[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13940-13949]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1504) recognizing and honoring the 20th anniversary 
of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1504

       Whereas July 26, 2010, marks the 20th anniversary of the 
     enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990;
       Whereas the Americans with Disabilities Act has been one of 
     the most significant and effective civil rights laws passed 
     by Congress;
       Whereas, prior to the passage of the Americans with 
     Disabilities Act, people with disabilities faced 
     significantly lower employment rates, lower graduation rates, 
     and higher rates of poverty than people without disabilities, 
     and were too often denied the opportunity to fully 
     participate in society due to intolerance and unfair 
     stereotypes;
       Whereas the dedicated efforts of disability rights 
     advocates, including Justin Dart, Jr., and many others, 
     served to awaken Congress and the American people to the 
     discrimination and prejudice faced by individuals with 
     disabilities;
       Whereas Congress worked in a bipartisan manner to craft 
     legislation making such discrimination illegal;
       Whereas Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act 
     and President George Herbert Walker Bush signed the Act into 
     law on July 26, 1990;
       Whereas the purpose of the Americans with Disabilities Act 
     is to fulfill the Nation's goals of equality of opportunity, 
     independent living, economic self-sufficiency, and full 
     participation for Americans with disabilities;
       Whereas the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits 
     employers from discriminating against qualified individuals 
     with disabilities, requires that State and local governmental 
     entities accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities, 
     requires places of public accommodation to take reasonable 
     steps to make their goods and services accessible to 
     individuals with disabilities, and requires that new trains 
     and buses be accessible to individuals with disabilities;
       Whereas the Americans with Disabilities Act has played an 
     historic role in allowing over 50,000,000 Americans with 
     disabilities to participate more fully in national life by 
     removing barriers to employment, transportation, public 
     services, telecommunications, and public accommodations;
       Whereas the Americans with Disabilities Act has served as a 
     model for disability rights in other countries;
       Whereas all Americans, not just those with disabilities, 
     benefit from the accommodations that have become commonplace 
     since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 
     including curb cuts at street intersections, ramps for access 
     to buildings, and other accommodations that provide access to 
     public transportation, stadiums, telecommunications, voting 
     machines, and websites;
       Whereas Congress acted with overwhelming bipartisan support 
     in 2008 to restore protections for people with disabilities 
     by passing the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which overturned 
     judicial decisions that had inappropriately narrowed the 
     scope of the protected class under the Americans with 
     Disabilities Act;
       Whereas, 20 years after the enactment of the Americans with 
     Disabilities Act, children and adults with disabilities 
     continue to experience barriers that interfere with their 
     full participation in mainstream American life;
       Whereas, 20 years after the enactment of the Americans with 
     Disabilities Act, people with disabilities are twice as 
     likely to live in poverty as their fellow citizens and 
     continue to experience high rates of unemployment and 
     underemployment;
       Whereas, 20 years after the enactment of the Americans with 
     Disabilities Act, the largest income support and health care 
     programs continue to operate in a manner that expects people 
     with significant disabilities to be outside the economic 
     mainstream and have limited income and assets;
       Whereas, 20 years after the enactment of the Americans with 
     Disabilities Act and 11 years after the Supreme Court's 
     decision in Olmstead v. L.C., many people with disabilities 
     still live in segregated institutional settings because of a 
     lack of support services that would allow them to live in the 
     community;
       Whereas, 20 years after the enactment of the Americans with 
     Disabilities Act, new telecommunication, electronic, and 
     information technologies continue to be developed while not 
     being accessible to all Americans;
       Whereas, 20 years after the enactment of the Americans with 
     Disabilities Act, many public and private covered entities 
     are still not accessible to people with disabilities; and
       Whereas the United States has a responsibility to welcome 
     back and create opportunities for the tens of thousands of 
     working-age veterans of the Armed Forces who have been 
     wounded in action or have received service-connected injuries 
     while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation 
     Enduring Freedom: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes and honors the 20th anniversary of the 
     enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990;
       (2) salutes all people whose efforts contributed to the 
     enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act;
       (3) encourages all Americans to celebrate the advance of 
     freedom and the opening of

[[Page 13941]]

     opportunity made possible by the enactment of the Americans 
     with Disabilities Act; and
       (4) pledges to continue to work on a bipartisan basis to 
     identify and address the remaining barriers that undermine 
     the Nation's goals of equality of opportunity, independent 
     living, economic self-sufficiency, and full participation for 
     Americans with disabilities.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House 
Resolution 1504 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Maryland, Leader Hoyer.
  Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman from Colorado for yielding.
  Speaker Langevin, I congratulate you on taking the podium. I 
congratulate you on your extraordinary service to the people of Rhode 
Island and the people of our country. And I congratulate you for being 
an example of the can-do spirit that has made America such a great 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased to be here on this, the 20th anniversary 
of the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act. I'm 
particularly pleased to be here on the floor with my former colleague 
and my lifetime friend Tony Coelho of the State of California. Tony 
Coelho was the Whip on our side of the aisle for a number of years, 
elected into that position very shortly after he took his seat in the 
Congress of the United States. He is a person of extraordinary ability, 
extraordinary energy, extraordinary focus, and extraordinary 
accomplishment.
  But early in his life, he fell off, in a farming accident, a tractor 
and injured his head. As a result of that traumatic injury, he became 
an epileptic. And because of that, his lifetime dream of becoming a 
priest was not available to him. That was something of a great trauma, 
again, to him.
  However, he overcame that, came to Congress, and has made his life's 
work opening up America to those who had been discriminated against, to 
those who had been shut out, to those for whom the pursuit of happiness 
was made either impossible or very difficult by the barriers and 
prejudice that existed.
  Twenty years ago today, the first President Bush signed the Americans 
With Disabilities Act. I was proud to help pass that legislation. But 
much more, I was proud to see our country come together to rededicate 
itself to the principles of equal opportunity, irrespective of race or 
color, national origin, religion, or any other arbitrary distinction, 
including disability.
  The ADA made it possible for Americans with disabilities to use the 
same public spaces that so many of us take for granted and to succeed 
as their talent and drive allows them to. Fifty million Americans have 
gone through the doors of equal opportunity that are open. When I first 
heard that figure, it sounded awfully high to me because I thought 
about disabilities being somebody who, like Mr. Langevin, as a result 
of an accident had been forced to use a wheelchair for mobility 
purposes. I was used to thinking of disability as somebody who used a 
cane because they had no sight or somebody who used a hearing aid 
because their hearing was diminished or nonexistent.
  Helen Keller, of course, taught us a great and powerful lesson about 
overcoming disabilities. But I learned quickly that so many of us have 
a disability that nobody else sees. Mr. Coelho is on the floor. If I 
asked you to identify Mr. Coelho by his disability you'd be unable to 
do so because it's not apparent. But the prejudice with respect to his 
disability was in fact very present.
  So the Americans With Disabilities Act not only dealt with actual, 
visual impairments, but also perceived impairments.
  We know that those doors are not all the way open, however. We 
strengthened the act in 2008, and today it is our job to live up to its 
enduring principles, whether it's making the House rostrum wheelchair 
accessible--thank you, Madam Speaker, for your leadership on making 
sure that Jim Langevin, our colleague, who has the ability to preside, 
has the accessibility of the rostrum so that he can exercise that 
ability. That's what the Disability Act was all about.
  I thank my colleagues that helped to make the ADA possible. Tony 
Coelho, of course, in the House was our leader, our spark plug, our 
visionary, and he enlisted many of the rest of us to assist in this 
effort. The disability community who fought so hard, who showed so much 
courage, who spent so much time to let Members of Congress know the 
discrimination to which they were subjected.
  I believe that this act is an act which will continue to make America 
a better country, it will continue to make America a country that is in 
fact living out the core of its principle, which is equal opportunity 
for all under the law.
  I want to thank a number of people, some of whom we will see further 
today. Mr. Markey, who was so critical on the communications issue. I 
want to thank my friend Jim Sensenbrenner, who sits on the floor here, 
who was a leader on the Judiciary Committee, a critical component of 
the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act. I want to thank my 
friend Steve Bartlett, who himself was a Member of Congress--not now--
but was my partner in coordinating the various committees and 
subcommittees and worked together with me in an absolutely 
nonpartisan--it wasn't bipartisan. It had nothing to do with party or 
politics; it had to do with our country's principles.
  I want to thank Augustus Hawkins, who was chair of the Education and 
Labor Committee; Major Owens; Matthew Martinez; Steve Bartlett, whom I 
mentioned; Congressman Fawell. I want to thank John Dingell, who 
chaired the Energy and Commerce Committee; Edward Markey, the chair of 
the Telecommunications Subcommittee; Tom Luken; Norm Lent; Bob 
Whittaker; Matt Renaldo; Glen Anderson, who was the chair of the Public 
Works Committee; Robert Roe, ranking Democrat; and Norm Mineta.
  Every time you see a bus that's accessible or train station that's 
accessible or an airplane that's accessible, remember Norm Lent. 
Remember Norman Mineta as well, who made that possible. And that was 
very difficult because there was a cost associated to it, and we wanted 
to make sure that it was a reasonable cost to be imposed. But we knew 
that in the long run, that investment would pay off for America.
  I want to thank John Paul Hammerschmidt as well; Jack Brooks chaired 
the Judiciary Committee at that time; Don Edwards; Bob Castermire; 
Hamilton Fish; and, of course, Jim Sensenbrenner. There are many, many 
others.
  This resolution recognizes the adoption of a bill 20 years ago. Jim 
Langevin is the living, breathing, participating example of how that 
statute made a difference.

