The History Book Club discussion

This is the thread to discuss the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992


President George H.W. Bush signing the Americans with Disabilities Act. Photo inscribed to Justin Dart, Jr., 1990. Image from the National Museum of American History

An upcoming book:
Release date: July 14, 2015

Enabling Acts: The Hidden Story of How the Americans with Disabilities Act Gave the Largest US Minority Its Rights

by Lennard Davis (no photo)

Synopsis:

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the widest-ranging piece of civil rights legislation ever passed in the history of the United States, and it has become the model for most civil rights laws around the world. The untold story behind the act is anything but a dry account of bills and speeches, however. Rather, it’s a fascinating story of how a group of leftist Berkeley hippies managed to make an alliance with upper-crust, conservative Republicans to bring about a truly bipartisan bill.

In this riveting account, acclaimed disability scholar Lennard J. Davis tells the behind-the-scenes and on-the-ground story of a too-often ignored or forgotten civil rights fight, while illustrating the successes and shortcomings of the ADA in areas ranging from employment, education, and transportation to shifting social attitudes. Published for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the ADA, this book promises to powerfully ignite readers in a discussion of disability rights in America.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities that are like those provided to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications.

I. Employment

* Employers with 15 or more employees may not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. For the first two years after July 26, 1992, the date when the employment provisions of the ADA go into effect, only employers with 25 or more employees are covered.

* Employers must reasonably accommodate the disabilities of qualified applicants or employees, unless an undue hardship would result.

* Employers may reject applicants or fire employees who pose a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals in the workplace.

* Applicants and employees are not protected from personnel actions based on their current illegal use of drugs. Drug testing is not affected.

* Employers may not discriminate against a qualified applicant or employee because of the known disability of an individual with whom the applicant or employee is known to have a relationship or association.

* Religious organizations may give preference in employment to their own members and may require applicants and employees to conform to their religious tenets.

* Complaints may be filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Available remedies include back pay and court orders to stop discrimination.

II. Public Accommodations

* Public accommodations such as restaurants, hotels, theaters, doctors' offices, pharmacies, retail stores, museums, libraries, parks, private schools, and day care centers, may not discriminate on the basis of disability, effective January 26, 1992. Private clubs and religious organizations are exempt.

* Reasonable changes in policies, practices, and procedures must be made to avoid discrimination.

* Auxiliary aids and services must be provided to individuals with vision or hearing impairments or other individuals with disabilities so that they can have an equal opportunity to participate or benefit, unless an undue burden would result.

* Physical barriers in existing facilities must be removed if removal is readily achievable (i.e., easily accomplishable and able to be carried out without much difficulty or expense). If not, alternative methods of providing the services must be offered, if those methods are readily achievable.

* All new construction in public accommodations, as well as in "commercial facilities" such as office buildings, must be accessible. Elevators are generally not required in buildings under three stories or with fewer than 3,000 square feet per floor, unless the building is a shopping center, mall, or a professional office of a health care provider.

* Alterations must be accessible. When alterations to primary function areas are made, an accessible path of travel to the altered area (and the bathrooms, telephones, and drinking fountains serving that area) must be provided to the extent that the added accessibility costs are not disproportionate to the overall cost of the alterations. Elevators are required as described above.

* Entities such as hotels that also offer transportation generally must provide equivalent transportation service to individuals with disabilities. New fixed-route vehicles ordered on or after August 26, 1990, and capable of carrying more than 16 passengers, must be accessible.

* Public accommodations may not discriminate against an individual or entity because of the known disability of an individual with whom the individual or entity is known to have a relationship or association.

* Individuals may bring private lawsuits to obtain court orders to stop discrimination, but money damages cannot be awarded.

* Individuals can also file complaints with the Attorney General who may file lawsuits to stop discrimination and obtain money damages and penalties.

III. Transportation

Public bus systems

* New buses ordered on or after August 26, 1990, must be accessible to individuals with disabilities.

* Transit authorities must provide comparable paratransit or other special transportation services to individuals with disabilities who cannot use fixed route bus services, unless an undue burden would result.

