[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 144 (Friday, July 28, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 48715-48716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-16212]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 144 / Friday, July 28, 2023 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 48715]]


                Proclamation 10603 of July 25, 2023

                
Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities 
                Act, 2023

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Thirty-three years ago, the Congress passed the 
                Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)--one of the most 
                important civil rights laws in our history. Its 
                tireless champion, Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, 
                celebrated with a speech on the United States Senate 
                floor in American Sign Language. His remarks were not 
                only a tribute to his brother, who was deaf, but a 
                message to the millions of Americans with disabilities 
                that, in this country, everyone is equal and deserves 
                to be treated with dignity and respect. I was proud to 
                co-sponsor that landmark law back then, and I am proud 
                to celebrate its lasting legacy with a renewed push for 
                opportunity and justice today.

                It is hard for younger generations to imagine a world 
                without the ADA, but before it existed, if you were 
                disabled, stores could turn you away and employers 
                could refuse to hire you. Transit was largely 
                inaccessible. America simply was not built for all 
                Americans, but courageous activists pushed to change 
                that. In 1973, the Congress passed the landmark 
                Rehabilitation Act, banning discrimination by any 
                federally funded entity. Then, 17 years later, a 
                bipartisan group of legislators persevered in passing 
                the ADA, banning discrimination against people with 
                disabilities in most areas of public life, from the 
                workplace and public schools to public transit and 
                telecommunications.

                The ADA has had a profound impact, but we still have 
                much more work to do. Disabled Americans are still 
                three times less likely to have a job; and when they 
                do, they often earn less for doing the same work. 
                Voting locations, transit, and public spaces are too 
                often inaccessible. And we need to continue building a 
                culture that not only protects disability rights but 
                also celebrates disability pride.

                My Administration has worked hard to build on the ADA's 
                foundation. Soon after I came into office, I signed an 
                Executive Order advancing opportunities for people with 
                disabilities in the Federal workforce; and we are 
                helping State and local governments, employers, and 
                nonprofits tap Federal funds to hire more Americans 
                with disabilities as well. We ended the use of unjust 
                sub-minimum wages in Federal contracts, and the 
                Department of Labor is working around the clock to 
                protect the rights of disabled workers. The Department 
                of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services 
                also developed guidance for emergency responders to 
                better protect the rights of people with disabilities. 
                And to ensure that every American has the opportunity 
                to exercise their fundamental right to vote, I signed 
                an Executive Order directing agencies to make voter 
                registration and information about voting resources 
                more accessible.

                We are also rebuilding our Nation's infrastructure and 
                making transit and public spaces more accessible. Our 
                Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes our Nation's 
                biggest investment ever in accessible transit. This 
                includes $1.75 billion to repair and improve 
                accessibility in transit stations across America--
                including in some of our oldest and busiest railways. 
                This historic investment also expands access to high-
                speed Internet, so millions of disabled Americans can 
                work, study, and stay connected from home. The 
                Department of Transportation is working to improve air 
                travel for all, including for

[[Page 48716]]

                people who use wheelchairs. And the United States 
                Access Board is developing new guidelines under the ADA 
                that will improve the accessibility of sidewalks, 
                streets, crosswalks, and other public rights of way.

                We also know the isolation and loss of the pandemic hit 
                the disability community especially hard. That is a big 
                reason why we provided tens of billions of dollars to 
                States to expand Medicaid--an essential lifeline for 21 
                million Americans, including many in the disability 
                community. And last month, I worked with members of the 
                Congress to reach a bipartisan budget deal that 
                protects Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. I 
                also signed an Executive Order to improve jobs and 
                support for caregivers and provide more care options 
                for people with disabilities and their families. I 
                continue to urge States that have not yet expanded 
                Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to at least 
                cover residents who are currently locked out. And I 
                call on the Congress to improve and expand home- and 
                community-based services so more seniors and people 
                with disabilities can live independently in their own 
                homes.

                The ADA is an essential foundation to this continued 
                work--a reminder that we can still do big things in 
                America when we come together. For over 61 million 
                disabled Americans, it is much more than a law--it is 
                the key to equality, opportunity, and independence. And 
                for our country, it is a testament to our character and 
                commitment to keep pushing to finally realize the full 
                promise of America for all Americans.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of 
                the United States of America, by virtue of the 
                authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws 
                of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 26, 2023, 
                as the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities 
                Act. I encourage Americans to celebrate the 33rd year 
                of this defining moment in Civil Rights law and the 
                essential contributions of individuals with 
                disabilities to our Nation.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                eighth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2023-16212
Filed 7-27-23; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F3-P