UN disability law fails to pass in the Senate

A United Nations treaty regarding the rights of people with disabilities has been rejected by the Senate on a vote of 61-38. Despite the long time support of former Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole and Arizona Senator John McCain, both of whom were disabled while serving in the US armed forces, the overwhelming majority of those who opposed signing the treaty were Republicans. Only eight Republican senators voted in favor of signing the treaty, at which the White House expressed “disappointment.” The treaty says that all nations should work to ensure that citizens with disabilities are given the same rights and freedoms as citizens without them. So far, it has been signed by 155 countries and ratified by 126, including Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia.