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ADA Amendments Act of 2008

Floor Speech

Date: Sept. 17, 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Employment and Affirmative Action


ADA AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2008 -- (House of Representatives - September 17, 2008)

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Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 3406, the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. This bipartisan legislation, which will restore the original intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA, is long overdue.

The passage of the ADA in 1990 helped millions of Americans with disabilities succeed in life and the workplace by making essential services that most Americans take for granted more accessible to individuals with disabilities. It was truly a landmark civil rights law to ensure that people with disabilities have protection from discrimination in the same manner as individuals are protected from discrimination on the basis of race, gender, national origin, religion, or age.

In recent years, the Federal courts have erroneously eroded the protections for individuals under the ADA, which has created a new set of barriers for those with disabilities. This bill rejects the courts' narrow interpretation of the definition of disability, and makes it absolutely clear that the ADA is intended to provide broad coverage to protect anyone who faces discrimination on the basis of disability. It strikes a careful balance between the needs of individuals with disabilities and realities confronted by employers.

Madam Speaker, the Congress is taking an important step towards restoring the original intent of the ADA. By doing so, we will help ensure that Americans with disabilities can lead independent and self-sufficient lives. I urge my colleagues to support this much-needed legislation.

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