[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 115 (Wednesday, September 14, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1851]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    TRIBUTE TO ALAN A. REICH--FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT EMERITUS OF THE 
                  NATIONAL ORGANIZATION ON DISABILITY

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                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 14, 2005

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me today in 
paying tribute to my dear friend Alan A. Reich, who retired recently as 
President of the National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.), which he 
founded. For the past 23 years, Alan provided extraordinary leadership 
as the leader of NOD, which is one of the leading non-governmental 
organizations promoting disability rights in the United States and, 
through its World Committee on Disability, around the world as well. 
Alan retired earlier this year after nearly a quarter century of 
extraordinary leadership, and he has been named President Emeritus of 
the organization.
  Mr. Speaker, Alan Reich has been an outstanding human rights and 
disability rights leader, whose courageous work has had an impact on 
people with disabilities around the world. In recognition of his 
leadership, President George H.W. Bush awarded Alan the George Bush 
Medal in a ceremony at the Kennedy Center here in Washington on July 25 
of this year. The George Bush Medal recognizes leaders who seek to 
fulfill the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to all 
Americans and who encourage the spirit of the ADA throughout the world. 
The award ceremony in July was held in connection with the 15th 
anniversary of the signing of the ADA by President George H.W. Bush in 
1990.
  Alan certainly epitomizes the high goals of the ADA, and I cannot 
imagine a more fitting recipient of this award. In commenting on Alan's 
extraordinary leadership, former President Bush said: ``As the Honorary 
Chairman of N.O.D. and its World Committee, I've observed first-hand 
Alan's tenacious commitment to providing hope and opportunity for 
millions of people with disabilities, not only in this country but also 
worldwide.''
  Mr. Speaker, Alan Reich joined the disability community over 40 years 
ago as a result of a swimming accident, and he has used a wheelchair 
since that time, but he refused to permit his disability to constrain 
his boundless energy and commitment to worthy causes. Alan has been at 
the center of progress on disability issues--including public 
awareness, disability programs and promoting important legislation--and 
has made groundbreaking contributions toward uniting and engaging the 
community of people with disabilities. His outstanding abilities to 
move disability rights issues forward first became apparent as the 
founder of the U.S. Council for the International Year of Disabled 
Persons in 1981. He became the first wheelchair user to address the 
United Nations General Assembly when he called on the international 
organization to declare 1981 the U.N. International Year of Disabled 
Persons.
  While President of N.O.D., Alan built the coalition of disability 
groups that successfully fought for the inclusion of a statue of former 
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his wheelchair at the FDR 
Memorial in Washington, DC. He also spearheaded the critical survey 
research with Harris Poll Surveys that tracks the progress of Americans 
with disabilities in key areas of life. In addition, Alan is the 
founder and Chairman of the World Committee on Disability--the 
international arm of N.O.D., which further underscores the worldwide 
reach of his contributions. He is a founder of the World Committee's 
Franklin D. Roosevelt International Disability Award, which recognizes 
nations for progress toward the United Nations' goals for disabled 
persons. I should add, Mr. Speaker, that my wife Annette and I are 
honored to be members of the World Committee on Disability.
  A graduate of Dartmouth College, Oxford University and Harvard 
University, and former all-American track star and varsity football 
player, Alan has had a distinguished career in the business, 
government, and nonprofit sectors. Alan served as U.S. Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs. In this 
position, he developed international exchange programs to further 
mutual understanding. He also held the position of Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of Commerce for East-West Trade and Director of the Bureau of 
East-West Trade, where he was credited with the expansion of U.S. 
commercial relations with the People's Republic of China, the Soviet 
Union and the countries of Eastern Europe. Prior to his outstanding 
career as a public servant, Alan was an executive in manufacturing 
management and corporate long-range planning with the Polaroid 
Corporation.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my appreciation and the 
appreciation of this house to Alan Reich for his dedication and 
commitment to securing the equal participation and full inclusion of 
people with disabilities in all aspects of life. In many capacities, 
Alan has changed the world's approach to disability and made 
groundbreaking contributions to uniting the disability movement. For 
that, our entire nation is deeply grateful to him and extends every 
good wish to him and his family.

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