Obama on the ADA Restoration Act

I am a little late posting this news, but here's a statement that Senator Obama issued on Wednesday after the historic and overwhelming vote in the U.S. House of Representatives in favor of the ADA Amendments Act --- a revised version of the ADA Restoration Act:

Statement of Senator Barack Obama on the House Passage of the Americans with Disabilities Restoration Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Americans with Disabilities Restoration Act, H.R. 3195.

"We have a collective responsibility to ensure that every American has access to the opportunity to fulfill their dreams and live independent lives. With nearly fifty-four million Americans living with disabilities today, it must be a priority for our government to do everything it can to protect and respect the needs of these Americans.

"The House of Representatives took an important step today by passing this legislation, and I applaud Leader Hoyer and Congressmen Conyers, George Miller, and Sensenbrenner for their efforts. I look forward to working with a true leader on this issue, Senator Harkin, to reaffirm our nation's commitment to giving every American an equal chance."

The ADA Restoration Act is critical legislation that will overturn several Supreme Court decisions that dramatically narrowed the ADA's coverage.  These ill-conceived decisions left potentially millions of Americans with disabilities unprotected from discrimination in the workplace, the job market, public services, and other aspects of their lives.  The ADA Restoration Act will expand coverage to protect all of those Congress originally intended to protect.

Barack has been a long-time supporter of the ADA Restoration Act.  Take a look at his Plan to Empower Americans with Disabilities and his video endorsing the bill at www.barackobama.com/issues/disabilities.  But Barack understands the critical connection between restoring the ADA and making sure that it is interpreted fairly by judges.  Here's what his Plan says about the judges he will appoint:
 

Appointing Judges and Justices Who Respect Laws Designed to Protect People with Disabilities: Barack Obama will appoint judges and justices who respect Congress’ role as a co-equal, democratically elected branch of government and who exhibit empathy with what it means to be an American with a disability. The Supreme Court’s interpretations of the ADA have shown disrespect for Congress’ intent and frustrated the law’s goals of fully integrating people with disabilities into society.

That's the kind of President that Americans with disabilities need.  That's the kind of President all Americans need.