[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 107 (Tuesday, July 20, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1366]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ENACTMENT OF THE AMERICANS 
                         WITH DISABILITIES ACT

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                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 20, 2010

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed 
colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing 
the twentieth anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act.
  The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 
1990. Twenty years ago, I proudly supported the passage of this 
landmark legislation in the House of Representatives along with 376 of 
my colleagues.
  The Americans with Disabilities Act is often described as the most 
sweeping nondiscrimination legislation since the Civil Rights Act of 
1964.
  The Act's purpose is to ``provide a clear and comprehensive national 
mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with 
disabilities.'' It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability 
in employment, public services, and public accommodations to enable 
millions of disabled Americans to fully function in society.
  As a result of this Act, employers are no longer allowed to single 
out disabled individuals in hiring, firing or advancement practices. 
State and local governments must now follow specific design standards 
when constructing or altering new buildings to accommodate individuals 
restricted to wheelchairs, and restaurants and retail stores are 
required to make reasonable accommodations for disabled individuals. 
The Act also requires that telecommunication services be provided 24 
hours a day, seven days a week for individuals with hearing or speech 
impairments.
  Twenty years after its inception, Americans across the country 
continue to benefit from this legislation. Many of the everyday 
services and accommodations we now take for granted are a direct result 
of this ground-breaking law.
  For example, mass transit systems are now equipped with voice 
messages to help the visually impaired independently navigate their 
daily routines, and new stadiums feature accessible seating for those 
in wheelchairs and their guests.
  The Americans with Disabilities Act's footprint can be strongly felt 
throughout my district in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Whether it is 
access to handicapped parking spaces at the Steamtown Mall, or sidewalk 
ramps around the public square in Wilkes-Barre, my constituents 
continue to benefit everyday from this legislation.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing the twentieth 
anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It 
is my sincere hope that in the coming years we continue to remove 
barriers that prevent our fellow citizens from fully functioning in 
society.

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