                              {time}  1430

  Not just for Jim Langevin but for all of us who will benefit from the 
contribution that the Jim Langevins of America will make, and we ought 
to be proud in America that this bill is now an example to all the 
world and has been used as a model by many nations in the world that 
they have followed to make their societies more accessible and make the 
lives of those with disabilities fuller and more productive
  There is much that remains to be done. Those with disabilities still 
are more likely to live in poverty. Those with disabilities are still 
more likely not to be able to get a job. Those with disabilities are 
still confronted with a lack of access to some facets of our society.
  So as we recognize this anniversary, as the President tonight will 
honor the 41st President of the United States, George Bush, and his son 
who signed

[[Page 13942]]

the Amendment Act, so both President Bushes have played a role in 
making accessibility a reality in America. So as we celebrate this day, 
let us recommit ourselves as our Founding Fathers talked about equality 
of opportunity and as we have seen for the 200-plus years of the 
existence of our constitutional democracy, that periodically we've had 
to take steps to make sure that the promise of opportunity was the 
reality of opportunity.
  So, Speaker Langevin, congratulations to you. Congratulations to our 
country. Congratulations to our citizens as we all work together to 
make this a more perfect union.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1504, 
and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Today, we commemorate the 20th anniversary and enactment of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act and we celebrate also the positive 
changes in our workplaces, our public facilities and, indeed, in our 
Nation's understanding of the challenges and the triumphs of 
individuals with disabilities.
  The Americans with Disabilities Act is an example of bipartisanship 
at its best. Members on both sides of the aisle came together 20 years 
ago to craft meaningful protections for members of our society who, up 
until this law's enactment, had too often been denied the opportunities 
and accommodations necessary for them to thrive.
  In the 20 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act became law, 
we have seen firsthand the contributions made by individuals with 
disabilities when obstacles are removed and ignorance gives way to 
understanding. By simply leveling the playing field, our society is 
richer.
  This law has been a remarkable success, but with the passage of time 
came the need for improvements. That is why Members on both sides of 
the aisle came together once again in 2008 to modernize the law and 
ensure its protections today fulfill its promise made 20 years ago.
  I applaud the brave individuals who 20 years ago fought to shine a 
light on the discrimination and lack of basic access afforded to many 
individuals with disabilities. I applaud the legislators on both sides 
of the aisle who heard those stories and who responded with this 
landmark legislation. I also applaud the employers, State and local 
governments, and facilities owners across the Nation that have taken 
the letter and the spirit of this law to heart and opened their doors 
and extended their opportunities to all Americans, regardless of 
disability.
  Today, we take the time to appreciate how this House and, indeed, how 
our Nation as a whole has benefited from the Americans with 
Disabilities Act. I am pleased to join my colleagues in support of this 
resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1504, which 
recognizes and honors the 20th anniversary of the signing of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the most historic piece of 
legislation affecting the civil rights of people with disabilities in 
our Nation's history.
  Prior to its passage, too many people with disabilities received 
unequal treatment, didn't have the same kinds of opportunities as 
others Americans, faced inaccessible facilities and services, in both 
the public and private sectors. Many Americans with disabilities faced 
discrimination in education and employment, couldn't support their 
families, couldn't access jobs. As a result, Americans with 
disabilities were denied the opportunity to fully participate in 
society because they were not afforded the same rights that other 
Americans take for granted.
  The hard work of disability advocates and Members of Congress, many 
of whom are being recognized today, past and present, culminated with a 
bipartisan effort to craft and pass the Americans with Disabilities 
Act. Since its passage, the ADA has worked to fulfill the Nation's 
goals of equal opportunity, independent living, economic self-
sufficiency, and full participation. The ADA prohibits discrimination 
against individuals with disabilities across all sectors of society. It 
reduces barriers and promotes access and helps people with 
disabilities. That means our friends, our families, and ourselves fully 
participate in society.
  More than 50 million Americans directly benefit from the ADA. While 
there's undoubtedly more work to be done to ensure full inclusivity of 
all people with disabilities, today we celebrate a major milestone 20 
years of civil rights under this act that affirm its ideals and the 
work ahead.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Leader Hoyer for introducing this 
important resolution and, once again, express my support for House 
Resolution 1504, honoring the 20th anniversary of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to my 
distinguished colleague from the State of Wisconsin, F. James 
Sensenbrenner.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, first, congratulations on setting 
history today by presiding over the House of Representatives. I promise 
you that there will be no points of order from the Republican side 
while you're in the chair.
  I also rise to support House Resolution 1504, which celebrates the 
20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  It is important to acknowledge the achievements the disability 
community and its allies have accomplished in the past two decades. 
This anniversary represents another positive step taken in ensuring 
that all Americans are included in our communities and places of work.
  It has been a long road to guarantee that our fellow Americans find 
equal protection under the law. Upon the signing of the ADA, President 
George H.W. Bush said, ``Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally 
come tumbling down.'' Through bipartisan efforts, the societal barriers 
that for far too long kept disabled Americans from fully participating 
in our communities did indeed crumble with the passing of one of the 
most effective civil rights laws ever.
  Because of this monumental piece of legislation, our country has been 
able to capitalize on the talents of millions of Americans with 
disabilities in the workplace. The ADA has protected the rights of 
children and students who once encountered educational discrimination 
and barriers. The accessibility of buildings, public transportation, 
and sidewalks has made our society more inclusive. The achievements of 
the ADA and the thousands of advocates who fought tirelessly for its 
passage represent the country's endless commitment to empower all 
American citizens with disabilities with the capacity to fully 
participate in his or her community.
  In response to several Supreme Court decisions that restricted ADA 
coverage for individuals with diabetes, epilepsy and cancer, to name a 
few, in 2008 Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Amendment 
Act.

