[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 165 (Tuesday, December 14, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H8324-H8326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SUPPORTING DESIGNATION OF ED ROBERTS DAY

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1759) expressing support for designation of 
January 23rd as ``Ed Roberts Day''.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1759

       Whereas Edward Verne Roberts was born January 23, 1939;
       Whereas Roberts acquired polio as an adolescent in 1953 and 
     had to spend vast expanses of time in an iron lung;
       Whereas Roberts' career as an advocate began when a high 
     school administrator threatened to deny him a diploma because 
     he had not completed driver's education and physical 
     education;
       Whereas in 1962 Roberts was admitted to the University of 
     California at Berkeley (UC Berkeley) where he became the 
     first severely disabled student to attend UC Berkeley;

[[Page H8325]]

       Whereas when his search for housing at the university met 
     resistance, the director of the campus hospital offered 
     Roberts a room in an empty wing, which Roberts accepted on 
     the condition that it was considered a dormitory space;
       Whereas other significantly disabled students joined 
     Roberts in the empty wing over the next few years and called 
     themselves the ``Rolling Quads'';
       Whereas at UC Berkeley the Rolling Quads began advocating 
     for curb cuts, opening access to the wider community and 
     creating the first student-led disability services program at 
     a university in the Nation;
       Whereas the student program led to the creation of the 
     Nation's first center for independent living;
       Whereas Roberts assumed leadership of the Center for 
     Independent Living, Berkeley and guided its development as a 
     model for disability advocacy and self-help services across 
     the Nation and around the world;
       Whereas in 1975 Roberts was appointed the Director of the 
     California Department of Rehabilitation;
       Whereas in 1983 Roberts co-founded the World Institute on 
     Disability, an organization committed to eliminating barriers 
     to full social integration for persons with disabilities;
       Whereas Ed Roberts died from natural causes on March 14, 
     1995; and
       Whereas Ed Roberts was a leader and champion in the 
     disability rights movement: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the designation of an ``Ed Roberts Day''; and
       (2) acknowledges the accomplishments of Ed Roberts in 
     helping reduce barriers, increase access, and improve lives 
     for persons with disabilities.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House 
Resolution 1759 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.

                              {time}  1630

  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1759, which 
supports the establishment of ``Ed Roberts Day.'' Mr. Edward Verne 
Roberts was a pioneering leader and a champion in the disability rights 
movement.
  Mr. Roberts was born January 23, 1939, in San Mateo, California. Mr. 
Roberts acquired polio at the age of 14 in 1953, 2 years before the 
Salk vaccine put an end to that epidemic. After 18 months in the 
hospital, he returned home paralyzed from the neck down except for a 
few fingers and toes.
  Roberts continued his high school education while spending vast 
amounts of time resting and sleeping in the iron lung. When a high 
school administrator threatened to deny him a diploma because he had 
not completed drivers and physical education requirements, he protested 
and began an early career of activism. Later, Roberts became the first 
student with severe disabilities to attend the University of California 
at Berkeley.
  At UC Berkeley, other students with significant disabilities joined 
Roberts in an empty wing in which the university had placed him and, 
over the next few years, began to call themselves the ``Rolling 
Quads.'' The Rolling Quads began advocating for curb cuts, opening 
access to the wider community, and creating the first student-led 
disabilities service program at any university in the Nation. That 
student program led to the creation of the Nation's first Center for 
Independent Living, and Roberts assumed leadership of the center and 
guided its development as a model for disability advocacy and self-help 
service.
  After earning a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in political 
science at UC Berkeley, in 1975, Roberts was appointed the Director of 
the California Department of Rehabilitation. In 1983, he cofounded the 
World Institute on Disability, an organization committed to eliminating 
the barriers to full social integration for persons with disabilities.
  Mr. Edward Verne Roberts died from natural causes on March 14, 1995, 
leaving behind a legacy as the modern father of the disability rights 
movement. Roberts' efforts helped to reduce barriers, increase access, 
and improve the lives for persons with disabilities across this Nation 
and world. It is with these contributions in mind that this resolution 
calls for the establishment of ``Ed Roberts Day.''
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the sponsor of the resolution and 
chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, Mr. George Miller, 
for his leadership in bringing this important resolution to the floor. 
I urge my colleagues to join me in support of House Resolution 1759, 
which supports the designation of an ``Ed Roberts Day.''
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of House Resolution 1759, which supports the 
designation of an ``Ed Roberts Day'' for his tireless work as a leader 
and champion in the disability rights community.
  Born January 23, 1939, Edward Verne Roberts contracted polio at the 
age of 14 in 1953. Despite spending most of his adolescence in an iron 
lung, he graduated high school and was admitted into the University of 
California at Berkeley, where he became the first severely disabled 
person to attend that university.
  This feat is all the more amazing when you consider the obstacles 
that were thrown in Ed's way. A high school administrator threatened to 
deny him a diploma because he had not completed driver's education and 
physical education requirements. College administrators told him they 
had tried to educate students with disabilities before and it did not 
work. The director of campus housing was afraid that they could not 
accommodate his needs, offering him a room in the empty wing of the 
campus hospital. Ed accepted only on the condition that it was 
considered dormitory space.
  During his time at UC Berkeley and after he left college, Ed worked 
with other students with disabilities to push for curb cuts so that 
parts of the university could be accessible to disabled persons. He 
formed the Physical Disabled Student Program to help facilitate and 
ease the transition for other students with disabilities to attend 
college.

  In 1972, he established the first Center for Independent Living in 
order to support and assist disabled persons in gaining independence. 
The center's philosophy was, and it continues to be, based on three 
main points:
  First, comprehensive programs with a wide variety of services, such 
as employment and assistive technology, are the most effective at 
meeting the needs of persons with disabilities;
  Second, people with disabilities know best how to meet the needs of 
others with disabilities; and
  Third, the strongest and most vibrant communities are those that 
include and embrace all people, including disabled persons.
  Today, most independent living centers across the country use this 
model as a basis for their work with individuals with disabilities. To 
celebrate this fact, Ed is known as the ``Father of the Independent 
Living Movement.''
  Mr. Speaker, Ed Roberts was a pioneer in the disability community 
until his death in 1995. Today, we honor him and acknowledge his work 
to reduce barriers, increase access, and improve the lives of all 
persons with disabilities. So I rise in support of House Resolution 
1759, which supports the designation of an ``Ed Roberts Day.''
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the remainder of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1759.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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