* New bus stations must be accessible. Alterations to existing stations must be accessible. When alterations to primary function areas are made, an accessible path of travel to the altered area (and the bathrooms, telephones, and drinking fountains serving that area) must be provided to the extent that the added accessibility costs are not disproportionate to the overall cost of the alterations.

* Individuals may file complaints with the Department of Transportation or bring private lawsuits.
Public rail systems

* New rail vehicles ordered on or after August 26, 1990, must be accessible.

* Existing rail systems must have one accessible car per train by July 26, 1995.

* New rail stations must be accessible. with new bus stations, alterations to existing rail tions must be made in an accessible manner.

* Existing "key stations" in rapid rail, commuter rail, and light rail systems must be made accessible by July 26, 1993, unless an extension of up to 20 years is granted (30 years, in some cases, rapid and light rail).

* Existing intercity rail stations (Amtrak) must be made accessible by July 26, 2010.

* Individuals may file complaints with the Department of Transportation or bring private lawsuits.
Privately operated bus and van companies

* New over-the-road buses ordered on or after July 26,1996 (July 26, 1997, for small companies), must be accessible. After completion of study, the President may extend the deadline by one year, if appropriate.

* Other new vehicles, such as vans, must be accessible, unless the transportation company provides service to individuals with disabilities that is equivalent to that operated for the general public.

* Other private transportation operations, including station facilities, must meet the requirements for public accommodations.

* Individuals may file complaints with the Attorney General or bring private lawsuits under the public accommodations procedures.

IV. State and local government operations

* State or local governments may not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. All government facilities, services, and communications must be accessible consistent with the requirements of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

* Individuals may file complaints with Federal agencies to be designated by the Attorney General or bring private lawsuits.

V. Telecommunications Relay Services

* Companies offering telephone service to the general public must offer telephone relay services to individuals who use telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDD's) or similar devices.

* Individuals may file complaints with the Federal Communications Commission.

For additional information contact:

Coordination and Review Section
Civil Rights Division
U.S. Department of Justice
P.O.Box 66118
Washington, D.C. 20035-6118
(202) 514-0301 (Voice)
(202) 514-0381 (TDD)
(202) 514-0383 (TDD)

(Source: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list...)

More:
http://askjan.org/links/adasummary.htm
http://www.law.umaryland.edu/marshall...
http://www.hum.wa.gov/FAQ/FAQDisibili...
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/regulations/...
http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/ADAregs20...

Social Work After the Americans with Disabilities ACT

by John T. Pardeck (no photo)

Synopsis:

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is grounded in the human rights perspective. Like other civil rights legislation, the ADA is aimed at an oppressed group, persons with disabilities, who have been denied equal opportunities to participate in the larger society. As Pardeck makes clear, the goal of ADA, ending discrimination against people with disabilities in all facets of American life, is aligned with the philosophies and traditions of the social work profession.

Pardeck provides a detailed overview and analysis of the ADA that will help professional social workers as well as students entering the field realize the full significance of the new rights and protections extended to people with disabilities. He also provides specific case studies and examples to illustrate the range of opportunities afforded the disabled and their advocates.

Thank you Kathy

Americans with Disabilities Act AM Session
June 15, 1992

A public hearing was held to discuss the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Witnesses at the hearing focused their discussion on employment opportunities for disabled citizens.

Video: http://www.c-span.org/video/?27214-1/...

Source: C-SPAN

Americans With Disabilities Act PM Session
June 15, 1992

The National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency, sponsored a public hearing on the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. In the afternoon session of the hearing, witnesses testified on public accommodations for the handicapped. The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law prohibiting discrimination against the physically handicapped based on their disabilities.

Video: http://www.c-span.org/video/?27218-1/...

