Celebrating a Milestone Year in MDA Advocacy

From major wins to improve air travel for people living with disabilities to ensuring the neuromuscular community had all the resources needed to vote in this year’s election, 2024 was a transformational year for MDA and its advocates. As we reflect on our 2024 accomplishments, we are grateful for the actions of all our advocacy volunteers!

Let’s take a moment and celebrate everything we’ve accomplished together in 2024.

A monumental year for accessible air travel

After a multi-year campaign, MDA and it’s advocates celebrated passage of FAA Reauthorization. This bill includes the most substantive changes for air travel accessibility in nearly 40 years. Specifically, the legislation includes:

• Mandating regular training for airline and airport personnel who assist passengers with disabilities and load and stow wheelchairs for flights.
• Establishing a pathway for wheelchair spots on airplanes.
• Continuing to study wheelchair tie-down systems.
• Holding airlines accountable for reporting any damage to wheelchairs.
• Giving the disability community a seat at the table when the government makes future decisions about air travel.
• Additional initiatives to increase air travel accessibility.

The law is the culmination of more than two years of work by MDA’s Advocacy Team, our advocacy partners, and most of all – all the advocates who shared their experiences with their lawmakers to ensure that air travel is more inclusive, dignified, and safer for everyone.

MDA National Ambassador Leah Z. advocating at Hill Day

In addition, the US Department of Transportation finalized a landmark rule that reinforces the safety, rights, and dignity of air travelers with disabilities. Together, with FAA Reauthorization, 2024 was a monumental year for accessible air travel.

Bringing the community together for MDA on the Hill

Once again, MDA and its grassroots advocates came together in Washington D.C. and ensured that lawmakers heard their voices during MDA on the Hill. This multi-day event from September 8-10, 2024, brought together advocates from across the country and featured advocacy training, networking, meetings with members of Congress and staff, and much more.

There is no doubt that MDA’s advocates made a difference, and that impact is evident in these numbers:

• 95 participants participated in this three-day event.
• 24 states from across the country were represented.
• MDA advocates had 97 meetings with lawmakers and staff.

Ensuring the community can raise its voice during the election

MDA’s Access the Vote campaign educated and empowered people living with disabilities to vote in the 2024 election.

Every vote matters, but many in the neuromuscular community and those living with disabilities face hurdles in casting their ballot during elections. From inaccessible polling places to confusing voting options, it can be a challenge to vote. That is why MDA’s Advocacy Team embarked on a new campaign to educate, engage, and empower those living with disabilities to vote with its Access the Vote Campaign. The goal of the initiative was to provide resources and information while motivating and empowering those in our community to raise their voices in the 2024 election.

Working on key priorities

Finally, MDA worked diligently to advance and make progress on other key initiatives that will truly empower those living in the neuromuscular community. This includes:

• Achieving full implementation of routine screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in all 50 U.S. states and Washington, DC. This means that every child born with SMA in the United States will be diagnosed in infancy and have access to early intervention and treatment.
• Seeing the first two states, Ohio and Massachusetts, begin screening for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We expect other states, such as Minnesota and New York, to follow suit quickly.
• Celebrating the US Department of Health and Human Services finalizing key updates to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This was the first time the legislation had been updated in the 50 years since its passage.
• Making progress on the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act and reauthorization of the Rare Disease Priority Review Voucher program. Although both bills didn’t pass Congress this year, we will build on this momentum as a new Congress comes to Washington, D.C. in 2025 and work to get them over the finish line.

As we close out 2024, we have many accomplishments to be proud of. Let’s take a moment to celebrate before we get ready for 2025 and the brighter future that we continue to build toward.