ELLIE'S BLOG on Living Well with Disability

 20 years ago lives changed enormously for the 54,000,000 people with disabilities in our country.  With the passage of the ADA  legal support and provisions mandated by law in employment, transportation, accommodations, telecommunications and more has helped open doors that were once shut for people with disabilities.  And equally important is the changing of the attitudes of society.

Now that people with disabilities are able to be out and mix with the non-disabled a new understanding is emerging. People are beginning to understand the value of the disabled being fully included in our society.  For more information about the ADA and its amendments go to my former blog at:

 Bush signs ADAA into Law 

For the past two weeks there have been celebrations by all of the societies that are involved with the disability community.  There have also been serious symposiums regarding the status of where we are now and what are the next steps to narrow the gap to have full inclusion of the disabled in our society.

These celebrations and symposiums have also included our government. There was a celebration in the Rose Garden on Monday July 26 featuring prominent people who fought for the ADA.  There were also speakers and many in the audience who are involved in the current    ADA and the disability community.  For more information and opportunity to see the video of the whole ceremony or  just President Obama's speech go to the I'm an MS Activist blog site at:  http://msactivist.blogspot.com/

President O'bama signed an executive order on Monday to increase the number of disabled workers hired by the Federal government.  And the government involvement was not just at the executive level.

The Justice Dept is also heavily committed and involved in equalizing opportunities for people with disabilities.

The Justice Dept has placed a renewed focus on enforcing the ADA.  There is an with awareness that new regulations and updated compliance goals are now needed. Therefore it is going to publish advance notices of proposed rulemaking regarding accessibility requirements for web sites, movies, equipment and furniture and 911 call -taking technologies. These are all appropriate changes in our society .http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/July/10-crt-850.html

Also wanting to ensure that all Americans can participate fully in a democracy Attorney General Holder said that is why this administration is committed to fundamental voting rights of Americans.

Attorney General Holder also pledged aggressive  enforcement of the supreme court's decision in (" the Olmstead decision&quotOlmstead v LC  a 1999 decision recognizing the right for individuals with disabilities to live in their own communities. http://www.worksupport.com/resources/printView.cfm/376

He also stated that he was firmly committed to holding the Department accountable for encouraging the contribution of employees with disabilities and working to attract qualified candidates with disabilities.

And in the House of Representatives on this 20th anniversary of the ADA Congressman James langevin became the first person in a wheelchair to presided over the house. The speaker's rostrum has recently been made wheelchair accessible through a series of lifts.                   

THE PROGRESS CONTINUES THANKS TO MANY MANY PEOPLE !                                  ellie