[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 19387-19388]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING AND HONORING THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE 
                AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 28, 2005

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, 15 years ago, the United States Congress 
passed, and President George H.W. Bush signed into law, the Americans 
with Disabilities Act (ADA)--landmark civil rights legislation for 
people with disabilities. On this important anniversary, we must take 
the opportunity to reflect on the Act's successes and discuss the work 
left to be done.
  The ADA declared that 54 million Americans with disabilities, 
including myself, had the right to reasonable accommodations in the 
workplace and access to public buildings. In doing so, society 
acknowledged for the first time the civil rights of these Americans to 
live independently and to fully participate in all aspects of our 
society--our schools, our businesses, and our communities. At its core, 
the ADA was about empowerment--giving people the tools they need to 
pave their own way to success. For Americans with disabilities this can 
mean many things, from providing information and resources, to making 
public transportation and housing more accessible, to improving the 
healthcare system.
  As a result of the ADA, Americans with disabilities have made 
significant progress in terms of inclusion since 1990. Students with 
disabilities no longer have to make choices about their education based 
on the number of ramps on a campus or the school's willingness to put 
Braille signs in their dorms. Many individuals with disabilities have 
achieved greater participation in their communities through increased 
access to public buildings, improved accommodations in the workplace 
and a heightened awareness of their needs and talents.
  My own experiences and successes are, in many ways, a direct result 
of the ADA's intention. When I was first elected to Congress in 2000, 
infrastructure changes were necessary. For example, a chair was removed 
from the House floor to make space for my wheelchair, and an adjustable 
podium was built so that I could address my colleagues on the floor. 
The flexibility my colleagues have shown illustrates the tremendous 
advances America has made in accommodating disabled employees and it 
demonstrates how institutions, even those steeped in tradition, can 
adapt to assist people in special circumstances.
  Not only does society look different to people with disabilities 
since the ADA, it looks differently at people with disabilities. It is 
no longer considered charity for businesses to install support beams in 
their restrooms or curb cuts in their parking lots. By declaring these 
legal responsibilities, Congress has significantly empowered Americans 
with disabilities. And in the course of living up to requirements of 
the ADA, many business owners have discovered loyal customers and 
employees who might otherwise have been unable to enter their doors. 
The most effective businesses are active participants in their 
communities, and in order to be an active part of the community, a 
business must reach out to all of its members.
  Unfortunately, in many cases my success is still the exception rather 
than the rule. Barriers still exist. Although a major focus of the ADA 
was to improve employment opportunities, there has been little change 
in the employment rate of people with disabilities. Only 32 percent of 
people of working age who have a disability are employed. And today, 
people with disabilities are still three times more likely to live in 
poverty.
  In many cases, we can make change by bringing the spirit of the ADA 
to other government-funded programs. For example, Medicare does not 
sufficiently cover certain mobility devices, such as power wheelchairs, 
and can even work against people, by refusing to cover wheelchairs for 
those who are able to leave their homes. Furthermore, many forms of 
public transportation still aren't accessible to people with 
disabilities, and accessible housing is often scarce and unaffordable. 
Too many Americans, all of whom have gifts and talents to contribute to 
our country, continue to be imprisoned by their disability.
  Our work, as a nation, is far from finished. We have not yet met the 
goal of the ADA: ``to provide a clear and comprehensive national 
mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with 
disabilities.'' We must continue to strive for the day in our country 
when if you are qualified and you can do the job, you get that job--
without regard to disability.
  We must recommit to renewing our efforts to realize the promise of 
the ADA and working to restore its full protections. With thousands of 
severely injured soldiers returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq, we 
have a special responsibility to assure them that they will receive the 
fair treatment they deserve as they attempt to return to work and live 
in their communities.
  We must bring our nation closer to the ideals of equality and 
opportunity that are both our heritage and our hope. Mr. Speaker, I 
urge my colleagues in the House to continue to lead the way in our 
national effort to make those ideals a reality for all Americans and to 
support H. Res. 378.

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