The 25th Anniversary of The Americans With Disabilities Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, since its enactment on July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has helped remove barriers to education, employment, and technology for people with disabilities.

For a quarter-century, this landmark legislation has enabled people with disabilities to have the same civil rights and public use enjoyed by other citizens in all areas of public life.

The signing of the ADA was a pivotal moment in history, not just for people with disabilities, but for all Americans.
The ADA protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination and allows them to participate fully in the workforce and in their communities.

Today, there are over 55 million people living with a disability in the United States.

In my home state of Ohio, the Ohio County Boards of Developmental Disabilities serves more than 90,000 children and adults in all 88 Ohio counties and many more receive services from nonprofit partners and organizations.

In the third congressional district of Ohio, we have outstanding centers, such as the Helping Hands Center for Special Needs, which strives to meet the educational and therapeutic needs of children with autism and other developmental disabilities.

As it did twenty-five years ago in 1990, the ADA continues to help individuals with disabilities achieve their goals, realize their dreams, and give back to their communities.

Today, I celebrate the strides we have made since the ADA's enactment and honor its goals of equality of opportunity, full participation, and high quality of life for Americans with disabilities.

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