PCPID Quarterly Meeting: September 9–10, 2008

September 10, 2008

Chairman Rhatigan called the meeting to order and began by discussing the possibility of holding a quarterly meeting in November, 2008.

Chairman Rhatigan called on Berthy De La Rosa-Aponte to discuss the possibility of developing talking points that the Committee members could use when discussing their work with others. Ms. De La Rosa-Aponte noted the process used by the Ticket to Work Panel. Chairman Rhatigan indicated he would get together with PCPID staff to work out the details. Eric Cole stressed the importance of the talking points in getting out the Committee’s message and Chairman Rhatigan appointed Mr. Cole as the head of the effort to develop the talking points.

Chairman Rhatigan addressed some logistics questions regarding the reimbursements for the PCPID/ODEP forum and Ms. Ruzicka indicated that she had been working to secure the answers and would inform the Committee as soon as she was able to make contact with the appropriate parties.

Chairman Rhatigan reminded the Committee members to send in their reflections and memories of their trip to the Oval Office for use in the forward of the 2009 report. He also addressed the absence of National Council on Disability representative Milton Aponte and asked Ms. De La Rosa-Aponte to convey the Committee’s regrets that he was unable to attend.

Chairman Rhatigan returned to the discussion of the talking points and noted that whatever talking points were developed for Coach Weis’ segment on NBC should also be appropriate for use by the whole Committee. He tasked Mr. Cole with coming up with a draft for the Committee to work from. Linda Hampton Starnes reminded the Committee of the importance of consulting the ethics guidelines when developing any messages from the Committee and Dr. Banik reiterated the importance of having any official statements cleared through appropriate channels.

Mary Ellen Zeppuhar mentioned the possibility of recognizing employers that have successfully employed people with intellectual disabilities with a certificate and a press conference. Chairman Rhatigan and Mr. Cole recommended waiting until the initial talking points were developed before getting into any additional suggestions for public statements and recognition.

In response to a question, Ms. Ruzicka noted that any official statement must be cleared through appropriate channels. Mr. Cole asked whether the Committee members could use verbatim language from previously cleared documents as talking points about the Committee and Ms. Ruzicka replied that if they were quoted verbatim, they could be used.

The Committee briefly discussed potential titles for the 2009 report, as well as content for the forward taken from the President’s remarks in the Oval Office. Chairman Rhatigan welcomed Doro Bush Koch and Trisha Koch and turned the time over to Mr. Reilly to introduce them. Mr. Reilly introduced Ms. Bush Koch and Ms. Koch and then asked the Committee members to relate some of their thoughts and feelings about the previous day’s visit to the Oval Office.

The Committee members expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to meet the President and visit the Oval Office. Several Committee members related to Ms. Bush Koch and Ms. Koch the significance of the visit to their individual lives, and the impact that the entire Bush family has had in the disability community.

Mr. Reilly asked Ms. Doro Bush Koch to say a few words to the Committee before they broke for a book signing and photos.

Ms. Bush Koch thanked the Committee for the invitation to address the Committee and expressed her pleasure at the Committee’s opportunity to visit the White House on the previous day. She noted that even though the meeting was not political in nature, she was excited about the significance of Sarah Palin’s candidacy to the disability community and movement. She noted the importance of opening up the conversation and the resulting media attention on the issue of intellectual disabilities.

Ms. Bush Koch discussed the book she and Trisha Koch co-wrote about her father, President George H.W. Bush. She expressed her pleasure at the opportunity to interview over 300 of her father’s friends and colleagues in order to write the book and noted particularly a conversation with Mikhail Gorbachev. She noted that the book highlighted President Bush’s work to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Ms. Trisha Koch related her pleasure in co-writing the book with Ms. Bush Koch and related some personal anecdotes.

Ms. Bush Koch concluded by expressing her appreciation for the Committee and its work.

The Committee then took a short recess.