Disability rights groups applaud ADA Amendments Act

ADA Watch/National Coalition for Disability Rights (NCDR) says the ADA Amendments Act that was passed unanimously by the U.S. Senate will restore vital civil rights protections for Americans with disabilities:

The leaders of a national coalition of disability, civil rights and social justice organizations praised the U.S. Senate Sept. 11 for taking bipartisan action to restore vital civil rights protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

In recent years, the ADA - the world's first human rights law for people with disabilities - has been dramatically narrowed in the courts leaving citizens with epilepsy, diabetes, mental illness, HIV-AIDS and other disabilities unprotected from discrimination.

The ADA Amendments Act clarifies the intent of Congress and reverses the "judicial activism" that has resulted in more than 90% of employment-related ADA
cases being dismissed on summary judgment.

For more than 8 years, ADA Watch and the National Coalition for Disability Rights has called for restoration of the ADA. Since 2006, our Road To Freedom bus tour and disability rights exhibit has traveled to all 50 states, generating widespread media attention and collecting thousands of petition signatures calling on Congress to restore the ADA.

The organization's "Campaign for Fair Judges" promotes awareness of the importance of supporting candidates who will advance judicial nominees supportive of disability rights and civil rights generally.

ADA Watch/NCDR founder and president, Jim Ward stated Sept. 11, "This legislation will move the courts away from narrow interpretations of the ADA and the expending of resources on determining if a person is 'disabled' enough to deserve the protections of the ADA. The courts should now move to fairly determining whether there has been discrimination."

Board member, Marcie Roth added, "While hopeful, we remain concerned that the rights of the more than 54 Americans with disabilities may still be in jeopardy if activist judges continue to disregard the intent of Congress. We call on both presidential candidates to support judges who will uphold the intent of Congress so that we can lessen discrimination and see a reduction in the shamefully high rates of poverty and unemployment among people with disabilities."

ADA Watch and the National Coalition for Disability Rights (NCDR) is a coalition of national, state and local disability, civil rights and social justice organizations united to protect and promote the human rights of children and adults with physical and mental disabilities. For more information, go to www.adawatch.org and www.roadtofreedom.org