[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 116 (Thursday, July 14, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H6612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     ELIMINATING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PARENTS AND GUARDIANS WITH 
                              DISABILITIES

  (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Madam Speaker, earlier this week, I led my Democratic 
and Republican colleagues in introducing legislation to eliminate 
discrimination against parents and guardians with disabilities.
  Together with Representatives Bass, Bacon, Fitzpatrick, and Lawrence, 
I introduced the Equality for Families with Disabilities Act, just 2 
weeks before the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities 
Act.
  Today, there are 4.1 million parents with disabilities raising 
families here in the United States. Yet, parents and guardians with 
disabilities face excessive scrutiny and disproportionate targeting for 
unwarranted intervention from child welfare agencies.
  The research is clear: Children raised by parents with disabilities 
do not exhibit stunted development or worse outcomes than their peers. 
In fact, the opposite is true. Children raised by parents with 
disabilities demonstrate greater compassion, tolerance, problem-solving 
skills, and other positive characteristics.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to end discrimination against parents and 
guardians in State child welfare proceedings once and for all.
  Thirty-two years since Congress passed the Americans with 
Disabilities Act, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this 
urgent legislation.

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