Source: C-SPAN

Unconditional Honor: Wounded Warriors and Their Dogs

by Cathy Scott

Synopsis:

In this comprehensive and gorgeously illustrated book, Cathy Scott and Clay Myers show how service and therapy dogs are having a profound impact on the lives of military personnel injured in action. Not only do our veterans deal with physical injuries, but they often return with psychological issues that can be treated with help, companionship, and love from working canines. Through moving stories and color photographs, Unconditional Honor highlights the nearly forty-year history of working dogs helping wounded veterans, the mental and physical combat traumas that are mitigated by the dogs, the selection and training of the dogs, including rescued canines, and what the future holds. Featured in the book are inspiring personal accounts of what the dogs mean to veterans, and how their lives have been forever changed and even saved since adopting canines.

In addition to the remarkable healing journeys of wounded warriors and their canines, this book showcases the various groups, formed originally to train dogs for the blind and the physically disabled that now embrace military services, that provide, at no cost, returning troops with dogs to make them whole again after surviving the reality of war.

The President Speaks on the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

President Obama delivers remarks in the East Room of the White House celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. July 20, 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKyBr...

Legal Rights: The Guide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People : Featuring the Americans With Disabilities Act!

by Sy Dubow (no photo)

Synopsis:

An essential volume for all concerned with the legal rights and services for people with hearing loss. -- SHHH JournalA good guide for compliance with ADA and provides specific suggestions and recommendations. -- Hearing Rehabilitation Quarterly

Now, the comprehensive resource Legal Rights: The Guide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People has been thoroughly updated including a full chapter on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Deaf people and those with hearing loss who seek equal access to education, employment, medical care, and social services can turn to this complete source. This outstanding book deals with the most common legal problems and communication barriers that arise between Deaf people and the primary institutions of society.

The fourth edition of Legal Rights offers in easy-to-understand language the latest state and federal statutes and administrative procedures that prohibit discrimination against deaf and hard of hearing people, and any others with physical challenges.

Intellectual Disability: A Guide for Families and Professionals

by James C. Harris (no photo)

Synopsis:

Approximately 2.5 million people in the United States--one percent of the population--have an intellectual disability (previously referred to as mental retardation). These conditions range from genetic disorders such as Down syndrome to disabilities caused by infectious diseases and brain injury. Intellectual Disability: A Guide for Families and Professionals, by one of the country's foremost authorities on intellectual disability, is a comprehensive resource that will be of importance to anyone with a personal connection to a child or adult with a neurodevelopmental disorder.

Emphasizing the humanity of persons with intellectual and related developmental disabilities, psychiatrist and pediatrician James Harris provides essential information on assessment and diagnosis of intellectual disability, treatments for specific disorders, and ways to take advantage of the wide array of services available today. The focus throughout is on the development of the person, the positive supports necessary for self-determination, and, to the extent possible, independent decision making. Harris also surveys historical attitudes toward intellectual disability, the medical community's current understanding of its causes and frequency, and the associated physical, behavioral, and psychiatric conditions (such as seizure disorder, depression, and autism) that often accompany particular types of intellectual disability.

The book addresses legal, medical, mental health, and research-related issues as well as matters of spirituality, highlighting the ways in which individuals with intellectual disability can meaningfully participate in the spiritual lives of their families and their communities. Each chapter ends with a series of key points to remember, and the book concludes with a list of additional resources of further interest. Intellectual Disability is a must-read for parents and families of those with neurodevelopmental disorders, providing guidance.

Great add, Lorna

It goes too deep to read books on the subject specifically, but I'm glad the thread alerts me to the existence of this noble piece of U.S. legislation :-)

The Disability Pendulum: The First Decade of the Americans with Disabilities Act

by Ruth Colker (no photo)

Synopsis:

Signed into law in July 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became effective two years later, and court decisions about the law began to multiply in the middle of the decade. In The Disability Pendulum, Ruth Colker presents the first legislative history of the enactment of the ADA in Congress and analyzes the first decade of judicial decisions under the act. She assesses the success and failure of the first ten years of litigation under the ADA, focusing on its three major titles: employment, public entities, and public accommodations.

The Disability Pendulum argues that despite an initial atmosphere of bipartisan support with the expectation that the ADA would make a significant difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities, judicial decisions have not been consistent with Congress intentions. The courts have operated like a pendulum, at times swinging to a pro-disabled plaintiff and then back again to a pro-defendant stance. Colker, whose work on the ADA has been cited by the Supreme Court, offers insightful and practical suggestions on where to amend the act to make it more effective in defending disability rights, and also explains judicial hostility toward enforcing the act."

