For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 26, 2001
Statement by the President
Eleven years ago today, people from across America gathered to
celebrate the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
(ADA), one of the Nation's most important civil rights laws since the
Civil Rights Act of 1964. The ADA opened up the true promise of
America to people with disabilities who, for far too long, have found
impediments to getting an education, getting a job, or just getting
around.
I am proud that my father saw the need for
a comprehensive law to liberate the energies and talents of people with
disabilities, and who worked with the Congress to make the ADA a
reality.
Much has been accomplished in the past 11
years. Attitudes are changing and barriers are coming down
all across America. Employers now provide a range of
"accommodations" to ensure that employees with disabilities can keep
their place in the wage-earning world, resulting in unprecedented
economic opportunities. And, outside of the workplace, the
promise of the ADA, coupled with the entrepreneurial spirit of the
private sector, has enabled people with disabilities to enjoy much
greater access to a wide range of affordable travel, recreational
opportunities, and life-enriching services.
Because of the ADA, people with
disabilities are gaining equal access to public sector
services. And the public sector has rallied to the ADA's
goals. From improving access at town halls and courthouses
to providing accessible parking to assistive listening devices at
public meetings, States and local governments have developed some of
the most innovative and meaningful responses to the ADA. In
addition, my Administration is committed to full and effective
implementation of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which will
help ensure that people of all abilities can access government
information and online services. My Administration is
working closely with State and local governments to move people with
disabilities out of institutions and into community-based settings,
going above and beyond the requirements of the Supreme Court's landmark
Olmstead decision.
In fact, the message of the ADA is being
heard all around the world. Over 40 countries, from Australia to
Uganda, now have laws prohibiting discrimination against people with
disabilities -- many of them inspired by the ADA.
Although we have accomplished much because
of the ADA, our job is far from done. People with
disabilities are far more likely than other Americans to drop out of
high school or to suffer from poverty and unemployment. They
are far less likely to own a home, to use a computer to explore the
Internet, or to vote.
Earlier this year, I proposed the New
Freedom Initiative. It is the next step in securing the
promise of the ADA. The New Freedom Initiative will help
ensure that Americans with disabilities can access the best
technologies of today and even better technologies in the
future. We will expand educational
opportunities and accessible transportation and take steps to fully
integrate people with disabilities into the workforce. We
will expand housing opportunities and improve access to churches,
mosques, synagogues, and civic organizations. And we will
fully enforce the ADA while working in partnership with businesses,
States, and local governments to promote the highest possible degree of
voluntary cooperation.
The Americans with Disabilities Act was an
unprecedented step forward in promoting freedom, independence, and
dignity for millions of our people. On this, the 11th anniversary of
the Americans with Disabilities Act, I remain committed to tearing down
the remaining barriers to equality that face Americans with
disabilities today.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
July 26, 2001.
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