                              {time}  1440

  This legislation broadened the definition of ``disabled'' and brought 
more people with disabilities under the umbrella of protection and 
reaffirmed Congress' promise to integrate people with disabilities.
  Furthermore, it's important to recognize the change in societal 
attitudes towards people with disabilities as a result of the ADA. 
Since its passage, more and more Americans enjoy increased educational 
and employment opportunities. These opportunities have produced higher 
graduation rates and higher employment rates.
  Because of the ADA, the disabled are no longer confined to isolation. 
We now see our fellow Americans with disabilities in our restaurants, 
movie theatres, sporting events, schools, and places of work. As of 
today, this Congress will see a fellow Congressman from Rhode Island 
and quadriplegic, Mr. Langevin, preside over the House.
  Because of changes made to the Speaker's rostrum, this House now 
joins the ranks of thousands of buildings across the Nation that have 
made architectural changes which serve to increase accessibility for 
people with

[[Page 13943]]

disabilities. This is a proud moment for this Congress and reflects the 
progress that has been made in the past two decades.
  The ADA, along with passage of the ADA Amendments Act, reminds us 
that this progress has been made over the last 20 years, as well as the 
continued effort that must be made to advocate for people with 
disabilities who still experience discrimination.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in passing House Resolution 1504.
  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, it's my honor to yield 7 minutes to the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy).
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, my good friend and colleague, Mr. Langevin, 
I rise to support H. Res. 1504, commemorating the ADA.
  Mr. Speaker, you are the embodiment of what the ADA meant to 
accomplish. To accomplish the great mission of America, to widen the 
circle of opportunity for more and more Americans to participate in the 
American Dream. Your service in Congress exemplifies the rawest 
elements of the American Dream, the potential that exists when we are 
lifted by what we believe in ourselves rather than what we are told by 
others.
  That spirit of possibility also represents the best of America 
itself. However daunting appear the challenges that loom before us, we 
must not forget that our Nation was built on possibility and founded on 
the principles of overcoming overwhelming obstacles. The true strength 
of our Nation is derived not only from the fact that we are the most 
diverse Nation in the world, but we are also the most inclusive Nation 
in the world.
  In much of the world, minority populations continue to be persecuted 
and discriminated against. Yet in America, people exercise their right 
guaranteed under the Constitution and the 1965 Voting Rights Act to 
cast their ballot for Barack Obama, who received more votes from more 
Americans than any other previous Presidential candidate in American 
history.
  It's nearly 50 years ago that my uncle entered the White House, and 
among the many challenges he issued to the American people was the 
Civil Rights Act. The true strength of our Nation is not derived only 
from the fact that that is our big challenge, but that we must keep it 
going forward.
  He said, ``The heart of the question is whether all Americans are to 
be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities, whether we are going 
to treat our fellow Americans as we want to be treated. If, in short, 
he cannot enjoy the full and free life which all of us want, then who 
among us would be content to have the color of his skin changed,'' or, 
in this case, to have the physical condition that they are in changed 
and abide by that situation that they are living in. As he goes on, 
``Who among us would be content with the counsels of patience and 
delay?''
  With this anniversary of the ADA, perhaps it's timely to think about 
all the new ranks of those with disabilities, our returning veterans 
suffering from TBI and PTSD. I will never forget the day we passed the 
mental health parity bill. The most eloquent speech that I heard that 
day was given by none other than the man in the rostrum, Jim Langevin. 
He came down to the floor of the House. He said to his colleagues, All 
of you see my disability; I am in a wheelchair.
  But for millions of Americans, the disability they face is no less 
paralyzing in their lives. This disability comes in the form of a 
neurological disorder, a brain illness. To them, they have a very real 
disability, but we don't treat it as such. That's why we need to pass 
legislation prohibiting discrimination against the mentally ill.
  Jim Langevin carried the day on that mental health parity bill. I 
will always be grateful for that.
  Today, we stand at the new frontier, as my uncle said, of the 
possibility of scientific breakthrough to help our veterans through 
their traumatic brain injury and their posttraumatic stress disorder. I 
say that the new challenge of the disability movement is not to stand 
by with the patience and delay that too many of us have witnessed when 
it comes to research.
  Now, research can seem something esoteric, but research isn't 
esoteric to someone who is paralyzed in a wheelchair, who is looking 
forward to the day when we can regenerate the spinal cord and allow 
them to step out of that wheelchair. Research, to someone with 
Alzheimer's, for them to be able to restore their memory and restore 
their ability to come back to their family, that's as personal as it 
gets. Research that allows us to reconnect the wirings in the brain for 
a family who has children with autism.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Rhode Island.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Neil Armstrong, in his famous quote when he landed on 
the Moon--an objective that no one thought was realistic when President 
Kennedy made the challenge earlier that decade. They thought it was 
impossible. But the United States got behind that mission, and we 
carried the day because we are the United States.
  How fitting it would be if we could apply Neil Armstrong's quote to 
not only putting a man on the Moon, but apply that quote, ``One small 
step for man; one giant leap for mankind,'' to those veterans when it 
comes to them being able to say, I stepped out of my wheelchair. I was 
able to step out of my bed. I was able to step out of my house because 
this country went ahead with science. Nothing is more personal.
  In about 3 weeks, I am going to celebrate, in a sense, my father's 
life once again--the anniversary of his passing. What people don't know 
is that I marvel at the fact that I had an extra year with my dad that 
no one had expected because a neurosurgeon gave me that year. To me, 
that neurosurgeon and modern science gets as personal as it can get, 
because it gave me someone I loved for an extra year.
  Ladies and gentlemen, let's harness the innovation technology that we 
have on behalf of our veterans. If we don't have an urgency on behalf 
of them to work to set them free from being prisoners of their war 
injuries, held hostage from their trauma of serving this country, then 
what are we going to get worked up for?

                              {time}  1450

  Ladies and gentlemen, I want to thank people like Jim Langevin who 
have fought the fight and been an example. Isn't it time we continue to 
stand by them and continue that fight? Let's pass this resolution, but 
let's rededicate ourselves to taking this fight not only to helping 
make sure people don't fall behind, but also making sure that they move 
forward to a brighter future, something that they can look forward to. 
That's what America has been all about.
  Thank you, Jim. It's been an honor to serve with you. I look forward 
to many years ahead of your serving this great country of ours.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to our 
colleague from the State of Washington, Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, let me join in saying 
congratulations. It's very fitting and appropriate that you are in the 
Speaker's chair today. You truly are an inspiration to us all.
  I want to join in the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA, which was signed 20 years ago 
today, was one of the most important civil rights achievements in 
American history. For me, it represents empowerment and it represents 
independence. That is what our laws should encourage, opportunity and 
independence for all.
  This landmark bill gave 50 million Americans--including my son Cole, 
who was born with Down Syndrome 3 years ago--the opportunity to live 
the American dream. Through the ADA, Cole and so many others like him 
were given the chance to fully participate in our society, including 
better opportunities for education, employment, and independent living. 
And as Cole's mom, I am so thankful for the many who have worked hard 
many, many years so that my son, in 2010, could have more 
opportunities, more resources, and more support than ever.

