[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 207 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]








109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 207

 Recognizing and honoring the 15th anniversary of the enactment of the 
                Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 25, 2005

    Mr. Harkin (for himself, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Reid, Mrs. 
    Clinton, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. McCain, Mr. Chafee, Mr. 
Lautenberg, Mr. Smith, Ms. Mikulski, Mrs. Dole, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Levin, 
 Mr. Lieberman, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. Collins, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Obama, Mr. 
Akaka, Mr. Salazar, Mr. Dayton, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Pryor, Mr. 
Biden, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Reed, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Nelson of 
    Florida, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Burr, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Martinez, Ms. 
  Cantwell, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Hagel, and Mr. Coleman) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing and honoring the 15th anniversary of the enactment of the 
                Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Whereas July 26, 2005, marks the 15th anniversary of the enactment of the 
        Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990;
Whereas prior to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, it was 
        commonplace for individuals with disabilities to experience 
        discrimination in all aspects of their everyday lives--in employment, 
        housing, public accommodations, education, transportation, 
        communication, recreation, voting, and access to public services;
Whereas prior to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals 
        with disabilities often were the subject of stereotypes and prejudices 
        that did not reflect their abilities, talents, and eagerness to fully 
        contribute to our society and economy;
Whereas the dedicated efforts of disability rights advocates, such as Justin 
        Dart, Jr. and others too numerous to mention, served to awaken Congress 
        and the American people to the discrimination and prejudice faced by 
        individuals with disabilities;
Whereas Congress worked in a bipartisan manner to craft legislation making such 
        discrimination illegal and opening doors of opportunity to individuals 
        with disabilities;
Whereas Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act and President George 
        Herbert Walker Bush signed the Act into law on July 26, 1990;
Whereas the Americans with Disabilities Act pledged to fulfill the Nation's 
        goals of equality of opportunity, economic self-sufficiency, full 
        participation, and independent living for individuals with disabilities;
Whereas the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibited employers from 
        discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities, required 
        that State and local governmental entities accommodate qualified 
        individuals with disabilities, encouraged places of public accommodation 
        to take reasonable steps to make their goods and services accessible to 
        individuals with disabilities, and required that new trains and buses be 
        accessible;
Whereas since 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act has played an historic 
        role in allowing some 54,000,000 Americans with disabilities to 
        participate more fully in our national life by removing barriers in 
        employment, transportation, public services, telecommunications, and 
        public accommodations;
Whereas accommodations such as curb cuts, ramps, accessible trains and buses, 
        accessible stadiums, accessible telecommunications, and accessible Web 
        sites have become commonplace since passage of the Americans with 
        Disabilities Act, benefitting not only individuals with disabilities but 
        all Americans; and
Whereas the Americans with Disabilities Act is our Nation's landmark civil 
        rights legislation for people with disabilities: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes and honors the 15th anniversary of the 
        enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990;
            (2) salutes all people whose efforts contributed to the 
        enactment of such Act; and
            (3) encourages all Americans to celebrate the advance of 
        freedom and the opening of opportunity made possible by the 
        enactment of such Act.
                                 <all>