Americans with Disabilities Act
Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 to expand protections from the Civil Rights Bill of 1964 to people with disabilities.
Americans with Disabilities Act
Rochelle Dornatt, Chief of Staff, Representative Sam Farr of California
Interview recorded January 18, 2017
Transcript (PDF)
Historical Summaries
The Americans with Disabilities Act
A historical highlight explaining the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Tony Coelho
A congressional profile about Tony Coelho’s legislative career—including his sponsorship of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Wheelchairs, Ramps, and a Scooter Named "Lulu"
A blog discussing accessibility in the House Chamber and the Capitol.
Tony Coelho
California Representative Tony Coelho introduced legislation that would become the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives
About this object |
Item 1/4 |
Accessibility at the Democratic National Convention
Rochelle Dornatt remembers the significance of accessibility issues at the 1988 Democratic National Convention.
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Rochelle Dornatt, Chief of Staff, Representative Sam Farr of California
Interview recorded January 18, 2017
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First G.O.P. Congress in 18 Years Convenes
On opening day of the 80th Congress, Members and spectators packed the House Chamber. Joseph Mansfield and Robert Crosser (pictured at the lower edge of the photograph), two Representatives who used wheelchairs, faced each other in the well of the House. The House Chamber did not have special seating for Members with disabilities at the time, so Members in wheelchairs frequently sat in the wide aisles near the rostrum.
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Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives
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Item 3/4 |
Wheelchair
Decades before Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act and long before the Speaker’s rostrum was made wheelchair-accessible, some Members used wheelchairs to navigate spaces in the House. This example from Congress’s past was manufactured by Bloch Go-Cart. Representative Robert Crosser employed a similar version with a single back wheel on the House Floor during opening day of the 80th Congress.
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Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives
About this object |
Item 4/4 |
