[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 104 (Wednesday, July 27, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1625-E1626]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT: MUCH 
                 ACCOMPLISHED, BUT MORE PROGRESS NEEDED

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 26, 2005

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the 15th 
anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. When the ADA was 
signed on July 26, 1990, it promised ``equality of opportunity, 
economic self-sufficiency, inclusion and independence'' for people with 
disabilities. This landmark legislation--one of the most important 
civil rights bills of our generation--is designed to allow the disabled 
to be full and productive members of our society. The goal of the ADA 
is that no one should be isolated or denied the opportunity that is the 
American dream.
  The motivating idea behind the ADA is the recognition that persons 
with disabilities deserve to enjoy true equality and independence, to 
be part of our Nation not isolated within it. The ADA says it is wrong 
that individuals cannot join their friends at a movie theater or 
restaurant or sports stadium simply because they are in a wheelchair. 
It is wrong that disabled individuals are not hired because employers 
refuse to make workplace accommodations. It is wrong that, because 
individuals must deal with a disability, they must also deal with the 
lack of accessibility to public buildings, transportation and services. 
That kind of discrimination goes against the fundamental principles of 
our Nation. It is those types of obstacles that the ADA has sought to 
eradicate. By integrating people with disabilities into the workforce 
and community, we have all benefited.
  While there were many individuals who were instrumental in winning 
the passage of the ADA, I want to acknowledge and thank two leaders in 
the disability rights movement: Justin Dart and Marca Bristo. Justin 
Dart was an inspiration for all of us who care not just about 
disability rights but about human rights. Marca Bristo, a constituent 
and friend, continues to lead the effort to expand opportunities and 
respect for persons with disabilities. I have had the personal 
privilege of knowing and learning from them and, like so many others, 
have been profoundly influenced by them.
  Justin Dart was born in Chicago in 1930, contracted polio in 1948 and 
spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Although he died in 2002, 
his legacy lives on both through the thousands of advocates he has 
inspired and through the work of Yoshiko Dart and the rest of his 
family. He was known for his grassroots activism, touring the Nation, 
rallying people to support disability rights. In 1981, Mr. Dart was 
appointed by President Reagan to be the vice-chair of the National 
Council on Disability. He and others on the Council drafted a national 
policy that called for national civil rights legislation to end 
the centuries-old discrimination against people with disabilities--what 
would eventually become the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. In 
1988, he was appointed to lead the Congressional Task Force on the 
Rights and Empowerment of Americans with Disabilities. Mr. Dart toured 
the Nation, touting the ADA as ``the civil rights act of the future.'' 
In 1990, Justin Dart received the first pen used by former President 
Bush at the signing ceremony for the Americans with Disabilities Act. 
For the reminder of his life, Justin Dart continued to work 
passionately to see that disabled persons were given the rights they 
deserve and to win ``Justice for All.''

  Marca Bristo is a nationally and internationally acclaimed leader in 
the disability rights movement. In 1977, Ms. Bristo suffered a spinal 
injury in a car accident. Her new condition forced her to see life in a 
new way, and she has since been a passionate and tenacious advocate for 
disability rights. In 1980, she founded Access Living in Chicago, one 
of the Nation's first centers for independent living. Ms. Bristo served 
as the Presidentially-appointed chairwoman of the National Council on 
Disability from 1994 to 2002 and while heavily involved in the drafting 
of the ADA, has not been afraid to point out the need for improvements 
in it. As chairwoman of the NCD, she released a report on the ADA 5 
years ago which focused specifically on implementation problems and has 
persistently argued that rights must be enforced in order to be real. 
Marca Bristo continues to work hard for disability rights and to 
improve the lives of people in Chicago and around the Nation.
  Our Nation has come a long way in the 15 years since passage of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act. We have changed, we have become a more 
inclusive society, but we have not achieved our goal. The ADA has done 
much to break down barriers for the disabled, but we must recognize 
that we have far more to do to end discrimination. For 15 years now, it 
has been illegal for employers to discriminate against job applicants 
because of their disabilities. Yet, 2 of every 3 disabled persons are 
unemployed. It is illegal for state and local governments to deny 
disabled persons access to public services such as mass transit. Yet, 
funding constraints still leave persons with disabilities without 
accessible and convenient transportation options. Public and commercial 
buildings must be constructed and, where possible, modified to 
accommodate disabled persons. Yet, homes are still being built that 
lock people out instead of being built to be accessible and 
inconclusive. That is why I have introduced H.R. 1441, the Inclusive 
Home Design Act. Finally, too many people are still locked out of their 
communities because of the lack of home- and community-based services. 
We need to build upon the initial success of the ADA to solve these 
problems. Yet, today we are defending against Social Security 
privatization schemes that would slash disability benefits for 8 
million people with disabilities and against Medicaid cuts that would 
jeopardize health and long-term care services.

[[Page E1626]]

  The Americans with Disabilities Act has changed our society in these 
past 15 years. However, as with most civil rights issues, there is 
still so much more progress to be made. We must remember the vision of 
Justin Dart and listen to the message of Marca Bristo. While we take 
time to celebrate today's anniversary, we must never be content until 
the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act becomes reality so 
that every person is guaranteed ``equality of opportunity, economic 
self-sufficiency, inclusion and independence.''

                          ____________________