equitable support, and strengthening the freedom for individuals with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of society. That’s why, alongside former President Joe Biden, I fought to deliver historic investments in vital services-including $36.8 billion to strengthen home- and community-based care, $1.75 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to make rail stations more accessible, and a $1.3 billion boost for IDEA grants to support students with disabilities.
Recently, I joined my Senate Democratic colleagues in sending a joint letter to HHS Secretary Kennedy, urging an immediate halt to efforts to dismantle the Administration for Community Living (ACL). ACL plays a vital role in funding and overseeing essential programs, including Independent Living, UCEDDs, Developmental Disabilities Councils, Protection and Advocacy Systems, and Projects of National Significance.
We warned that breaking up ACL’s functions across agencies and cutting its workforce by more than half would severely disrupt services like senior nutrition, caregiver support, and developmental disabilities programs.
These changes would not only undermine ACL’s mission-they would also directly conflict with the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) appropriations passed by Congress and violate its responsibilities under the Older Americans Act and the Developmental Disabilities Act.
As Senate Minority Leader, I will continue to fight to protect critical disability programs in the FY26 federal appropriations process, ensuring that people with disabilities can live independently, access essential services, and fully participate in their communities.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Please keep in touch with your thoughts and opinions.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator