[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 78 (Thursday, June 2, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE CAREER OF NANCY JONES AFTER 36 YEARS OF SERVICE TO 
                                CONGRESS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 2, 2011

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to 
recognize and thank Nancy Jones upon her retirement from the 
Congressional Research Service after 36 years of service to Congress. 
Ms. Jones has worked with issues regarding the rights of individuals 
with disabilities since she began her career at CRS in 1975, the same 
year the Education for all Handicapped Children Act, now the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), was enacted. She 
has been part of every reauthorization of IDEA, working on issues 
relating to attorneys fees, the provision of services to infants and 
toddlers, and even the change in the name of the statute. In addition 
to work during reauthorizations, Ms. Jones has worked with 
congressional staff to provide insight regarding the implications of 
other statutes on the education of children with disabilities. For 
example, she analyzed the implications of the American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for these students, especially regarding 
the maintenance of effort provisions in IDEA, and she has been a part 
of bicameral, bipartisan briefings in preparation for the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization.
  In addition to education issues, Ms. Jones worked on the enactment of 
the first major civil rights act for individuals with disabilities, the 
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and in the more recent ADA 
Amendments Act (ADAAA). Prior to the 1990 enactment of the ADA, she 
participated in regular meetings with bipartisan staff thinking through 
how the ADA could be structured to best protect the rights of 
individuals with disabilities while not unduly burdening private 
entities. Because of her work, she was thanked in the Congressional 
Record and was privileged to attend the White House ADA signing 
ceremony. Following enactment, she continued to inform Congress on the 
Supreme Court decisions about the ADA, and the regulatory and 
enforcement issues under the ADA. She wrote numerous reports and 
memoranda and assisted staff in understanding the Supreme Court 
decisions which were the impetus for the ADAAA and the implications of 
proposed legislative language.
  After Hurricane Katrina, Ms. Jones worked extensively with staff on 
the question of emergency protections for individuals with 
disabilities. During another emergency, the H1N1 influenza pandemic, 
she analyzed the implications of the pandemic on employment issues for 
individuals with disabilities as well as issues regarding the provision 
of scarce medical resources.
  Ms. Jones has also worked extensively on issues relating to genetic 
discrimination which ultimately resulted in the Genetic Information 
Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). She analyzed whether ADA protections 
extended to genetic disorders, especially those that have not 
manifested, and addressed other issues unique to GINA.
  This June, Nancy Jones will retire from CRS after 36 years of 
service. I commend Ms. Jones for her distinguished career and her 
dedication to ensuring a fully-informed legislative process, especially 
in matters involving the rights of individuals with disabilities. In 
any area where she was involved, the development of Federal law and the 
effectiveness of congressional oversight were well-served.

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