Keith Votes for Independence, Inclusion for People with Disabilities
On June 25, Keith voted to pass the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. This bill is meant to correct mistaken Supreme Court decisions that have reduced protections for people with disabilities under the ADA. The bill makes it clear the ADA is supposed to provide protection to anyone facing discrimination because of a disability.
Since 1999, a number of Supreme Court decisions have limited the impact of the ADA. The Court has narrowed the definition of “disability” to the point that people with serious conditions such as epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, cancer, diabetes, and cerebral palsy are not covered by the ADA. The result of those Court decisions has been devastating: since 2004, 97% of people filing discrimination lawsuits under the ADA have lost. Employers have been permitted to ignore the accommodations required by the ADA, accommodations that would allow people with disabilities to be productive workers and more independent members of society.
The lack of proper accommodation contributes to a harsh reality for people with disabilities. At present, approximately 75 percent of the disabled are unemployed and approximately 75 percent of those who are employed only work part-time, making access to health care and other benefits a steep climb. We, as a society, should work to assure that people with disabilities can live productive and fulfilling lives, with as many choices and as much independence as any American should expect. Honoring the intent of the ADA, by passing the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, is an important first step in that direction.