Where we've failed to live up to the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act

By TED KENNEDY, JR. December 26, 2017



(CNN) Twenty-seven years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities. I still remember standing in the Rose Garden watching President George H.W. Bush sign the bill into law.

Today, as a result, people with disabilities face far fewer barriers to mobility and communication. Thanks to innovations ranging from curb cuts and Braille on ATMs to improved access to education and healthcare, people with disabilities lead more productive lives and can contribute more to our nation's economy.

This momentous progress deserves to be celebrated. But that progress should never be taken for granted, especially since people with disabilities -- a population numbering more than one in every five people in the US -- still face numerous challenges in entering and participating in the workforce.
The rate of unemployment among people with disabilities remains twice that of the overall population. The labor participation rate, 65.3% for the general population, is only 17.9 % for people with disabilities.

When it comes to employment, then -- even with the overall US unemployment rate now 4.1% , the lowest in 17 years -- we have failed to live up to the promise of the ADA. It seems many employers have yet to recognize that people with disabilities can contribute economically and societally if sought out and accommodated.

I lost my leg to bone cancer at age 12. I learned firsthand what it meant to struggle with both assumptions and accessibility. Since then I have fought, as a citizen, attorney and legislator, for the civil rights of people with disabilities. I have worked to ensure that people with disabilities are valued equally and are able to participate fully in our society.

In 2013, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), in partnership with the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN), established the Disability Equality Index (DEI), a unique snapshot of the progress companies are making to achieve equality for workers with disabilities. Across nine indexes, the DEI recognizes exemplary internal and external facing policies, strategies and initiatives that have produced measurable results in the areas of disability inclusiveness in the workplace, marketplace and supply chain. Now consumers can see the grades that businesses earn for their efforts toward inclusion and accessibility.

This year, the results of the third annual DEI appear promising. Of the 110 businesses participating -- 69 of which are ranked among the 2017 Fortune 500 -- 68 achieved a top rating of 100, a 62% jump over 2016. In addition, the average rating for participating companies reached 90 out of 100, an increase of 10 points from 2015.

And more than 95% of the companies in the DEI now have recruitment efforts geared toward hiring individuals with disabilities. Among the companies with perfect scores were Microsoft, Comcast NBCUniversal, Aetna, Bank of America and Walgreens. More and more, leaders at such organizations are championing initiatives for disabled employees.

The examples of success I've seen on this front are inspiring. For example, at Microsoft, Jenny Lay-Flurrie, a deaf woman, functions as Chief Accessibility Officer, spearheading programs for accessibility, privacy and online safety. TD Bank has increased its efforts to hire people with disabilities, bringing aboard 190 people within the last three years alone.

Northrop Grumman made two job offers on the spot at a recent conference to students and recent college graduates with disabilities. Proctor & Gamble has undertaken a program whereby employees with disabilities mentor executives to share their perspectives both as employees and as consumers.

Read the remainder of the article at: http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/26/opinion...

Link to videotape: http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/26/opinion...

Other:

by Mary Lee Vance (no photo)

Source: CNN

Beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act: Inclusive Policy and Practice for Higher Education

by Mary Lee Vance (no photo)

Synopsis:

Beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act is a primer and quick reference guide for higher education professionals who work with students with disabilities, both apparent and hidden. Written for administrators, faculty, and staff, the book provides transferable information that is applicable to any campus. Since the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) was enacted, there have been clarifications on the interpretation of the law, as well as a reauthorization act. In particular, the rules governing who is an individual with a disability and what forms of accommodation should be provided to these individuals have undergone profound updates. Student affairs professionals must stay current with the legal impact of these changes as the ADA concerns numerous aspects of student affairs, including technology, housing and residence life, career services, student activities, counseling, study abroad opportunities, student conduct, and more. Beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act highlights the value of inclusive thinking, particularly in terms of universal design pedagogy with its commitment to total inclusion. The book is not meant to address the accommodation process per se and does not prescribe adjustments or fixes for individual problems. Rather, it is based on the premise that accommodation and individual adjustments are insufficient if the mission of higher education is to provide equitable learning experiences for all students. The book is divided into four parts. Part I addresses the ADA and changing perspectives on disability. Part II covers information and communication technology. Part III examines emerging and growing populations and their impact on higher education. Part IV provides examples of best practices in student affairs and disability services.

