Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Recommitting to build an America that is fully inclusive and accessible for everyone

In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, establishing that every American deserves to live in a fully inclusive and accessible society. Yet, 29 years later, we still have a lot of work to do to live up to the full promise of the ADA.

Ensuring that every American is paid a living wage is one example of where we must do more. People with disabilities have the right to work a job that pays the minimum wage or higher — absolutely nothing less. However, in many states, there are still subminimum wage laws that allow employers to pay Americans with disabilities less than the minimum wage. That’s not right. And when it comes to education, we must do more to ensure that children with disabilities are learning in adequately funded classrooms with the assistance they need so that they have equal access to the educational opportunities they deserve. Access to quality health care and community supports and services should be a fundamental human right for every single American and yet Republicans continue to try to roll back all the advances the Affordable Care Act made to expand coverage for people with disabilities.

I believe in an America that is fully inclusive and accessible for everyone and when I’m president, I will fight every day to make that a reality. For example, I believe we need to adequately fund our classrooms, to expand access to integrated employment opportunities, to eliminate subminimum wages, to ensure our emergency preparedness and disaster programs and services are fully inclusive and accessible as our climate changes, and to build a diverse federal workforce that includes people with disabilities. And, I believe we need to recommit to fully enforcing the ADA, IDEA, and Rehabilitation Act. As the former Attorney General of California, I know the impact that strong enforcement of civil rights laws can have on the lives of Americans. That’s why I will appoint an Attorney General who prioritizes enforcement of the ADA, and all disability civil rights laws, and will double the size of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to ensure we have the resources to back up that commitment.

And on the anniversary of this important civil rights milestone, I am proud to announce my campaign’s Americans with Disabilities Leadership Council. The council will work closely with my team and me throughout this campaign to take on the issues that are most important to Americans with disabilities.

I’d like to invite everyone to join me as we take on these important challenges to make full inclusion and accessibility a reality.

Text “AWD” to 70785 to join the Americans with Disabilities for the People community.

When we ensure that every American with disabilities is able to fully participate in our communities, in our schools, in our workplaces, and at the ballot box, our country is stronger. Please join me today.