National Council on Disability to Conduct Gulf Coast Meeting in New Orleans

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Council on
Disability (NCD) will conduct its next quarterly meeting at the New Orleans
Marriott Convention Center, 859 Convention Center Boulevard, New Orleans,
Louisiana, beginning January 28, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. and ending January 30 at
4:45 p.m. This meeting is open to the public and the media.

Public comment sessions will be held January 28 from 5:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.
CST and on January 29 from 4:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. CST. The toll-free
call-in number is 888-810-3951, and the pass code is "NCD Council Meeting."
There will also be a reception at the hotel for all meeting participants,
audience members, and people with disabilities from the community on January
29 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

NCD is an independent federal agency and is composed of 15 members appointed
by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. We provide
advice to the President, Congress, and executive branch agencies to promote
policies, programs, practices, and procedures that: (A) guarantee equal
opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or
severity of the disability; and (B) empower individuals with disabilities to
achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and
integration into all aspects of society.

To carry out our purposes, we believe it is vital that NCD hears from
disability communities around the country on what works and what does not for
people with disabilities. Our agenda will include sessions on emergency
preparedness, youth transition, healthcare, employment, and other subjects of
interest to the disability community. We are delighted to have the opportunity
to visit New Orleans and learn firsthand about the experiences of people with
disabilities from the region. Please save the date and do not miss this
opportunity to meet NCD board members and staff and offer your comments during
the public comment sessions.

For more information, please contact NCD's director of communications
Mark S. Quigley at mquigley@ncd.gov or 202-272-2004 or visit
www.ncd.gov/.

SOURCE National Council on Disability

Mark S. Quigley of the National Council on Disability, +1-202-272-2004,
mquigley@ncd.gov