[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 6, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E869]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        IN HONOR OF DOUG MARTIN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 6, 2003

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and honor the life 
of one of our country's leading disability rights advocates, Douglas A. 
Martin. UCLA and Doug's family will commemorate his remarkable 
contributions at a memorial on May 8, 2003.
  Doug's commitment to disability rights began in a very personal way. 
When he arrived for college orientation in a wheelchair, he was told he 
must pass a physical exam in order to be in good standing. When Doug 
did not pass the physical due to his disability from contracting polio 
as a child, he made a vow that he would pursue his education to make 
sure this would not happen to anyone else. Doug applied at UCLA and 
later graduated with the highest honors, earning his bachelor's and 
master's degrees simultaneously. He completed his Ph.D. in urban 
studies two years later.
  Doug went on to uphold his vow in a truly remarkable and sweeping 
fashion. He became a strong voice for our country's disabled population 
and helped shape our national disability rights policies.
  After graduation, he began his career as a pioneer in the field of 
disability rights, earning honors and praise from every level of 
government, the public sector, and private industry. Doug became an 
original founder of the Westside Center for Independent Living (WCIL) 
and developed a modern model for independent living. WCIL remains a 
leader in independent living skills and is an indispensable resource 
for residents of Los Angeles County.
  Doug was appointed to the State Council on Disabilities by Governor 
Edmund G. Brown in 1981, and was later appointed to the Governor's 
Advisory Task Force on Long Term Care, receiving the Governor's Trophy 
Award in 1985. As a member of the State Building Standards Commission, 
Doug was instrumental in the creation of California's seminal 
accessibility requirements. He also was a lead participant in 
developing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the 
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.
  Doug joined UCLA as a Special Assistant to the Chancellor in 1989, 
where he continued to work until recently. In this capacity, Doug 
initiated a disability overhaul for the campus. Doug's work resulted in 
UCLA adding access ramps, handrails and curb ramps in inaccessible 
areas, and providing volume amplifiers and special telecommunications 
devices on pay phones for the deaf and hearing-impaired. Evacuation 
chairs have been added in numerous buildings for use in emergency 
situations, and signs in Braille have been installed as well. Doug also 
oversaw the addition of accommodations for students with learning 
disabilities, including note-takers, disability counseling and peer-
mentoring support groups.
  When Doug arrived at UCLA in 1989, 75% of the campus buildings were 
largely inaccessible to people with disabilities. Today, that number 
approaches zero, as almost every building has been modified to 
accommodate the disabled.
  In addition to Doug's work at UCLA, he has served on a number of 
important committees and has played a vital role in all of them. He was 
a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance, a member of 
Senator Barbara Boxer's Central District Judicial Appointment Advisory 
Committee, a member of the Advisory Committee for the National Council 
on Disability, and a participant in both the National Council on 
Disability Forum and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation 
Forum.
  Doug was a founding member of the Society for Disability Studies, a 
fellow with the World Institute on Disability, the chair of the Social 
Security Subcommittee of the National Council on Independent Living, 
and a member of the National Invitational Working Group.
  Our nation owes Doug a debt of gratitude for his profound commitment 
to the disabled and for leaving a legacy of action that will forever 
enrich their lives. I ask my colleagues to join me in acknowledging 
Doug's tremendous contributions and in expressing deepest condolences 
to his family, his colleagues and his friends.

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