Presidential Document2023-16212
Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 2023
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 28, 2023
Signed
July 25, 2023
Issuing agencies
Executive Office of the President
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 144 (Friday, July 28, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 144 (Friday, July 28, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 48715-48716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-16212]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 144 / Friday, July 28, 2023 /
Presidential Documents
[[Page 48715]]
Proclamation 10603 of July 25, 2023
Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities
Act, 2023
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Thirty-three years ago, the Congress passed the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)--one of the most
important civil rights laws in our history. Its
tireless champion, Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa,
celebrated with a speech on the United States Senate
floor in American Sign Language. His remarks were not
only a tribute to his brother, who was deaf, but a
message to the millions of Americans with disabilities
that, in this country, everyone is equal and deserves
to be treated with dignity and respect. I was proud to
co-sponsor that landmark law back then, and I am proud
to celebrate its lasting legacy with a renewed push for
opportunity and justice today.
It is hard for younger generations to imagine a world
without the ADA, but before it existed, if you were
disabled, stores could turn you away and employers
could refuse to hire you. Transit was largely
inaccessible. America simply was not built for all
Americans, but courageous activists pushed to change
that. In 1973, the Congress passed the landmark
Rehabilitation Act, banning discrimination by any
federally funded entity. Then, 17 years later, a
bipartisan group of legislators persevered in passing
the ADA, banning discrimination against people with
disabilities in most areas of public life, from the
workplace and public schools to public transit and
telecommunications.
The ADA has had a profound impact, but we still have
much more work to do. Disabled Americans are still
three times less likely to have a job; and when they
do, they often earn less for doing the same work.
Voting locations, transit, and public spaces are too
often inaccessible. And we need to continue building a
culture that not only protects disability rights but
also celebrates disability pride.
My Administration has worked hard to build on the ADA's
foundation. Soon after I came into office, I signed an
Executive Order advancing opportunities for people with
disabilities in the Federal workforce; and we are
helping State and local governments, employers, and
nonprofits tap Federal funds to hire more Americans
with disabilities as well. We ended the use of unjust
sub-minimum wages in Federal contracts, and the
Department of Labor is working around the clock to
protect the rights of disabled workers. The Department
of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services
also developed guidance for emergency responders to
better protect the rights of people with disabilities.
And to ensure that every American has the opportunity
to exercise their fundamental right to vote, I signed
an Executive Order directing agencies to make voter
registration and information about voting resources
more accessible.
We are also rebuilding our Nation's infrastructure and
making transit and public spaces more accessible. Our
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes our Nation's
biggest investment ever in accessible transit. This
includes $1.75 billion to repair and improve
accessibility in transit stations across America--
including in some of our oldest and busiest railways.
This historic investment also expands access to high-
speed Internet, so millions of disabled Americans can
work, study, and stay connected from home. The
Department of Transportation is working to improve air
travel for all, including for
[[Page 48716]]
people who use wheelchairs. And the United States
Access Board is developing new guidelines under the ADA
that will improve the accessibility of sidewalks,
streets, crosswalks, and other public rights of way.
We also know the isolation and loss of the pandemic hit
the disability community especially hard. That is a big
reason why we provided tens of billions of dollars to
States to expand Medicaid--an essential lifeline for 21
million Americans, including many in the disability
community. And last month, I worked with members of the
Congress to reach a bipartisan budget deal that
protects Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. I
also signed an Executive Order to improve jobs and
support for caregivers and provide more care options
for people with disabilities and their families. I
continue to urge States that have not yet expanded
Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to at least
cover residents who are currently locked out. And I
call on the Congress to improve and expand home- and
community-based services so more seniors and people
with disabilities can live independently in their own
homes.
The ADA is an essential foundation to this continued
work--a reminder that we can still do big things in
America when we come together. For over 61 million
disabled Americans, it is much more than a law--it is
the key to equality, opportunity, and independence. And
for our country, it is a testament to our character and
commitment to keep pushing to finally realize the full
promise of America for all Americans.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of
the United States of America, by virtue of the
authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws
of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 26, 2023,
as the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities
Act. I encourage Americans to celebrate the 33rd year
of this defining moment in Civil Rights law and the
essential contributions of individuals with
disabilities to our Nation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
eighth.
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 2023-16212
Filed 7-27-23; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F3-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on July 28, 2023.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.