17th anniversary of landmark Americans with Disabilities Act reveals progress and much yet to be done
July 26, 2007 (Press Release) --
WASHINGTON – Today – the 17th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – leading Members of the House and Senate, including Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD), Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced the ADA Restoration Act with strong support from the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) and the larger disability community.
Over the past 17 years, the courts have narrowed the definition of disability so much that people with conditions like epilepsy, diabetes, HIV, cancer, and hearing loss who manage their disabilities with medication, prosthetics, or hearing aids are viewed as “too functional” to have a disability. While these same people may be denied a job or fired because an employer mistakenly believes they cannot perform the job, they are denied the ADA’s protection from employment discrimination. This creates a Catch-22 in which employers say a person is “too disabled” to do the job but not “disabled enough” to be protected by the law.
The ADA Restoration Act introduced today ensures the right of individuals to be judged based on performance. It restores the original intent of Congress, harmonizing the ADA with other civil rights laws and requiring the courts to interpret the law fairly.
“While great progress has been made since passage of the ADA, bad court decisions over the years have eroded many of its essential protections,” said NDRN Executive Director Curt Decker. “We urge Congress to quickly pass this bill to restore the rights of all Americans to be free from unfair discrimination.”
Passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed into law by the first President Bush July 26, 1990, the ADA was passed to ensure equal rights for individuals with disabilities in workplaces, transportation, and other aspects of daily life.
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The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and the Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, the Network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.
Over the past 17 years, the courts have narrowed the definition of disability so much that people with conditions like epilepsy, diabetes, HIV, cancer, and hearing loss who manage their disabilities with medication, prosthetics, or hearing aids are viewed as “too functional” to have a disability. While these same people may be denied a job or fired because an employer mistakenly believes they cannot perform the job, they are denied the ADA’s protection from employment discrimination. This creates a Catch-22 in which employers say a person is “too disabled” to do the job but not “disabled enough” to be protected by the law.
The ADA Restoration Act introduced today ensures the right of individuals to be judged based on performance. It restores the original intent of Congress, harmonizing the ADA with other civil rights laws and requiring the courts to interpret the law fairly.
“While great progress has been made since passage of the ADA, bad court decisions over the years have eroded many of its essential protections,” said NDRN Executive Director Curt Decker. “We urge Congress to quickly pass this bill to restore the rights of all Americans to be free from unfair discrimination.”
Passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed into law by the first President Bush July 26, 1990, the ADA was passed to ensure equal rights for individuals with disabilities in workplaces, transportation, and other aspects of daily life.
# # #
The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and the Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, the Network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.
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