[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12399]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOYCE BEATTY

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 23, 2015

  Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, since its enactment on July 26, 1990, the 
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has helped remove barriers to 
education, employment, and technology for people with disabilities.
  For a quarter-century, this landmark legislation has enabled people 
with disabilities to have the same civil rights and public use enjoyed 
by other citizens in all areas of public life.
  The signing of the ADA was a pivotal moment in history, not just for 
people with disabilities, but for all Americans.
  The ADA protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination 
and allows them to participate fully in the workforce and in their 
communities.
  Today, there are over 55 million people living with a disability in 
the United States.
  In my home state of Ohio, the Ohio County Boards of Developmental 
Disabilities serves more than 90,000 children and adults in all 88 Ohio 
counties and many more receive services from nonprofit partners and 
organizations.
  In the third congressional district of Ohio, we have outstanding 
centers, such as the Helping Hands Center for Special Needs, which 
strives to meet the educational and therapeutic needs of children with 
autism and other developmental disabilities.
  As it did twenty-five years ago in 1990, the ADA continues to help 
individuals with disabilities achieve their goals, realize their 
dreams, and give back to their communities.
  Today, I celebrate the strides we have made since the ADA's enactment 
and honor its goals of equality of opportunity, full participation, and 
high quality of life for Americans with disabilities.

                          ____________________