[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 30 (Monday, August 2, 1993)]
[Pages 1465-1466]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

 July 27, 1993

    It is great to see all of you. You know, I heard Tom's speech 
outside, and I want to say, first of all, how grateful I am, as an 
American, to Tom Harkin, and Steny Hoyer, and all of you who made the 
Americans with Disabilities Act a reality, but how much I owe, as a 
public servant, to Senator Harkin personally. You know, when we were on 
the campaign trail together, he made his brother the most famous brother 
in America--in a very beautiful way. And you need to know when he was up 
here speaking we've been killing time because his brother, Frank, is on 
the phone, and he doesn't have time to talk to me right now. [Laughter] 
His line is busy. This is true. His line's busy. We've been trying to 
call him which is great. It's great. It means that the thing is working. 
[Laughter] This is--yesterday, I guess, was the effective date when the 
telephone service had to be provided. So I'm so excited about that.

    While we're waiting for the line to clear, let me just--if I might 
make a few points. First, I want to reaffirm strong support of our 
administration for implementing and enforcing the act. Yesterday, the 
Attorney General and a number of other Cabinet members conducted some 
activities designed to clearly remove any ambiguity about that and to 
reenforce our commitment on that issue.

    The second thing I want to do is to--I know that Roy's already 
introduced them, but to say a special word of thanks to Americans with 
disabilities who happen to be part of this administration and to those 
who will be, including some in this room and some who are not in this 
room.

    Finally, let me say, we need your help because you have become a 
very powerful force. We need your help to pass this economic plan so we 
can get on with the rest of the business of the country, and then so we 
can get on the health care and try to deal with the issues of long-term 
care and personal services and empowerment, the kinds of things that are 
so important to--I heard Tom talking about the inclusion, independence, 
and empowerment. There are a lot of

[[Page 1466]]

Americans who need that, not just Americans with disabilities. And we 
have to go forward.

    And I know a lot of people, but none more than you, are eager to see 
this debate on health care begin. It cannot begin until we have a budget 
and economic plan in place. And there are many more things that we have 
to do which are also of interest to you that are especially important. 
We need a new crime bill. We need a bill that reforms the welfare 
system. It also works on empowerment. We need a whole series of things 
that we are eager to get on with doing. But first we have to nail this 
budgetary issue.

    I am especially interested in the health care debate, as you know. 
And I spoke with the First Lady this morning, as I do on most mornings--
[laughter]--and we were reviewing our days, and I told her that Tom and 
I were going to be here with you today. And she was very interested in, 
you know, the fact that we were going to do this and asked me to give 
you her best and to thank those of you who have been involved already 
with her in the health care task force in trying to work through these 
issues.

Note: The President spoke at 2:50 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of 
these remarks.