DPG Disability Caucus Statement on the 27th Anniversary of the ADA

July 26, 2017

Release:  Wednesday, July 26, 2017                                                                                                

Atlanta, GA – Democratic Party of Georgia Disability Caucus Chair Vincent Olsziewski issued the following statement on the 27th anniversary of the American with Disabilities Act.

“Today marks the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act being signed into law. Since its enactment, the ADA has afforded persons with disabilities far greater access to housing, transportation and many other aspects of this life most take for granted.

“Before the ADA, persons with disabilities faced housing discrimination and were denied education opportunities. Thanks to the enforcement of the ADA, we are no longer segregated in sheltered workshops in the workplace, or paid less than the minimum wage for our labor. The ADA has saved lives, broken down barriers, and ensured the dignity that every single American is owed.

“While we celebrate these achievements, the fight is not over. The U.S. Senate is poised to vote on a health care repeal bill that will devastate persons with disabilities. The GOP’s cuts to Medicaid will strip many of the home and community based services they need to stay healthy and maintain economic security. Governors and state legislators will be forced to either raise taxes to avoid budget shortfalls or cut back and eliminate services all together—particularly here in Georgia where 68.5% of Medicaid spending is covered by federal funding. The GOP’s repeal bill is cruel and fiscally irresponsible.

“The ADA was a bipartisan piece of legislation drafted by a Democrat and signed into law by a Republican president. Equality, access, freedom, and opportunity are above politics, and the DPG’s Disability Caucus urges our leaders to work together to protect and build upon this legacy.”

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