Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, 2021

( printed page 40761) Proclamation 10236 of July 26, 2021 Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, 2021 A Proclamation Thirty-one years ago, on July 26, 1990, our Nation moved closer to the fulfillment of its foundational promise when we passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This landmark law affirms and protects the fundamental rights of people with disabilities—the right to equal opportunity, economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and equitable participation in every aspect of American life. For more than three decades, the ADA has made our communities, our economy, and our country stronger and more vibrant. It has helped to uphold the dignity of the estimated 61 million Americans who live with a disability—in short, it is a triumph of American civil rights. I was enormously proud to co-sponsor the ADA, the passage of which was a testament not only to fearless advocacy, but to bipartisan progress. A Democratic bill signed by a Republican President, the ADA was made possible thanks in no small part to the passion and persistence of Senators Tom Harkin and Ted Kennedy and Congressmen Major Owens and Tony Coelho. I will never forget the moment just after the ADA's passage, when Senator Harkin delivered a speech in American Sign Language from the Senate floor—a tribute to his older brother, Frank, who was deaf. That moment was an emotional reminder for all of us of just how personal and powerful the passage of the ADA would be for millions of American families. Despite the extraordinary progress we have made over the past 31 years, the fight for equitable access and inclusion is far from over. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the longstanding inequities and biases that exist for people with disabilities; persistent discrimination and the inability to access services continues to threaten the health and well-being of far too many Americans. Throughout the pandemic, people with disabilities have faced heightened risks…