For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 26, 2003
President's Radio Address
Audio
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This weekend marks the 13th
anniversary of the Americans With Disability Act, one of the great
compassionate acts of American government. Since becoming law, the ADA
has helped to improve the quality of life for more than 50,000 million
Americans with physical and mental disabilities. As a result, it is
easier today for people with disabilities to find a job, to enter
public buildings, and to live more independently in their communities.
These are all welcome changes in American life.
Many citizens have dedicated themselves to serving the interest of
persons with disabilities, and some of them are here with me at the
White House. I am joined by members of the President's Committee on
Mental Retardation. The men and women on this committee include people
with disabilities, as well as parents, teachers, health care workers,
and advocates. They recently voted to change the committee's name to
the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.
And I was pleased to sign an executive order instituting that change.
There is much more we can do to assure that Americans with
disabilities are treated with dignity and respect. In 2001, I
announced the New Freedom Initiative, to further promote the full
participation of people with disabilities in all areas of society. As
part of the New Freedom Initiative we're giving states funding to help
people with disabilities commute to work, or purchase equipment that
allows them to work from home. We are promoting home ownership for
people with disabilities, and educating builders about the need for
more accessible rental housing.
We are working with Congress to provide record levels of funding
for special education programs, and to make sure the money is used to
provide the most help to the most children. And we are making
government websites more accessible to people with disabilities so that
they can more easily find information about services and programs of
the federal government. We're also focused on providing better care to
people with mental illness. I'm committed to making sure people get
the treatment and support they need and don't fall through the cracks.
My administration continues to work with states to ensure full
implementation of the Supreme Court's Olnstead decision. That decision
rightly mandates that individuals with disabilities who can receive
support and treatment in a community setting should be given an
opportunity to live close to their families and friends whenever
possible. People with disabilities now have more freedom to do
productive work and live independent lives. We're making good progress
toward ensuring that persons with disabilities know the American Dream
is meant for them. With changes in old ways of thinking, the
development of new technologies, and the federal government's firm
commitment to equality, more and more people with disabilities continue
to become full participants in the American life.
Thank you for listening.
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