I have been amazed and gratified with the number of celebratory banners for the 25th anniversary of the ADA.
I’ve seen one in the Staten Island Ferry terminal & I just saw one near the Chicago airport. Working on the ADA was an amazing experience for me. (See the first part of of this article for a brief summary of passage of the ADA.) And the celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of the ADA have given me a great opportunity to reflect on the law.
Each of my comments had some of the same, and some different, points. I spoke at a celebration hosted by DOJ, EEOC and the Access Board (the video is here); at a briefing hosted by Representative Bobby Scott on the Hill, and most recently at a reception hosted by the ADA Commission on Disability at the annual ABA conference to give the Paul Hearne award. (Btw, I was thrilled to be nominated by my former Teaching Fellows for that award.) But now I am looking forward to getting back to work. We are actively focusing on the NPRM that will articulate the requirements of Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act for federal agencies. And the Curb Cuts to the Middle Class Initiative is gearing up for yet more inter-agency work.
Among other things, we have put out a great Employer Resource Guide and the EEOC has updated its Schedule A brochures. Each of these steps, slowly but surely, gets us to full equality and inclusion of people with disabilities in our country – and abroad.