[[Page 13944]]

  This was a bipartisan effort, supported by Democrats and Republicans 
in Congress, signed by a Republican President. And I want to thank the 
Members who are still in Congress, including Majority Leader Hoyer and 
Representative Sensenbrenner, as well as former Majority Whip Tony 
Coelho, for their tremendous leadership on this issue.
  I also want to thank the incredible disabilities community in 
America, a community that welcomed me and my family with open arms, for 
all the work they have done organizing and advocating for this bill. 
They are ordinary citizens who, by working together, achieved 
extraordinary things.
  We have come a long way in 20 years, but we still have a long way to 
go. Let's use today's anniversary as an inspiration for creating a more 
perfect union for Americans with disabilities and for all Americans.
  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this 
opportunity to recognize and commemorate the twentieth anniversary of 
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
  In 1990, then-President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with 
Disabilities Act into law. It was the most significant federal civil 
rights legislation since the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting 
Rights Act of 1965, both signed by President Lyndon Johnson. And 
overall it has been a tremendous success.
  The ADA was enacted to protect individuals with disabilities from 
being discriminated against in employment, public entities and 
transportation, public accommodations, and telecommunications. It 
created a promise of inclusion and equal opportunity, so that all 
Americans can live up to their full potential, encouraging and enabling 
individuals with disabilities to participate in the social and economic 
fabric of American life. As a result of the ADA, millions more people 
with disabilities are working, living independently, and actively using 
public accommodations that so many of us take for granted.
  But it was not the first legislation to do so.
  Mr. Speaker, in the early 1980s, when I was a member of the Virginia 
General Assembly, sixty-four disability organizations formed a 
coalition known as INVEST--INsure Virginians Equal Status Today--to 
pass a state statute in Virginia to protect individuals with 
disabilities from discrimination. I was a Member of the Senate 
Committee on General Laws, the Committee that considered the 
legislation, and we dealt with many of the central issues that needed 
to be addressed, such as what constitutes a reasonable accommodation. 
We worked through all of those issues, and the Virginians with 
Disabilities Act was signed into law by former Gov. Charles S. Robb in 
1985.
  Today the Act protects nearly one million residents of the 
Commonwealth of Virginia. This Act acknowledged that ``it is the policy 
of the Commonwealth to encourage and enable persons with disabilities 
to participate fully and equally in the social and economic life . . 
.'' and it protects Virginians with disabilities from discrimination in 
employment, education, housing, voting, and places of public 
accommodation. It preceded the federal Americans with Disabilities Act 
by five years, and many of the key concepts in the Virginia statute 
formed the basis of the ADA. The landmark Virginians with Disabilities 
Act is the Commonwealth's commitment to encourage persons with 
disabilities to participate fully in the social and economic life of 
the Commonwealth.
  Five years later, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was 
enacted to protect all Americans against discrimination on the basis of 
disability.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud that 20 years later we are able to look back 
upon the passage of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and 
recognize the importance of this legislation and the changes it has 
made in American society. But our work is not yet done. The law is 
stable yet it cannot stand still; it must continue to evolve. On this 
20th anniversary of the ADA, while we acknowledge the progress we have 
made, we must also examine the challenges that still remain. We must 
continue to revisit the ADA and to examine whether it is accomplishing 
its purpose to the fullest extent possible, and when we find that it is 
not, we must be willing to make the changes necessary to do so.
  One recent example of this willingness occurred last Congress when we 
passed the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008, which 
was signed into law by President George W. Bush and became effective on 
January 1st, 2009. The ADA Amendments Act restored the ADA to Congress' 
original intent by clarifying that coverage under the ADA is broad and 
covers anyone who faces unfair discrimination because of a disability, 
and it overturned several court decisions that held that people with 
disabilities would lose their coverage under the ADA simply because 
their condition is treatable with medication or can be addressed with 
the help of assistive technology.
  That legislation was the direct result of the business and disability 
communities working together to rectify a problem that was created by 
the courts. It is my hope that this kind of commitment, determination 
and cooperation will continue into the future until we have broken down 
all barriers to individuals with disabilities.
  Today, we break another barrier, because Congress has taken a step 
toward greater accessibility by making the House rostrum wheelchair 
accessible for the first time. I would like to recognize my friend and 
colleague, Congressman James R. Langevin, who today presided over the 
House Floor as Speaker Pro Tempore, as is his right and honor as a 
member of Congress.
  It is my hope that we will continue to break down barriers in the 
Halls of Congress, on Main Street U.S.A., and throughout the world.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1504, 
a resolution recognizing and honoring the 20th anniversary of the 
enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I am proud to 
cosponsor this important legislation, introduced by the distinguished 
Majority Leader (Mr. Hoyer).
  On July 26, 1990, upon signing this landmark civil rights law, 
President George H. W. Bush stated that the ADA ``promises to open up 
all aspects of American life to individuals with disabilities--
employment opportunities, government services, public accommodations, 
transportation, and telecommunications.'' As we celebrate 20 years 
since its enactment, we have an opportunity to reflect on the successes 
of the ADA.
  The ADA has helped to expand and enhance opportunities for over 50 
million Americans with disabilities by removing barriers to employment 
and essential services. Thanks to the public accommodations required by 
the ADA, individuals with disabilities are able to more fully 
participate in our society, and to enjoy the freedom that comes with 
independent living and economic self-sufficiency.
  Congress included transportation-specific requirements in the 1990 
Act because accessible transportation services ensure that all 
Americans with disabilities can enjoy extraordinary freedom of 
mobility. Without reliable transportation, many individuals with 
disabilities would not be able to access the significant public 
accommodation improvements that have occurred in cities and towns 
across the country as a result of the ADA. Specifically, the ADA 
required public transit systems, passenger rail systems, and over-the-
road bus operators to modify their vehicles and facilities to make them 
accessible to individuals with disabilities.
  Congress set an aggressive timeline for public transit vehicles and 
facilities to achieve ADA compliance. One month after enactment of the 
ADA, all new trains and buses were required to be constructed as fully 
ADA compliant; any refurbishing of buses or trains that took place one 
month after enactment had to include ADA retrofits. Three years after 
enactment, all readily achievable key subway, commuter rail, and light 
rail station alterations were to be completed in order to bring these 
systems into substantial compliance with the ADA. As of today, every 
single key transit station is required to have been retrofitted to be 
in full compliance with ADA.
  The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has been vigilant 
in its oversight of the implementation of the transportation 
requirements of the ADA. The majority of our nation's public transit 
systems have met their ADA requirements. According to the Government 
Accountability Office (GAO), only 36 percent of transit buses in urban 
areas were ADA compliant in 1989, but that number rose to 97 percent in 
2005, and is closer to 100 percent today. While this marks good 
progress, more needs to be done to ensure that any public transit 
systems that are not fully accessible are brought into compliance as 
soon as possible.
  In the 110th Congress, the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure advanced H.R. 3985, the ``Over-the-Road Bus 
Transportation Accessibility Act of 2007'' to ensure that motorcoach 
accessibility regulations promulgated by the Department of 
Transportation (DOT) in 1998 were being implemented. DOT had failed to 
enforce its own regulations for a decade, based on an interpretation 
that any enforcement must be carried out by the Department of Justice. 
However, the Department of Justice does not conduct vehicle inspections 
and did not have a mechanism to identify operators who were out of 
compliance. H.R. 3985, which was signed by the President on July 30, 
2008, closed this loophole and prohibited DOT from granting 
registration authority to

