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Press Release
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Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Kristen Clarke issued the following statements to mark the 31st Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the nation’s preeminent civil rights law that provides equal opportunity for people with disabilities.
“Thirty-one years ago today, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law with broad bipartisan support and it has been life-changing for people with disabilities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “It ushered in a new era of greater participation, inclusion, independent living and opportunity. The ADA has helped knock down discriminatory barriers in employment, state and local government programs, and businesses. That has made it possible for generations of Americans with disabilities to contribute to their communities and achieve their full potential. The Justice Department will keep working tirelessly — marshalling all tools made possible by this groundbreaking law — to realize the ADA’s promise of equal opportunity for all people with disabilities.”
“The ADA is one of our most transformative civil rights laws, helping to ensure that our schools, courthouses, townhalls, businesses and workplaces are open to all people, regardless of their disability status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We know that much work remains to be done to achieve fully the goals underlying the ADA, but the department celebrates the progress that the ADA has made possible for millions of Americans, while continuing to fight for full access and opportunity for people with disabilities. This is the Civil Rights Division’s charge and this is our promise to every person with a disability across this country. We will not yield until the full measure of rights guaranteed by the ADA is a reality for all.”
This year, the Civil Rights Division has enforced the ADA to provide concrete changes in the lives of Americans with disabilities. The following are some examples of its work:
For more information about the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov or call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383). For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt.
The Attorney General’s video marking the 31st Anniversary can be found here.