Thank you Lorna

Consequences of the Americans With Disabilities Act

"...employment rates for disabled men in all age categories, and disabled women under the age of 40, fell sharply after the ADA. This decline represents a clear break from past trends for both disabled and non-disabled workers, and therefore seems likely to have been caused by the ADA."


President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act on the South Lawn of the White House on July 26, 1990. "Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down," he said that day. Barry Thumma/AP

In Consequences of Employment Protection? The Case of The Americans With Disabilities Act (NBER Working Paper No. 6670) , co-authors Daron Acemoglu and Joshua Angrist ask whether the ADA accomplishes its mission of increasing employment and retention of the disabled, while keeping wages on par with non-disabled employees, and whether the ADA adversely affects employment of the non-disabled, as early critics of the Act predicted it would. Finally, they inquire, has the ADA resulted in employer costs high enough to reduce the overall level of employment for all workers?

The ADA, which went into effect in 1992, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in hiring, wage determination, and firing, and requires that employers offer reasonable accommodations to disabled workers, such as wheelchair access. A Presidential committee estimates that the average employer paid $930 per worker accommodation since the law took effect. Critics of the ADA worried about the employment consequences of these costs and the possible costs arising from litigation to enforce ADA employment provisions.

The Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC), the agency charged with enforcement of the ADA, received more than 90,000 discrimination complaints between 1992 and 1997. Approximately 29 percent of these charges were for failure to provide adequate accommodations, 10 percent for hiring violations, and nearly 63 percent for wrongful termination. Since July 1992, employers have paid more than $174 million in EEOC settlements over ADA complaints, not counting administrative costs and legal fees. The threat and actual pursuit of litigation has also spurred the development of the Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) market.

Using data from the Current Population surveys for 1988-97, the authors find that the ADA had no effect on the wages of disabled workers, which are still approximately 40 percent below those of the non-disabled. On the other hand, employment rates for disabled men in all age categories, and disabled women under the age of 40, fell sharply after the ADA. This decline represents a clear break from past trends for both disabled and non-disabled workers, and therefore seems likely to have been caused by the ADA. Additional evidence for this claim is the finding that mid-sized companies show the most pronounced decrease in hiring the disabled. Large companies probably have sufficient resources to absorb compliance costs, according to the authors, while small companies are exempt from the ADA requirements. Also, in states with large numbers of ADA-related discrimination cases in previous years, fewer disabled people are hired afterwards. This too suggests that concern about costs from ADA provisions may have been driving the decline in disabled employment.

Although there appear to have been affects on the disabled, there is no evidence the ADA affect the hiring or employment of non-disabled workers, suggesting that its unintended negative effects are confined to the protected group.

The authors' findings regarding the ADA's negative effects on employment of the disabled take into account employment trends, composition effects, and changes in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Disability Insurance (DI) participation. Controlling for these variables is critical, since one of the by-products of the societal attention to disabled persons has been that there is less social stigma attached to claims of disability. And disability claims under SSI and DI did increase sharply over the study period.

The ADA has served as a battleground for competing ideologies. Some critics of the Act see it as threatening employment-at-will and making the U.S. labor market more like Europe's. ADA proponents see the Act as creating a more inclusive labor market, without increasing employer costs or reducing overall employment. The authors show that while the evidence for negative effects of the ADA on disabled employment levels is broadly consistent, the negative effects seems to work through reduced hiring, with little evidence of an impact on job loss. This finding is consistent with a view that disabled worker accommodation costs have been higher than the employment-protection costs of litigation for wrongful termination.

-- Les Picker

Link to article: https://www.nber.org/digest/dec98/w66...