[[Page 13945]]

a motorcoach company who is not willing and able to comply with the 
accessibility regulations and gave DOT express enforcement authority.
  In the 110th Congress, the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure also advanced legislation to help Amtrak, our national 
passenger railroad, to come into compliance with the ADA. The Passenger 
Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-432) 
required Amtrak to conduct an evaluation of the condition of Amtrak's 
stations and its plan for making them readily accessible and usable by 
persons with disabilities and fully compliant with the ADA. The law 
also authorized funding for Amtrak to improve the accessibility of 
facilities, including rail platforms and services, and required the 
Federal Railroad Administration to monitor and conduct periodic reviews 
of Amtrak's compliance with the ADA.
  In FY 2008, Amtrak provided intercity passenger rail service to a 
record number of 28.7 million passengers across 46 States over a 21,095 
mile network owned by freight railroads, commuter railroads, 
governmental authorities, and Amtrak. Amtrak provided service to 515 
stations; 481 of those stations are required to be ADA-compliant by 
July 26, 2010. In 2008, however, Amtrak announced that it would not be 
able to meet the legislative deadline for compliance with the ADA. 
Instead, the railroad presented a plan for coming into compliance over 
the next five years, and has requested additional funds to implement 
this plan for FY 2010 and again this year. Since releasing that plan, 
however, Amtrak has determined that funding may not be the main source 
of concern. Rather, Amtrak continues to face challenges in defining 
what work is necessary to comply with the ADA and in forming work 
agreements with its partners--the freight railroads, commuter 
railroads, and governmental authorities--at each station, some of which 
Amtrak does not own. As Chairman of the Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee I find this news distressing, and I intend to 
hold a hearing this fall to determine what is blocking Amtrak from 
coming into full compliance with the ADA.
  Finally, in 2008, this body passed H.R. 3195, a bill to restore 
protections for a wide range of individuals with disabilities (such as 
those with epilepsy, diabetes and cancer) by overturning judicial 
decisions that had narrowed the scope of the ADA as intended by 
Congress. I was pleased that the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure played a role in shepherding these important amendments 
through the House, which were signed by the President on September 25, 
2008.
  The modifications made by Congress since 1990 have strengthened the 
original Act. We must continue to aggressively monitor the 
implementation of the ADA and subsequent amendments to ensure that all 
Americans are granted access and equality under the law.
  I commend the distinguished Majority Leader for his tireless work 
over the last 20 years on behalf of Americans with disabilities, and I 
urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1504.
  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1504, 
which recognizes and honors the 20th anniversary of the enactment of 
the Americans with Disabilities Act. I am proud to co-sponsor H. Res. 
1504, and I thank my colleague, Majority Leader Hoyer, for introducing 
this legislation.
  The Americans with Disabilities Act is truly a historic piece of 
legislation. When it became law 20 years ago, it extended civil rights 
to individuals with disabilities, and prohibited employers from 
discriminating against qualified disabled persons. The Americans with 
Disabilities Act also requires reasonable accommodations to be made to 
workplaces so that they are more accessible to people with 
disabilities.
  The Americans with Disabilities Act has helped over 50,000,000 
Americans lead fuller lives by removing barriers to employment, 
transportation, public services, and telecommunications.
  However, Mr. Speaker, this anniversary also serves as a reminder that 
there is still work to be done. People with disabilities are twice as 
likely to live in poverty and much more likely to be unemployed than 
their able-bodied peers.
  We must also continue to work on eliminating all discrimination in 
the workplace. No qualified individual should be denied a job or a 
promotion solely on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national 
origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 
1504, and honoring the 20th anniversary of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act.
  Mr. NADLER of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House 
Resolution 1504, recognizing and honoring the 20th anniversary of the 
enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
  Heralded at its signing in 1990 as an ``emancipation proclamation for 
people with disabilities,'' the goals of the ADA are lofty and embody 
core principles that have made this nation great--equality of 
opportunity, independence, and integration.
  Through broad non-discrimination directives aimed at employers, 
government entities, and places of public accommodation--and 
requirements of reasonable accommodation and modification that are 
designed to dismantle architectural and societal barriers--the ADA has 
transformed our world.
  Some of those changes are visible--lifts on buses, elevators in 
subway stations, power-assisted and wider doors, designated parking 
spots, curb cuts, and closed-captioning. Others are not so visible, but 
are powerfully important nonetheless.
  These less-visible changes--the slow breakdown of disabling 
stereotypes, myths, prejudice, and stigma--are also happening because 
of the increased access and opportunity made possible by the ADA. As we 
witness and benefit from the contributions of family members, 
colleagues, and neighbors with disabilities, outdated and misguided 
beliefs are challenged and changed.
  While we still have a long way to go, our passage of the ADA 
Amendments Act of 2008 is yet another mark of our progress on this 
front. Through the ADA Amendments Act, we responded to the Supreme 
Court's unduly narrow interpretation of the definition of 
``disability'' and reaffirmed our commitment to focusing on abilities--
the ability to do a job, to participate in programs, services, or 
activities, or to thrive in a community-based setting--rather than the 
severity of our limitations.
  Our collaboration on the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which was passed 
by an overwhelming majority of the House, illustrates an enduring 
bipartisan commitment to achieving the full civil rights for Americans 
with disabilities.
  Thus, as House Resolution 1504 recognizes, we have much to celebrate 
on this twentieth anniversary of the ADA's enactment. Yet as it also 
reminds us, we have not reached the finish line, and much work remains.
  We must continue working to end the unnecessary institutionalization 
of people with disabilities. Just last week, the House Judiciary 
Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, which 
I chair, heard testimony from Casandra Cox as part of our hearing to 
commemorate the ADA's twentieth anniversary. Ms. Cox was placed in an 
adult home following a short hospitalization. Despite her requests for 
assistance in finding an appropriate community-based placement, Ms. Cox 
remained in that home for nearly three years until she was able--
through persistence and good luck in being selected for a state pilot 
program--to find a community-based placement where she has thrived.
  The ADA's promise of integration and independence should not depend 
on persistence or on luck.
  More than 10 years ago, in Olmstead v. L. C., the Supreme Court 
declared that unnecessary institutionalization violates the ADA and 
that the states must ensure that individuals receive services in the 
least restrictive setting possible. Yet thousands of individuals who 
can and should receive services in community-based settings remain 
warehoused in large institutions.
  This remains true despite the fact that former residents are thriving 
in supportive settings at costs that are lower than, or equal to, the 
costs of institutional care.
  Work to make public transit systems and brick and mortar structures 
accessible also remains unfinished. Twenty years after the ADA required 
readily achievable changes to existing structures and set out standards 
for new buildings, many brick and mortar facilities remain 
inaccessible. And while we have made great strides in our public 
transit systems, significant gaps and ongoing problems remain. 
Continued non-compliance with Titles II and III of the ADA is 
inexcusable. While we should continue to pursue proposals that promote 
voluntary compliance, like the Department of Justice's Project Civic 
Access, we should rightly reject measures--like the ADA Notification 
Act--that threaten the ADA's promise of access and integration.
  Even as we press forward to ensure greater access to physical places, 
and programs and services, we cannot lose sight of the need to ensure 
that evolving technologies are also accessible. In the twenty years 
since the ADA's passage, technology has revolutionized the way we work, 
learn, shop, and socialize. While these advances ultimately may offer 
individuals with disabilities unprecedented access and opportunities, 
we have yet to see that full potential realized.

