[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 19185]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT RESOLUTION

  Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I rise today on the 15th anniversary of 
the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act to commemorate its 
passage, commend its many authors, and suggest some actions we should 
take to protect, preserve, and advance its legacy as a vital component 
of our laws on civil rights.
  Fifteen years ago, President George Herbert Walker Bush signed into 
law the Americans with Disabilities Act, a landmark piece of 
legislation that extended civil rights protections to individuals with 
disabilities.
  Prior to the passage of the ADA, far too many of our fellow Americans 
with disabilities faced utterly unnecessary obstacles. Many lacked 
accessible transportation, reasonable workplace accommodations, and 
entree to government buildings.
  Passionate reformers of all stripes sought to change this, and we 
cannot discuss the ADA without first mentioning the name Justin Dart, 
Jr. Never without his trademark cowboy hat, Justin Dart worked 
tirelessly for enactment of the act. His efforts came to national 
attention in 1981, when President Reagan appointed him to be the vice-
chair of what is now known as the National Council on Disability. Mr. 
Dart and others on the council drafted a policy that called for civil 
rights legislation to end discrimination against people with 
disabilities, a policy that eventually would form the basis for the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Widely respected and beloved 
by both sides, Justin Dart passed away in 2002.
  Another champion for Americans with disabilities was, without 
question, our former colleague, Bob Dole. It was 1942 when, at the age 
of 19, Bob Dole joined the Army to fight in World War II. A year later, 
in the hills of Italy fighting the Nazis, Senator Dole was hit by 
gunfire. The shot shattered his right shoulder, fractured vertebrae in 
his neck and spine, paralyzed him from the neck down, and damaged a 
kidney.
  Of course, he recovered to become one of the most influential 
legislators of the 20th century. Urging Congress to pass the ADA, he 
said, ``This historic civil rights legislation seeks to end the 
unjustified segregation and exclusion of persons with disabilities from 
the mainstream of American life.''
  A study of the legislative history of the act reveals that it was, in 
every sense, a bipartisan accomplishment. The legislation supports a 
notion in which President Reagan deeply believed. He used to say that 
there is no limit to what you can accomplish if you don't care who gets 
the credit.
  The act was then signed into law by another great American, President 
George H. W. Bush. In signing the legislation, President Bush spoke of 
what he felt the law would offer Americans with disabilities. He said 
``This Act . . . will ensure that people with disabilities are given 
the basic guarantees for which they have worked so long and so hard: 
independence, freedom of choice, control of their lives, the 
opportunity to blend fully and equally into the rich mosaic of the 
American mainstream.''
  Since the passage of the ADA, we have seen significant improvements 
in the employment and economic well-being of citizens with 
disabilities. In 2003, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that over the 
previous 15 years, the employment rate for working age men with a 
disability had increased by more than 25 percent. Other evidence of the 
ADA's impact was even more readily apparent. For instance, the barriers 
to mobility once posed by public transportation have been largely 
eliminated. Here in Washington, DC, for example, 95 percent of the 
Metro system is accessible to persons with disabilities.
  However, anniversaries are not just for looking back and celebrating 
the achievements of the past. They must also be an occasion for looking 
forward to the challenges that still lie before us.
  A report issued by the Institute for Higher Education Policy in 2004 
revealed that less than two-thirds of youths with disabilities receive 
standard high school diplomas. Although this graduation rate represents 
a significantly higher rate than 15 years ago, it remains inadequate, 
and significantly behind the rate for individuals without disabilities.
  We in Congress must maintain high expectations for all Americans. 
Americans with disabilities can compete and cooperate at the same level 
as Americans without disabilities. I was happy to work on the No Child 
Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 
both of which incorporated the principle of high expectations for all, 
regardless of race, gender, or disability.
  We also must incorporate the latest technology to help further 
incorporate Americans with disabilities into our workplaces. I was 
pleased to support President George W. Bush's New Freedom Initiative, 
which builds on the progress of the ADA by supporting new technologies 
that make communications easier, and thereby helping people with 
disabilities live full, active lives in their communities.
  We in Georgia know that people with disabilities can realize their 
incredible potential and better our workplaces, our schools, and our 
society. For 6 years, we were represented in this body by Senator Max 
Cleland, a disabled Vietnam veteran.
  No one knew the potential of Americans with disabilities better than 
Bobby Dodd, whom most Georgians would associate with Georgia Tech and 
his phenomenal years coaching, winning football teams. But after his 
retirement, he developed the Bobby Dodd Institute, which works to 
ensure that Atlantans with disabilities are given the opportunities to 
achieve economic self-sufficiency through employment.
  Another name that comes to mind when we discuss heroes to Americans 
with disabilities is Tommy Nobis. Tommy was the first draft pick in the 
history of the Atlanta Falcons, taken No. 1 in the 1965 draft. A steady 
and reliable linebacker, Tommy was a five-time Pro-Bowler and NFL 
Rookie of the Year in 1966. Yet far more important than his football 
accomplishments are his accomplishments off the field. In 1975, he 
founded the Tommy Nobis Center to provide vocational training to 
persons with disabilities. Originally run out of a small, crowded 
trailer, the center now operates a $2 million state-of-the-art center 
in Marietta, GA. The center enables individuals to enter or return to 
employment and to enjoy productive and independent lifestyles while 
contributing to the greater business community. Over their proud 25-
year history, the center has assisted over 11,000 individuals with 
disabilities.
  Again, I am pleased to cosponsor today's resolution and offer my 
sincerest congratulations to all of those who have worked to ensure 
better lives for Americans with disabilities.

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