People with disabilities and their families care about many important things. When people run for office, we can ask them questions. Their answers help us learn what they think and what they will do if they are elected.

You have the right to ask questions. You have the right to know what leaders plan to do. These issues affect real people, real families, and real lives.

The Arc does not support or oppose any candidate. We just want everyone to have the facts they need.

You can ask these questions to candidates for office and to your federal lawmakers. These questions can help you advocate for yourself, your family, and your community.

1. Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS)

Many people with disabilities need help at home or in the community. This help is called HCBS. It can include help with things like:

• Making meals
• Getting dressed
• Going to work
• Keeping a job

But many people are stuck on waiting lists to get help. Some wait many years.

Question to ask:
What is your plan to expand HCBS or make it easier for people with disabilities to get HCBS?

2. Direct Support Professionals (DSPs)

DSPs help people with disabilities live good lives in the community. But many DSPs do not get paid enough. Because of this, there are not enough workers, and many people with disabilities cannot get the help they need.

Question to ask:
What will you do to make sure there are enough DSPs and that they are paid fairly?

3. Medicaid Cuts in States

In 2025, Congress made big cuts to Medicaid. This will lead to cuts in services and supports for people with disabilities and families.

Question to ask:
What will you do to restore funding for the Medicaid program?

4. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Cuts in States

SNAP provides funds to help people buy food. In 2025, Congress made big cuts to the SNAP program, making it hard for people to buy food.

Question to ask:
What will you do to support the SNAP program?

5. Social Security and SSI

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) help many people with disabilities. But some rules make life harder. For example, some people may lose SSI if they get married.

Question to ask:
How will you make Social Security and SSI better for people with disabilities?

Over the past 30 years, costs for things like food, clothes, and rent have increased, but SSI asset (or the amount of savings we may have and keep SSI) limits have stayed the same.

Question to ask:
Will you support bills to raise the asset limits for people who receive SSI?

6. IDEA and Schools

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) says the government should help pay for services for students with disabilities. It says they should pay 40% of the cost. But right now, they pay much less.

Question to ask:
Will you support full funding for IDEA so schools can help students with disabilities?

7. Protecting Students With Disabilities and Their Families

Recent actions to break apart the Department of Education (like mass firings and moving offices to other agencies) have left people unsure how IDEA is going to be implemented and how the federal government is going to make sure that states are doing everything they should to support students with disabilities and their families.

Question to ask:
What steps will you take to support the implementation and oversight of federal special education laws, including IDEA? How will you make sure that students and families in every state have access to services if the federal Department of Education is closed?