[[Page 13946]]

  During a hearing in April focusing on access to emerging technology 
as a civil rights issue under the ADA held by my Subcommittee, we urged 
the Department of Justice to issue regulations and additional guidance 
to achieve greater compliance with the ADA's equal access obligations 
with regard to the internet and other evolving technologies. 
Immediately following the Constitution Subcommittee's ADA Anniversary 
hearing last week, where we once again pressed the Department of 
Justice to issue clarifying regulations, the Department issued an 
advanced notice of proposed rulemaking regarding website accessibility. 
This is welcome news and will ensure that individuals with disabilities 
are not left behind as greater numbers of businesses, schools, and 
public entities rely upon this technology to communicate and to provide 
goods and services to the public.
  As we continue working on these and other challenges that lie ahead, 
I urge you to join me in celebrating the progress that we have 
achieved--and in affirming our enduring and bipartisan commitment to 
achieving the ADA's full promise--by voting for passage of House 
Resolution 1504.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 
recognition of the 20th anniversary of the Americans with disabilities 
Act and its mission to make this nation more inclusive of individuals 
with disabilities.
  Over the past 20 years we've made remarkable progress. From increased 
availability of Braille to wheel chair accessibility in buildings and 
roads, accommodations have been made to improve the ability of disabled 
individuals to more easily function in the day-to-day tasks we take for 
granted.
  In addition to the physical assistance that the ADA offers, it sends 
a larger message that individuals with disabilities make significant 
contributions to our society. It was not that long ago that a 
disability caused severe limits of career, education, housing and 
lifestyle. Every American deserves the opportunity and accessibility to 
succeed, and the ADA has made immense strides towards that goal.
  However, we must recognize this anniversary as an opportunity to 
continue those efforts. As our society advances in technology it also 
provides new obstacles to many of those with disabilities. Technology 
is remarkable, but we must ensure it is safe and accessible. As society 
evolves so must the ADA.
  Today as we celebrate our accomplishments we commit ourselves to a 
bright future for the millions of disabled individuals who have been 
assisted by the ADA. I strongly support H. Res. 1504 and urge its 
passage.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, today we mark the 20th anniversary of 
one of the most defining and effective civil rights law passed by 
Congress--the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
  More than twenty years ago, Americans with disabilities were too 
often denied the opportunity to fully participate and integrate into 
our society due to intolerance and unfair stereotypes. Because of this 
discrimination, they encountered lower employment rates, lower 
graduation rates, and higher rates of poverty than people without 
disabilities. With the ADA, new opportunities were open for millions of 
Americans with disabilities by making essential services such as 
housing, buildings, transportation, and other daily needs more 
accessible. Individuals with disabilities were given an opportunity to 
succeed in the workplace and in life.
  Though we have made progress in improving access in all aspects of 
life for Americans with disabilities, many continue to confront 
barriers that inhibit them from fully participating in our society by 
facing inequalities in education, transportation, housing and 
technology. We must continue to work to ensure that individuals with 
disabilities are not denied the opportunities that people without 
disabilities enjoy. Just a few years ago, Congress passed legislation 
in a bipartisan manner that restored the original intent of the ADA 
after the Federal courts slowly chipped away at the broad protections 
of the law.
  The House is leading by example in honoring the ADA's mission of 
inclusion and equal opportunity. Today, Representative Langevin is 
presiding over the House floor due to recent modifications to the 
Speaker's Rostrum that enables him and all future Members in 
wheelchairs to do so. They haven't been able to do so in the past. I 
congratulate Representative Langevin on this achievement and commend 
his hard work in making this day happen.
  Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the anniversary of a law that has 
transformed this country since 1990, let us recommit ourselves to 
ensuring that all Americans with disabilities live as independent, 
self-sufficient members of our society.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker. I rise today in strong support 
of H. Res. 1504, ``Recognizing and honoring the 20th anniversary of the 
enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990'', introduced 
by my distinguished colleague from Maryland, and Majority Leader, 
Representative Hoyer.
  The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is one of the most 
important pieces of civil rights legislation in the last few decades, 
and has had overwhelmingly bipartisan support. It was implemented to 
``provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the 
elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities.'' 
It places an affirmative obligation on employers, government entities, 
and places of public accommodation to ensure that people with 
disabilities have an equal chance to participate in mainstream American 
life, and that reasonable accommodations be made to remove barriers 
that might prevent full participation in society by people with 
disabilities.
  In the twenty years since ADA's enactment, it has had an undeniable, 
positive impact on the lives of disabled Americans. People in 
wheelchairs now have access to places they could never go twenty years 
ago, or only with great difficulty--movie theaters, restaurants, 
clothing stores, and government buildings. Now, people who use service 
animals to participate in regular daily life are allowed to bring them 
where they previously couldn't. The disabled are no longer excluded 
from places of business, mass transit, or schools.
  Just as disabled Americans benefit directly from the improvements 
that the ADA has made in our society, so have we all benefited. Before 
the passage of the ADA, those Americans with disabilities were unable 
to meet their full potential, due to the physical barriers to education 
and employment. As they were denied the opportunity to participate in 
society, we were all deprived of their contribution to our economy, 
scholarship, research, and civic life. Today, we are better able to 
benefit from the contribution of all Americans; there is no better 
illustration than the fact that, today, Congressman Langevin presides 
from his wheelchair--raised to the Speaker's rostrum by a mechanical 
lift.
  Last week, the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil 
Rights, and Civil Liberties held a hearing on the ADA. We heard from 
our witnesses about the impact the ADA has had on their lives, some who 
grew up with the ADA and its benefits, and others who had previously 
been unaware of the ADA and found how important it was after a life-
changing event. The ADA has had a profound impact on American life, but 
there is still more to do.
  I join with Representatives Hoyer, Sensenbrenner, Langevin, and the 
other cosponsors of this resolution in honor of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act, and in their pledge to continue to improve the ADA 
and its impact on the lives of disabled Americans. I urge my colleagues 
to join me in that support.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. Res. 
1504, in recognizing and honoring the 20th anniversary of the Americans 
with Disabilities Act. The ADA is often described as the most sweeping 
nondiscrimination legislation since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I am 
a proud cosponsor of this resolution and urge my colleagues to join me 
in supporting this vital resolution.
  On July 26, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the ADA into law 
to ensure the civil rights of people with disabilities. This 
legislation established a clear and comprehensive mandate for the 
elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities. 
The ADA provides broad protections in employment, public services, 
public accommodations, services provided by private entities, and 
transportation services for individuals with disabilities.
  According to the 2009 U.S. Census Bureau statistics, approximately 50 
million Americans have disabilities. In my home state of Georgia, 
approximately one and a half million people have disabilities. On this 
day, as we celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the ADA, it is 
important to remember that all Americans--not just those with 
disabilities--benefit from the passage of the ADA. Disabilities do not 
discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, religion, income, or 
party lines.
  This anniversary gives us time to reflect on the progress that has 
been made since the ADA was enacted 20 years ago. I look forward to 
continuing to work with my colleagues in the House to ensure that ADA's 
purpose of providing equal opportunity, independent living, and full 
participation in all aspects of society for Americans with disabilities 
is fully realized. This resolution demonstrates the House's commitment 
to upholding the civil rights of those living with disabilities.
  I strongly support this resolution and urge my colleagues to do the 
same.
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 20th 
anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act 
(ADA).

