Senate Unanimously Revives Americans with Disabilities Act
Jackson Heights, NY–United Spinal Association, a non-profit organization that has been fighting for the rights of disabled Americans for over 60 years, salutes the U.S. Senate for passing the ADA Amendments Act unanimously yesterday.
Paul Tobin, President of United Spinal Association said “This Act will revive the protections of the ADA that have been eroded by the courts. It will help all Americans with disabilities, but we owe a special debt of gratitude to the honorable men and women who become disabled in the service of our country. This bill will help protect them – and all Americans with disabilities — from unlawful discrimination when they recover enough to re-enter the workforce.”
United Spinal Association also salutes the leaders of both parties who championed this bill. In doing what is right for people with disabilities, they have demonstrated that Congress can and does get things done in a spirit of cooperation. Senate champions of this bill are Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT). In the House, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) guided this bill to an overwhelming bi-partisan victory in June.
Hoyer and Sensenbrenner predict that the House will quickly pass the slightly different Senate version and deliver it to President Bush to sign this month. With overwhelming bi-partisan support, the original Americans with Disabilities Act was signed by his father, George H.W. Bush, in 1990.
Tobin said “United Spinal Association is proud to be a leader in an unusual coalition that came together to back this bill. Over 260 business, disabilities, civil rights, faith, and veterans/military organizations agreed on a compromise we could all support. As a result, more Americans with disabilities will have a fair chance to have a job and support themselves and their families.”