Other:
by Lennard Davis (no photo)

Source: The National Bureau of Economic Research

Thank you for the add Lorna.

Remarks of President George Bush at the Signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act


Barry Thumma/ AP

Evan, thank you so much. And welcome to every one of you, out there in this splendid scene of hope, spread across the South Lawn of the White House. I want to salute the Members of the United States Congress, the House and the Senate who are with us today -- active participants in making this day come true. This is, indeed, an incredible day -- especially for the thousands of people across the Nation who have given so much of their time, their vision, and their courage to see this act become a reality.

You know, I started trying to put together a list of all the people who should be mentioned today. But when the list started looking a little longer than the Senate testimony for the bill, I decided I better give up, or that we'd never get out of here before sunset. So, even though so many deserve credit, I will single out but a tiny handful. And I take those who have guided me personally over the years: of course, my friends Evan Kemp and Justin Dart, up here on the platform with me; and of course -- I hope you'll forgive me for also saying a special word of thanks to two from the White House, but again, this is personal, so I don't want to offend those omitted -- two from the White House, Boyden Gray and Bill Roper, who labored long and hard. And I want to thank Sandy Parrino, of course, for her leadership. And I again -- it is very risky with all these Members of Congress here who worked so hard, but I can say on a very personal basis, Bob Dole has inspired me.

This is an immensely important day, a day that belongs to all of you. Everywhere I look, I see people who have dedicated themselves to making sure that this day would come to pass: my friends from Congress, as I say, who worked so diligently with the best interest of all at heart, Democrats and Republicans; members of this administration -- and I'm pleased to see so many top officials and members of my Cabinet here today who brought their caring and expertise to this fight; and then, the organizations -- so many dedicated organizations for people with disabilities, who gave their time and their strength; and perhaps most of all, everyone out there and others -- across the breadth of this nation are 43 million Americans with disabilities. You have made this happen. All of you have made this happen. To all of you, I just want to say your triumph is that your bill will now be law, and that this day belongs to you. On behalf of our nation, thank you very, very much.

Three weeks ago we celebrated our nation's Independence Day. Today we're here to rejoice in and celebrate another ``independence day,'' one that is long overdue. With today's signing of the landmark Americans for Disabilities Act, every man, woman, and child with a disability can now pass through once-closed doors into a bright new era of equality, independence, and freedom. As I look around at all these joyous faces, I remember clearly how many years of dedicated commitment have gone into making this historic new civil rights act a reality. It's been the work of a true coalition, a strong and inspiring coalition of people who have shared both a dream and a passionate determination to make that dream come true. It's been a coalition in the finest spirit -- a joining of Democrats and Republicans, of the legislative and the executive branches, of Federal and State agencies, of public officials and private citizens, of people with disabilities and without.

This historic act is the world's first comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities -- the first. Its passage has made the United States the international leader on this human rights issue. Already, leaders of several other countries, including Sweden, Japan, the Soviet Union, and all 12 members of the EEC, have announced that they hope to enact now similar legislation.

Our success with this act proves that we are keeping faith with the spirit of our courageous forefathers who wrote in the Declaration of Independence: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.'' These words have been our guide for more than two centuries as we've labored to form our more perfect union. But tragically, for too many Americans, the blessings of liberty have been limited or even denied. The Civil Rights Act of '64 took a bold step towards righting that wrong. But the stark fact remained that people with disabilities were still victims of segregation and discrimination, and this was intolerable. Today's legislation brings us closer to that day when no Americans will ever again be deprived of their basic guarantee of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

This act is powerful in its simplicity. It will ensure that people with disabilities are given the basic guarantees for which they have worked so long and so hard: independence, freedom of choice, control of their lives, the opportunity to blend fully and equally into the rich mosaic of the American mainstream. Legally, it will provide our disabled community with a powerful expansion of protections and then basic civil rights. It will guarantee fair and just access to the fruits of American life which we all must be able to enjoy. And then, specifically, first the ADA ensures that employers covered by the act cannot discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. Second, the ADA ensures access to public accommodations such as restaurants, hotels, shopping centers, and offices. And third, the ADA ensures expanded access to transportation services. And fourth, the ADA ensures equivalent telephone services for people with speech or hearing impediments.