[[Page 13947]]

   The ADA was a monumental achievement in the fight for equality for 
every American living with a disability.
   The ADA opened doors, literally and figuratively, for millions of 
Americans who faced limited opportunities to travel, work and receive 
an education.
   It may be difficult for younger people to imagine the obstacles 
endured by disabled Americans prior to the passage of the ADA, while it 
did not eliminate the challenges of living with a disability; its 
passage provided far greater access and renewed hope for millions.
   I want to offer my sincere thanks to those who contributed to the 
struggle for equal rights and equal access, a movement that ultimately 
resulted in the passage of the ADA. The efforts of disability support 
groups, non-profits, legislators and individuals across our Nation who 
advocated for changes represent the best in America. Their success 20 
years ago is a blueprint for improving lives today.
   Just as it is important to celebrate the freedoms and rights that 
our Nation offers, we must continue to advocate for the changes that 
are needed. As a nation, we should be proud of the rights that we have 
secured for our citizens, but never forget the struggle for those 
rights. I am committed to continuing the fight for equality for all 
Americans: with and without disabilities.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, in 1990, I cosponsored the Americans with 
Disabilities Act, legislation intended to prohibit discrimination 
against individuals with disabilities and ensure that they are able to 
claim their rightful place as equal members of our society.
  Our legislative mandate was purposefully ambitious. We sought--for 
once and for all--to prohibit unfair discrimination based on 
disability.
  Last week, at a hearing in the Subcommittee on the Constitution, 
Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, we heard from people whose lives 
have been changed by the Americans with Disabilities Act:
  Former Attorney General Dick Thornburgh, who both supervised the 
enforcement of the ADA in its infancy and has raised a son with a 
disability;
  Lt. Col. Gregory Gadson, a man with 20 years of active duty service 
who lost both legs in Iraq in 2007, and has recently been named the 
Director of the Army's Wounded Warrior Program;
  Adrian Villalobos, a young man from El Paso, Texas, whose spinal 
injury occurred shortly after the ADA was enacted;
  Casandra Cox, a woman with a mental disability who has advocated for 
housing for individuals with mental disabilities that fosters their 
independence and dignity;
  Cheryl Sensenbrenner, past board chair of the American Association of 
People with Disabilities;
  and Jonathan Young, the chairman of the National Council on 
Disability.
  Majority Leader Hoyer, Congressman Langevin, and Thomas Perez, the 
Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, also 
testified about the history and future of the ADA.
  Each witness had something unique to say about how the Americans with 
Disabilities Act has changed their lives, and what remains to be done 
to live up to the Act's mandate of inclusion, dignity and 
nondiscrimination.
  What have we learned in the 20 years since the Americans with 
Disabilities Act was passed?
  First, civil rights legislation has the power to create substantial 
and necessary change. Before the enactment of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act, individuals with disabilities were routinely 
discounted, and their gifts were routinely ignored.
  Fundamental human rights--the right to work, the right to live where 
you want to live, and the right to enter the stores, schools, and 
government buildings where everyone else shops, learns, and 
participates--were arbitrarily denied to individuals with disabilities.
  Those obstacles were created by ignorance, indifference, and actual 
prejudice. The effect was the creation of a second-class citizenry, 
excluded from society in all meaningful ways.
  We know that isolation breeds stigma. We also know that inclusion 
promotes productivity, mutual understanding, and equality.
  Civil rights legislation is built on creating a more just society, by 
empowering and requiring equal access to all that American society has 
to offer--to every individual.
  Second, the Americans with Disabilities Act reminds us that our 
concern with civil rights legislation does not end once a bill becomes 
law.
  The Act did not magically erase the barriers to equality for 
individuals with disabilities. All doors and all minds were not 
instantly opened wide enough to encompass this diverse group.
  Progress under the Act was slowed, and even blocked, by Supreme Court 
decisions that contravened our legislative intent, by narrowing the 
Act's scope and applicability, time and time again.
  But we came together, on both sides of the aisle and in both 
chambers, to make it clear that we meant what we said: Americans with 
disabilities must have complete legal equality.
  I proudly cosponsored the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments 
Act in response to those Supreme Court decisions, and ultimately, a law 
correcting the Court's misconstruction of the ADA was passed in 2008.
  This anniversary is a time to recognize one of our most significant 
civil rights achievements.
  But as the circumstances surrounding the ADA Amendments Act remind 
us, Congress must remain a vigilant steward of the civil rights laws we 
have passed.
  Third, we cannot celebrate our accomplishments without recognizing 
future challenges.
  One issue impeding the fulfillment of the Act's promise is the 
failure of some States to comply with their obligations to offer 
integrated housing, where appropriate, to persons with mental illness.
  The Olmstead case on this issue has correctly been called the Brown 
v. Board of Education for individuals with disabilities, because it 
condemned the practice of indiscriminately directing all individuals 
with mental disabilities into separate, segregated housing as 
inconsistent with the core purposes of the ADA.
  Segregation from mainstream society, default warehousing in 
institutions, and enforced dependence are unacceptable conditions to 
impose on individuals with mental disabilities who have the ability to 
live more independent and integrated lives.
  The Americans with Disabilities Act demonstrates that civil rights 
laws not only protect personal dignity, they enrich society as a whole.
  In these hard economic times, what can be more important than easing 
obstacles that prevent individuals with disabilities from becoming 
productive members of the workforce?
  We must continue to attend to the implementation of the Americans 
with Disabilities Act to ensure that future anniversaries can make us 
equally proud.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the Speaker and the 
Majority Leader in recognizing the 20th Anniversary of the Americans 
with Disabilities Act.
  First, I want to applaud you, Mr. Speaker, for making history today 
as the first American with disabilities to preside over this 
distinguished body. It is a truly inspiring sight and a reminder that 
the disabled are, of course, among the most active and functional 
members of our society. It is also a testament to the historic measure 
we are celebrating today.
  I also want to commend my friend from Maryland, the Majority Leader, 
who I know played a leading role in making this legislation a reality, 
and in ensuring that we come together across the aisle when necessary 
to make certain it continues to fulfill its original mission.
  Before the Americans with Disabilities Act, nowhere in the world was 
there a comprehensive declaration of equality for people with 
disabilities.
  In the medical community, people with disabilities are called 
``HANDY-CAPABLE'' because they strive and succeed in the face of great 
personal obstacles.
  There was a time, however, when that courage alone could not get them 
into their hometown theatres to see a movie, or their office buildings 
to apply for a job and provide for their families.
  Those wrongs were corrected on July 26, 1990 when President George 
H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law on the 
South Lawn of the White House.
  On that day, President Bush noted that it was roughly a year after 
the Berlin Wall came down and said that this legislation ``takes a 
sledgehammer to another wall, one which has for too many generations 
separated Americans with disabilities from the freedom they could 
glimpse, but not grasp.''
  For too long, our Nation kept Americans with disabilities dependent 
when all they yearned for was independence. The Americans with 
Disabilities Act has given them the tools to do just that--to quench 
their thirst for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It has 
changed the lives of millions, and it will continue to do so for 
generations to come.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to honor the 20th 
anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 
1990. The law prohibits discrimination by private and public 
institutions toward citizens with disabilities, mandating that any 
entity covered by the law take reasonable steps to make their property, 
lines of communication, and employment accessible to persons with 
disabilities. In the two decades since the law's

