[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 30 (Monday, July 29, 2002)]
[Pages 1261-1263]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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

July 26, 2002

    Well, thank you all for coming, and welcome to the White House. We 
like to call this the people's house, and we're glad you're here. Today 
we celebrate the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 
landmark legislation that opens the door for more than 50 million people 
living with disabilities--50 million Americans.
    For 12 years, the ADA has proven that when people are treated with 
dignity and respect, our entire Nation benefits. And the best way to 
celebrate the progress the ADA has made is to continue and build on that 
progress.
    I want to thank the Attorney General for coming today. I thank 
Elaine Chao for being here, Mel Martinez and Norm Mineta, Tony 
Prinicipi, all members of my Cabinet. I appreciate Senator Bob Dole 
joining us today. I missed you yesterday in North Carolina, but thanks 
for coming. I appreciate so very much the leaders of the United States 
Congress who are here today with us, Senators and Members of the House 
of Representatives. Thank you all for taking time from what appears to 
be a pretty hectic time to lend your support and commitment to this 
vital goal, that all Americans are welcomed in America.

[[Page 1262]]

    I appreciate Dick Thornburg, who was the Attorney General when my 
dad was the President when the ADA was signed, and he helped very much 
make sure that it was all done in a way that would pass muster. I thank 
him for being here as well.
    I want to thank Cari Dominguez, who is the Chair of the Equal 
Employment Opportunity Commission, for coming; thank Kay James, who is 
the Director of Office of Personnel Management, for coming.
    I also want to thank Lex Frieden for being here as well. Lex is a 
representative of the Dart family. Justin Dart passed away on June 22d, 
2002. He was known by many as the father of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act. He had a huge impact on our Nation. We mourn his loss, 
and we thank Lex for being here.
    The ADA is one of the most compassionate and successful civil rights 
laws in American history. It has made our schools and workplaces more 
welcoming. It has changed attitudes that once seemed unchangeable. And 
the ADA has given opportunity to some exceptional Americans.
    Today I'm joined on stage by some exceptional Americans. They are 
participants in the National Youth Leadership Network, an organization 
sponsored by the Federal Government and committed to advancing the next 
generation of disability leaders. Through their hard work and 
determination, each of them embodies the true spirit of the ADA.
    William Le'Ron Jackson, seated right here to my right--oh, yeah. Let 
me tell you what he said: ``In spite of all the barriers I have 
encountered, I always hear my mother's voice saying, `Le'Ron, keep 
reaching up.' And that is exactly what I plan to do.'' This fall, Le'Ron 
is returning to college to continue reaching toward his goal of becoming 
a paralegal. When he's not studying, he's an active volunteer in his 
community. Le'Ron Jackson is an example of how the ADA changes lives. He 
is a role model for all Americans with and without disabilities. Thank 
you for being here.
    The ADA has given greater hope and dignity to countless Americans. 
Yet, our work is not complete. Too many individuals still find it 
difficult to pursue an education or own a home or hold a job. We must 
continue to remove the artificial barriers to achievement that remain.
    Last year, my administration unveiled the New Freedom Initiative, an 
effort to continue on the hopeful path of the ADA. This initiative gives 
people with disabilities increased access to new technologies for 
independent living, greater educational opportunities, better access to 
the workplace and community life.
    For too many individuals with disabilities, inadequate 
transportation limits access to schools and churches and jobs, and this 
is one obstacle the New Freedom Initiative addresses. The 2003 budget I 
submitted provides $145 million for alternative transportation and 
innovative transportation grants, so that people with disabilities can 
work and participate more actively in their communities. And I urge the 
Congress to fully fund my New Freedom Initiative budget requests.
    And when Americans with disabilities participate in their 
communities, they should not be penalized. Today, Medicare recipients 
who are considered homebound may lose coverage if they occasionally go 
to a baseball game--which, of course, I encourage them to do--
[laughter]--or meet with a friend or go to a family reunion. New 
technology is allowing even the most significantly disabled Americans to 
be more mobile. That's just a fact. And they should not be forced to 
trade their benefits for a little freedom. So today I announce we're 
clarifying Medicare policy, so people who are considered homebound can 
occasionally take part in their communities without fear of losing their 
benefits.
    We're also determined to help people like Le'Ron to their full 
potential, by expanding educational opportunities. In both my budgets, 
I've asked for increases in special education grant funding of $1 
billion. These are the largest increases ever proposed. In addition, I 
created the Commission on Excellence and Special Education, to recommend 
policies to improve the educational performance of students with 
disabilities. The Commission provided excellent recommendations in its 
recent report. And I look forward to working with Congress, and I hope 
Congress will closely examine those findings when it considers the 
reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

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    You know, when my father signed the ADA into law in 1990, he said, 
``We must not and will not rest until every man and woman with a dream 
has the means to achieve it.'' Today we renew that commitment, and we 
continue to work for an America where individuals are celebrated for 
their abilities, not judged by their disabilities.
    Again, I want to welcome you all here. I want to thank those who 
were pioneers in this landmark legislation for being here to celebrate 
this anniversary. I am now pleased to sign a proclamation in honor of 
the 12th anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act. Thank you for 
coming.

Note: The President spoke at 1:47 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House.