Kirk, Durbin, Davis Introduce Legislation Honoring Timothy Nugent, "Father of Accessibility," With Congressional Gold Medal

Press Release

U.S. Senators Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced S. 1863, the Timothy Nugent Congressional Gold Medal Act honoring Tim Nugent, an Illinois innovator and tireless advocate for disabled individuals throughout the country. Nugent founded the first higher educational program for wounded and disabled soldiers after World War II at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and became a pioneer in architectural accessibility, designing curb cuts and wheelchair-accessible bus routes for students. Representative Rodney Davis (R-Ill.-13) introduced companion legislation in the House.

"Tim Nugent has dedicated his life to bringing disabled veterans out of the dark." Senator Kirk said. "When I met with Tim earlier this year, he shared his story of innovation and perseverance that made the University of Illinois the accessible campus that it is today. I am proud to call Tim Nugent one of my Battle Buddies and to nominate him for the Congressional Gold Medal."

"On Sunday, we marked the 25th anniversary of one of the most important civil rights victories in our nation's history -- the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). But before there was the ADA, there was the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services at the University of Illinois," Senator Durbin said. "University of Illinois Professor of Rehabilitation Timothy Nugent established the very first comprehensive program of higher education for people with disabilities, and he did it in 1948 -- more than forty years before the passage of the ADA. Today, Timothy Nugent's legacy lives on at the University of Illinois, which continues to boast one of the most accessible campuses in America, not to mention a world-class adapted varsity athletics program. It's appropriate that Senator Kirk and I honor his important work."

"This week marked the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act so it's only fitting that today we honor someone who charted the course for creating a society accessible to people with disabilities," said Representative Davis. "Tim Nugent began his advocacy in my district at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where he fought for the rights of disabled veterans and fought to make universities throughout the U.S. accessible to students with disabilities. Tim challenged the way many regarded disabled individuals and opened the doors of higher education to millions of Americans."

"It is hard to think of any individual who has made a more positive impact on so much of the world that we all take for granted than Tim Nugent," said Chancellor Phyllis Wise, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. "He has spent his life and his career fighting to give a voice to those in society who so many others were willing to ignore. He didn't do it for personal gain or for public recognition. He did so because he believed it was the right thing to do. This is an honor for which he is long overdue."

The Congressional Gold Medal, bestowed by the United States Congress, is one of the highest civilian awards in the United States along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Senator Kirk's Senate Statement to honor Timothy Nugent can be seen here:

Mr. President, today I wish to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as well as Timothy Nugent, who has spent the past 70 years as a relentless innovator and tireless advocate for disabled people across the country. Together with Congressman Rodney Davis, I have introduced a bill that would award Mr. Nugent with the Congressional Gold Medal. Mr. Nugent and the ADA have helped millions of Americans live better, more productive lives, improving the United States overall, and making us an example for the world to follow.

Timothy Nugent saw a need for services and accommodations for disabled servicemen when they came home from the battlefields of World War II. Mr. Nugent founded the first higher educational program for wounded and disabled soldiers in the world, and he confronted the bias of the general public by bringing students with disabilities into the mainstream of college campuses and societies. Because of Mr. Nugent's leadership and commitment, the University of Illinois built accommodations for the disabled veteran and created a hospitable environment for our nation's greatest heroes, providing them the same educational opportunities as others. He also disproved many in the medical community who believed that either rehabilitation and sporting activities were harmful to individuals with severe disabilities or that education was not necessary because the belief at the time was that the lifespan of persons with spinal cord injuries would be too short for them to benefit from college degrees.

Many of the architectural accessibility standards and laws of the United States, including the welcoming Americans with Disabilities Act, trace back directly to innovations created by Nugent. I know firsthand how important this law and Mr. Nugent's actions are to the University of Illinois and the community of 50 million Americans living with a disabilities. Laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act allow all Americans to live life on their own terms, and Mr. Nugent's work on behalf of these individuals is well-deserving of the Congressional Gold Medal.

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