5th Anniversary of ADA Amendments

September 26, 2013

  http://www.democraticwhip.gov/content/hoyer-statement-5th-anniversary-ada-amendments

WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement recognizing today as the fifth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments being signed into law:

"Five years ago today, the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 was signed into law, representing a significant victory in the ongoing effort to ensure full equality of access and opportunity for Americans with disabilities. No American ought to be denied a job, access to a building, or the right to make his or her own medical decisions as the result of a disability.

"Between the time I helped lead the effort to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 and when Congress passed the ADA Amendments Act in 2008, many of the crucial provisions of the original law had been weakened through court rulings, putting millions of Americans at risk of losing key protections. The ADA Amendments Act passed the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support after advocates for those with disabilities worked together with leaders from the business community on a compromise to strengthen the original Americans with Disabilities Act and restore the original intent of its authors. Like the original law, the ADA Amendments Act is a symbol of the strong, across-the-aisle support for measures to break down barriers for people with disabilities and ensure that our country leads the world in safeguarding the rights and full inclusion of all its people. I will continue to stand up for the Americans with Disabilities Act and work to advance its goals for as long as I serve in Congress."