[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14357]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            ADA ANNIVERSARY

  (Mr. REICHERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, Monday we recognized the 20th anniversary 
of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It's important to recognize the 
work this country has done to ensure equality for people with 
disabilities, to make sure they experience a good quality of life; that 
their rights are protected; that they have access, resources, and tools 
to live fulfilled, productive lives.
  I am thankful for the leaders who fought for this law 20 years ago 
because it benefits people I love, family, friends, and coworkers. But 
Mr. Speaker, this Congress failed our disabled community miserably this 
year when it passed the health care overhaul, and it did so at a steep 
cost.
  Somehow this Congress thought, let's tax medical devices, tools that 
people with disabilities depend on every day. Was this the right thing 
to do? I don't think so. Some thought taxing pacemakers, hearing aids, 
prosthetics, and wheelchairs was okay, it's acceptable. If that isn't 
an example of broken government, I don't know what is. It's not okay. 
It's not acceptable. Taxing our disabled population is flat out wrong.

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