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[an error occurred while processing this directive] Governmental Affairs: Advocacy in action. Read current and previous Legislative Network Alerts. View a listing of the 1998 Legislative Network Members. Frequently asked questions about the Legislative Network. |
Legislative Network Alerts Alert Number 34 December 28, 1998 For Your Information The American with Disabilities Act -- No complacency -- please. To: Members of the Legislative Network From: Thomas G. Stewart, Director of Governmental Affairs A individual who has done extensive research on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (Public Law 101-336) has reported the following facts: In 1990 during consideration of the Americans with Disabilities Act, five 'weakening amendments' were considered on the House floor. Combining all votes for the five amendments: 79 percent of the Democrats opposed the amendments while 72 percent of the Republicans supported the amendments. Representatives Armey, DeLay, Hastert and Livingston voted in support of all five weakening amendments. After the House and Senate conferees reported out a final version of the ADA that removed the only amendment that passed on the House floor (the Chapman amendment about HIV and food handling), there was an effort to send the ADA back to committee for reconsideration. 82 percent of the Democrats opposed the motion to recommit; and 69 percent of the Republicans supported the motion to recommit. Representatives Armey, DeLay, Gingrich, Hastert, and Livingston all voted to send the ADA back to committee in an effort to postpone the final vote on the ADA. After the failure of the motion to recommit, on July 12, 1990, the ADA came up for a final vote on the House floor, 23 Republicans and 5 Democrats voted against the ADA. Congressmen Armey, DeLay and Hastert voted against the final passage of the ADA. While some attitudes may have changed since that vote -- three top leaders proposed for the 106th Congress -- (proposed Speaker, proposed Majority Leader, and proposed Majority Whip) Hastert, Armey, and DeLay -- all voted against the ADA while their fellow Republican members voted approximately 88 percent to approve the ADA. Additionally, the ADA was signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George Bush, a Republican President. Even though the Rehabilitation Act was Reauthorized in 1998, it is no time to be complacent. Individuals must be ever watchful that a basic piece of civil rights legislation for individuals with disabilities, the Americans with Disabilities Act, is not threatened by change or elimination. END |
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