For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 26, 2002
Honoring the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Today's Presidential Action:
In an East Room ceremony marking the 12th anniversary of the
enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act, President George W.
Bush:
Announced a clarification of Medicare policy to ensure that people
with severe disabilities considered "homebound" under Medicare home
health requirements are able to leave their homes occasionally without
the risk of losing their Medicare coverage; and
Called on Congress to fund his New Freedom Initiative budget
requests, including $145 million for: (1) competitive grants to
provide additional transportation services for Americans with
disabilities, increasing their access to the job market; and (2) a
pilot program to demonstrate innovative solutions for transportation
problems that prevent many people with disabilities from living more
independently.
President Bush also praised the work of the Commission on
Excellence in Special Education, which recently recommended
improvements in the education of students with disabilities to Congress
and the President. These recommendations will help Congress as it
considers the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA). President Bush has made funding for special
education a high priority. In each of the President's two budget
requests, he has asked Congress for an additional $1 billion in IDEA
Part B State Grants funding, the largest increases ever requested in
history by any president.
Background on Today's Presidential Action:
On February 1, 2001, President Bush announced the New Freedom
Initiative - a comprehensive program to promote the full participation
of people with disabilities in all areas of society by increasing
access to assistive and universally designed technologies, expanding
educational and employment opportunities, and promoting increased
access into daily community life.
The Administration is committed to the full enforcement of the
Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA prohibits discrimination on
the basis of disability in:
Places of public accommodation, including all hotels,
restaurants, retail stores, theaters, health care facilities,
convention centers, parks, and places of recreation;
Activities of
state and local governments, including public transportation and
employment; and
Employment practices of private employers with 15
or more employees.
The New Freedom Initiative also increases technical assistance to
help small businesses comply with the ADA. The President believes that
the most efficient way to promote compliance with the Act is to give
businesses and local governments the information they need to better
understand their obligations. Examples of the Administration's
innovative efforts to promote compliance with the ADA include the
Department of Justice's "ADA Business Connection," which is increasing
compliance by fostering an ADA dialogue within the business community
and increasing the flow of ADA information to business decision
makers. Additionally, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is
providing ADA training to small businesses throughout the country.
For a full progress report on the implementation of the New Freedom
Initiative, please visit
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/newfreedom/
For more information on the President's initiatives, please visit
www.whitehouse.gov
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