These provisions mean so much to so many. To one brave girl in particular, they will mean the world. Lisa Carl, a young Washington State woman with cerebral palsy, who I'm told is with us today, now will always be admitted to her hometown theater. Lisa, you might not have been welcome at your theater, but I'll tell you -- welcome to the White House. We're glad you're here. The ADA is a dramatic renewal not only for those with disabilities but for all of us, because along with the precious privilege of being an American comes a sacred duty to ensure that every other American's rights are also guaranteed.

Together, we must remove the physical barriers we have created and the social barriers that we have accepted. For ours will never be a truly prosperous nation until all within it prosper. For inspiration, we need look no further than our own neighbors. With us in that wonderful crowd out there are people representing 18 of the daily Points of Light that I've named for their extraordinary involvement with the disabled community. We applaud you and your shining example. Thank you for your leadership for all that are here today.

Now, let me just tell you a wonderful story, a story about children already working in the spirit of the ADA -- a story that really touched me. Across the Nation, some 10,000 youngsters with disabilities are part of Little League's Challenger Division. Their teams play just like others, but -- and this is the most remarkable part -- as they play, at their sides are volunteer buddies from conventional Little League teams. All of these players work together. They team up to wheel around the bases and to field grounders together and, most of all, just to play and become friends. We must let these children be our guides and inspiration.

I also want to say a special word to our friends in the business community. You have in your hands the key to the success of this act, for you can unlock a splendid resource of untapped human potential that, when freed, will enrich us all. I know there have been concerns that the ADA may be vague or costly, or may lead endlessly to litigation. But I want to reassure you right now that my administration and the United States Congress have carefully crafted this Act. We've all been determined to ensure that it gives flexibility, particularly in terms of the timetable of implementation, and we've been committed to containing the costs that may be incurred.

This act does something important for American business, though -- and remember this: You've called for new sources of workers. Well, many of our fellow citizens with disabilities are unemployed. They want to work, and they can work, and this is a tremendous pool of people. And remember, this is a tremendous pool of people who will bring to jobs diversity, loyalty, proven low turnover rate, and only one request: the chance to prove themselves. And when you add together Federal, State, local, and private funds, it costs almost $200 billion annually to support Americans with disabilities -- in effect, to keep them dependent. Well, when given the opportunity to be independent, they will move proudly into the economic mainstream of American life, and that's what this legislation is all about.

Our problems are large, but our unified heart is larger. Our challenges are great, but our will is greater. And in our America, the most generous, optimistic nation on the face of the Earth, we must not and will not rest until every man and woman with a dream has the means to achieve it.

And today, America welcomes into the mainstream of life all of our fellow citizens with disabilities. We embrace you for your abilities and for your disabilities, for our similarities and indeed for our differences, for your past courage and your future dreams. Last year, we celebrated a victory of international freedom. Even the strongest person couldn't scale the Berlin Wall to gain the elusive promise of independence that lay just beyond. And so, together we rejoiced when that barrier fell.

And now I sign legislation which takes a sledgehammer to another wall, one which has for too many generations separated Americans with disabilities from the freedom they could glimpse, but not grasp. Once again, we rejoice as this barrier falls for claiming together we will not accept, we will not excuse, we will not tolerate discrimination in America.

With, again, great thanks to the Members of the United States Senate, leaders of whom are here today, and those who worked so tirelessly for this legislation on both sides of the aisles. And to those Members of the House of Representatives with us here today, Democrats and Republicans as well, I salute you. And on your behalf, as well as the behalf of this entire country, I now lift my pen to sign this Americans with Disabilities Act and say: Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down. God bless you all.

Link to transcript: https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/history/35t...

Other:
by Lennard Davis (no photo)

Source: EEOC Thirty-fifth Anniversary

Thank you Lorna for the add.

We Texans miss President George Bush ... and his wheelchair ...
Regards,
Andrea

He was a real gentleman and his wife Barbara was super too.