[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: GEORGE W. BUSH (2001, Book I)]
[June 19, 2001]
[Pages 698-700]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks to Employees of the Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program
Technology Evaluation Center in Arlington, Virginia
June 19, 2001
Thank you all. Thanks. Be seated. Please be seated. Mr.
Secretary, thank you very much for your
hospitality and your leadership. Senator Jeffords, Congressmen Green, Horn, and Langevin, thank you all
for coming. It's good to see you all. These four Members of the United
States Congress have had a piece--a hand in the strategy that I'm about
to talk about, and I thank them for their leadership.
Dinah, thank you very much. It's always a
joy to be around somebody who loves what she's doing--an enthusiastic
soul, and someone who is making people's lives better. And I really
appreciate you having me here. I want to thank David Chu for his work, and I want to thank Rhett Dawson, as well, who is the president of the Information
Technology and Industry Council.
My fellow Americans, when the Americans with Disabilities Act was
signed in 1990, our Nation made a promise: We will no longer
underestimate the abilities of Americans with disabilities. We will
treat Americans with disabilities as people to be respected, rather than
problems to be confronted.
Our Nation has made progress in both attitude and law. Navigating
through buildings and buses is far easier than it was just a decade ago.
Now, the growth of new technologies creates new hopes and new obstacles.
The Internet brings a world of information into a computer screen,
which has enriched the lives of many with disabilities. Yet, technology
creates challenges of its own. The brilliant graphics that add life to
many Web pages can make it difficult for a visually impaired person to
get the information he or she needs from a Web site. Video technology is
turning many computers into television sets. Yet, without closed
captioning, many see a picture and no words. And complex keyboard
commands make it difficult for a person with impaired motor skills to
tap a computer's full potential. As a result, computer usage and
Internet access for people with disabilities is half that of people
without disabilities.
Researchers here at the Department of Defense and at other agencies
throughout the Federal Government and in the private sector are
developing solutions to these problems. I have just had the opportunity
to tour the Department's assistive technology center, and I saw
technologies that are helping people with disabilities enjoy the full
range of opportunities made possible by the technology boom. Software
allows hearing-impaired people to communicate with their coworkers by
computer.
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Screen reading technology makes it possible for the visually impaired to
access information on a monitor. And voice recognition software unlocks
new computing possibilities for people with impaired dexterity.
The technologies on display here have helped more than 20,000
Defense Department employees enjoy greater access to communications and
computing equipment. And they will help countless individuals in the
public and private sectors become fully integrated into the workplace.
I'm committed to bringing that technology to users as quickly as
possible, and I'm committed to ensuring that Government Web sites become
compatible with this evolving technology. And that is why I'm pleased to
announce that when Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, authored by
Jim Jeffords, becomes effective for all
Federal agencies next Monday, there will be more opportunities for
people of all abilities to access Government information. Section 508
requires Federal agencies to make sure that the electronic and
information technology they use is accessible for people with
disabilities.
Increasingly, Americans use information technology to interact with
their Government. They rely on thousands of Government Web pages to
download forms, learn about Federal programs, find out where to turn for
Government assistance, and communicate with elected officials, such as
the President. And because of Section 508, Government Web sites will be
more accessible for millions of Americans who have disabilities.
Section 508 will also make the Federal Government a better
employer, as roughly 120,000 Federal employees with disabilities will
have greater access to the tools they need to better perform their jobs.
This is one example of the successful public-private partnerships
that are removing barriers to full community participation by Americans
with disabilities. I thank the leaders from the technology industry who
are with us today for your innovation and your ongoing cooperation.
Full implementation of Section 508 is a key element of an agenda I
announced a year ago and began implementing in February. It is called
the New Freedom Initiative, and its goal is to prepare--is to help
Americans with disabilities realize their potential and to achieve their
dreams.
We've asked Congress to increase funding to bring assistive
technologies to market more quickly, to help make them more affordable
for the people who need them, and to speed research in developing new
technologies. We have sought to make it easier for Americans with
disabilities to enter the workforce by finding new ways to get people to
their jobs or relying on new technologies to help people work from their
home.
We recognize that small businesses and community groups like
churches, synagogues, mosques, and civic organizations may have trouble
finding the resources to fully comply with the ADA. So we've asked
Congress to support efforts to help them make their facilities more
accessible. And we understand that new policies will mean little if we
don't fully enforce the ADA. So my administration is doing just that.
While these Federal efforts are crucial to guaranteeing full
accessibility for Americans with disabilities, we must also help them
connect with their local communities. So I've signed an Executive order
requiring full implementation of the Supreme Court's 1999 Olmstead
decision. Olmstead and the ADA rightly mandate that individuals with
disabilities who can receive support and treatment in a community
setting should be given a reasonable opportunity to live close to their
families and friends when appropriate.
My Executive order directs key Federal agencies, like the
Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Labor, Health and Human
Services, Education, and Justice and the Social Security Administration
to work with States to implement the
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Olmstead decision and the ADA. It directs those Agencies to explore how
we can increase community-based services for people with disabilities,
and it directs Attorney General Ashcroft and
Secretary Thompson to fully enforce Title
II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and ensure that no one is
unjustly institutionalized. Secretary Thompson has also made seed money available to help every State
develop a plan for implementing Olmstead.
The Olmstead Executive order will increase freedom for people with
disabilities. It is compassionate; it is needed; and it is now the
Federal official policy of my administration. Americans must have the
opportunity to live independently, work productively, and participate
fully in community life.
Many Americans achieve this independence through homeownership. But
too often, the high cost of therapeutic care and assistive equipment and
technologies make the goal of homeownership unattainable for people with
disabilities. That's why I'm optimistic about a pilot program led
through the Congress by Representative Mark Green, and soon to be implemented by Secretary Mel
Martinez at HUD, that will allow many people
with disabilities to buy their own homes. By making the Section 8 low-
income rental assistance program more flexible, the Federal Government
can make homeownership a reality for more Americans.
The new Section 8 HUD pilot program, the Olmstead Executive order,
and the full implementation of Section 508 will help eliminate the
barriers that many Americans with disabilities face. The proposals I
sent to Congress will build on our society's commitment to welcome all
Americans as friends and neighbors. When governments, business, and
individuals work together to build a welcoming society, Americans of
every ability will benefit.
Thank you for what you're doing here at the Department of Defense.
Thank you for your compassion. And may God bless America.
Note: The President spoke at 10:19 a.m. in the auditorium at the
Pentagon. In his remarks, he referred to Defense Secretary Donald H.
Rumsfeld and Dinah Cohen, director, Computer/Electronic Accommodations
Program. The Executive order of June 18 on community-based alternatives
for individuals with disabilities is listed in Appendix D at the end of
this volume.