[[Page 13948]]

passage, it has opened the door for over 50 million Americans to 
participate more fully in day-to-day activities and to pursue 
opportunities in society. One out of every five American households has 
a family member who has a physical or cognitive disability. This 
historic bill expanded access to physical buildings and countless 
activities, easing the ability of these citizens to go about their 
daily lives freely without concern that they will be denied access to a 
school, shopping center, business, or communication device. Access is a 
freedom that everyone should enjoy, and I am proud to celebrate two 
decades of a law designed to promote this freedom for so many. I am 
proud that many of the accommodations that resulted from this law are 
considered commonplace now.
  My Congressional District has long supported the efforts to promote 
equal civil rights. Chicago has been a leader in the movement to 
improve the livelihood of Americans with disabilities. For example, the 
Chicago Transit System has implemented a comprehensive policy of 
equality by making 100 percent of the public buses wheel chair 
accessible, as well as improving service to meet the needs of the 
hearing impaired and the blind.
  There is still more that we must do to promote equal rights for 
persons with disabilities. The recent health care law included an 
important step forward with the inclusion of the Community First Choice 
Option, which allows States to include within their Medicaid State 
Plans an option to receive community-based services for individuals 
with disabilities who are eligible for nursing homes and other 
institutional settings. The Community First Choice Option gives people 
the choice to leave facilities and institutions for their own homes and 
communities with appropriate, cost effective services and supports. We 
must continue to work to encourage States to make this option a 
reality. We also must continue to work to make choice for receiving 
care in one's community mandatory at the federal level via passage of 
the Community Choice Act. We should build on the precedent set two 
decades ago with the enactment of the ADA by giving Americans with 
disabilities the freedom to choose where they live.
  Equality is a founding principle of our country. It has been an 
arduous process for many groups of people--from the Emancipation 
Proclamation to the Nineteenth Amendment for women's suffrage to the 
Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 
was another milestone in equality for our Nation. Thousands of 
individuals worked in earnest to make this law possible, and thousands 
continue to champion this law's implementation. For these efforts, we 
honor the 20th anniversary of the enactment of the revolutionary bill.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 20th 
Anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 
1990, which I deem to be one of the greatest civil rights laws ever 
passed by our Congress.
  Since the establishment of the Americans with Disabilities Act, more 
than 50 million Americans are able to more wholly enjoy their lives, 
thanks to the ongoing elimination of barriers on employment, public 
services, transportation, telecommunications and public accommodations.
  Prior to the passage of this Act, our disabled American citizens--
wounded warrior veterans, men, women and children--faced higher rates 
of poverty, lower graduation rates, significantly lower unemployment 
rates and were too often denied their right to fully participate in 
society.
  This Act made vital changes, prohibiting discriminating against 
qualified individuals with disabilities in the workplace; requiring 
state and local government entities to accommodate qualified 
individuals with disabilities; providing better access to many modes of 
public transportation; and requiring places of public accommodation to 
make their goods and services easily accessible to the disabled.
  While many great changes have been instituted since the passage of 
this act, there is still a lot of work to be done. In a nation as great 
as ours, it is a stunning reality that our disabled grandparents and 
parents, sons and daughters, and the wounded warriors who have so 
bravely served around the globe to preserve democracy and promote 
freedom, continue to struggle with inequalities that do not have to 
exist.
  I'm putting the Wounded Warrior Fellowship Program to work in our 
area to provide an employment opportunity for a wounded or disabled 
veteran living in southern West Virginia. There are 170,783 veterans in 
West Virginia--51,500 in our Congressional District alone--and that 
number is growing exponentially every day. These brave men and women 
returning from Iraq and Afghanistan face a 21 percent unemployment 
rate; add to that fact, the vulnerable position as a wounded or 
disabled soldier, and we know the challenges to secure a good paying 
job grow tremendously.
  It is our duty as leaders to support each and every one of our 
disabled Americans. While I salute this historic piece of legislation, 
I continue to work on a bipartisan basis, to help identify and address 
the remaining barriers against the disabled, which truly undermine 
America's goals and the ideals upon which our great country was 
founded.
  Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to rise today in 
honor of the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 
On July 26, 1990, thousands gathered on the South Lawn of the White 
House as former President George H.W. Bush signed into law legislation 
that would provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the 
elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities. 
This moment changed the lives of so many Americans, and I rise today to 
recognize the overwhelming importance of this law.
  Over the past 20 years, this law has allowed Americans with 
disabilities to have access to educational opportunities, employment, 
transportation, buildings, and community affairs that once presented 
insurmountable obstacles.
  In June of 2008, it was my honor to advance the cause of this 
legislation even further by voting in favor of the Americans with 
Disabilities Amendments Act, legislation which provides Americans with 
disabilities an even broader scope of freedom and protection. And 
today, it is my honor yet again to support a House Resolution 
recognizing and honoring this 20th anniversary of the original Act.
  Mr. Speaker, this law has improved the lives of millions of Americans 
with disabilities. But while we celebrate the freedom and opportunities 
provided by the ADA, we must also recognize that there is more work to 
be done. We should help all Americans, regardless of their physical or 
mental abilities. I am committed to continuing this work, and I look 
forward to working with my colleagues to ensure all people can reach 
their full potential.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, today marks 20 years since the historic 
Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. It is one of the 
most important pieces of civil rights legislation of the last quarter 
century. Passage of this groundbreaking law came as a result of the 
efforts of legions of activists. I want to recognize two individuals, 
in particular, who made ADA possible. The late Justin Dart, a true 
civil rights leader, was instrumental in the fight to pass the law that 
made discrimination against people with disabilities illegal. He showed 
us the path, and we continue to look to his lessons as we chart new 
ground. His spirit is with us on this anniversary and every day that we 
fight for justice for all.
  I also want to recognize Marca Bristo, who has been an unflagging 
national leader in the fight for people living with disabilities. I am 
lucky to call her a friend but Bristo has also been a teacher. She has 
educated untold numbers of people, including me, by opening our eyes to 
the barriers standing in the way of people with disabilities. Bristo 
has been at the helm of Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago for 
decades. As an organizer in the critical work of disability rights 
years before the ADA was passed in Congress, she, too, was incredibly 
influential in creating and shepherding the law to passage.
  Since ADA's passage, we have taken many steps to build on its 
foundation--and we've accomplished many of our goals in recent years. 
This includes a historic health care bill that will prevent insurance 
companies from denying coverage, dropping coverage, setting 
discriminatory annual or lifetime limits on benefits, or charging 
higher premiums to people with disabilities. We have passed mental 
health parity legislation. And we are providing more home- and 
community-based options for care.
  Yet, we cannot sit back and become comfortable with what we have 
achieved with--and since--passage of the ADA. We know we have much more 
left to do. Every person must be guaranteed full access to safe 
housing, good jobs, educational opportunities, quality health care, 
cutting edge technology, and economic prosperity. Our great country can 
be made even greater by providing every person with the opportunity to 
contribute and live comfortably in their community.
  We must work to enforce the ADA, not reward those who disobey it. 
There is simply no excuse for anyone who violates the Americans with 
Disabilities Act; laws that protect the rights those living with 
disabilities are no less important and no different from any other 
legal protection.
  We have to make sure that the Community Choice Act is passed and 
implemented, to further expand the infrastructure so individuals can 
get convenient, quality care in the settings that everyone prefers: at 
home and in our own communities.
  We must expand opportunities for independence. That is why I am the 
sponsor of H.R.

[[Page 13949]]

1408, the Inclusive Home Design Act, to require that new, single-family 
homes that get federal assistance meet minimum standards so those with 
disabilities can come and go freely and seniors can age in place. This 
is a common sense solution that ensures livability as well as sound 
economics. Building new homes that are accessible from the start cost 
several hundred dollars, while retrofitting can cost several thousand 
dollars or more--forcing some people to move into a nursing home.
  We must also expand the realms of access for people living with 
disabilities--especially to new technologies that did not exist at 
ADA's inception. Therefore, I am also a sponsor of H.R. 4533, the 
Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind Act, to require that consumer 
products like home appliances and office equipment are manufactured so 
that they are fully accessible to blind consumers.
  On this 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I 
wholeheartedly thank the countless individuals who worked tirelessly to 
lay the groundwork for ADA in the decades that preceded its passage. 
Without their passion and activism, we would not be celebrating today. 
I also thank those who continue the fight, and I look forward to 
helping to build upon the enormous successes of the ADA--in this 
Congress and in those to come.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, again I would like to encourage my colleagues 
to support this important step and march forward for civil rights in 
our country, celebrating the work behind us and getting to work to 
complete the task of ensuring that every American has access to the 
great opportunities this country offers.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1504, as amended.
  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. POLIS. 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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