114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 20 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Whereas, July 26, 2015, marks the 25th anniversary of the 

date of enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act 

of 1990 (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘ADA’’); 

Whereas the ADA has been one of the most significant and 

effective civil rights laws passed by Congress; 

Whereas prior to the date of enactment of the ADA, individuals with disabilities were too often denied the opportunity to fully participate in society due to intolerance, 

misunderstanding, ignorance, or unfair stereotypes; 

Whereas the dedicated efforts of passionate and courageous 

disability rights advocates served to awaken Congress and 

the people of the United States to the discrimination and 

prejudice that individuals with disabilities face; 

Whereas Congress worked in a bipartisan manner to craft 

legislation to make discrimination against individuals 

with disabilities illegal; 

Whereas Congress passed the ADA, and President George 

Herbert Walker Bush signed the ADA into law on July 

26, 1990; 

Whereas the purpose of the ADA is to fulfill the goals of opportunity, independent living, integration, and economic 

self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities who live in 

the United States; 
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Whereas the ADA— 

(1) prohibits employers from discriminating against 

qualified individuals with disabilities; 

(2) requires that State and local governmental entities accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities; 

(3) requires a place of public accommodation to take 

reasonable steps to ensure that the goods and services it 

provides are accessible to individuals with disabilities; and 

(4) requires new trains and buses to be accessible to 

individuals with disabilities; 

Whereas the ADA has played a historic role in allowing more 

than 55,000,000 individuals in the United States who 

have disabilities to better participate in society by removing barriers to employment, transportation, public services, telecommunications, and public accommodations; 

Whereas the ADA has served as a model for disability rights 

in other countries; 

Whereas every individual in the United States, not just those 

with disabilities, benefits from the accommodations that 

have become commonplace since the passage of the ADA, 

including curb cuts at street intersections, ramps for access to buildings, and other accommodations that provide 

access to public transportation, stadiums, telecommunications, voting machines, and websites; 

Whereas 25 years after the date of enactment of the ADA, 

it remains a crucial tool, as children and adults with disabilities still experience barriers that interfere with their 

full participation in mainstream life in the United States; 

Whereas 25 years after the date of enactment of the ADA, 

individuals in the United States who have disabilities are 

twice as likely to live in poverty than individuals without 
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disabilities, and individuals with disabilities continue to 

experience high rates of unemployment and underemployment; 

Whereas 25 years after the date of enactment of the ADA 

and 16 years after the Supreme Court issued the decision 

in Olmstead v. L.C., many individuals with disabilities 

still live and work in segregated and institutional settings 

because of a lack of access to support services that would 

allow such individuals to live and work in their community; 

Whereas 25 years after the date of enactment of the ADA, 

the ADA remains a crucial tool for individuals with disabilities who experience barriers to accessability in telecommunications and information technologies; and 

Whereas the United States has a responsibility to welcome 

back and create opportunities for the tens of thousands 

of working-age veterans who have been wounded in action 

or have suffered injuries or illnesses related to their service in the Global War on Terror: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes and honors the 25th anniversary 

4 of the date of enactment of the Americans with Dis5 abilities Act of 1990; 

6 (2) salutes everyone whose efforts contributed 

7 to the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities 

8 Act of 1990; 

9 (3) encourages everyone in the United States to 

10 celebrate the advancement of freedom and the ex-
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1 pansion of opportunity made possible by the enact2 ment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; 

3 and 

4 (4) pledges to continue to work on a bipartisan 

5 basis to support opportunity, independent living, 

6 economic self-sufficiency, and the full participation 

7 of individuals in the United States who have disabil8 ities. 

Passed the Senate July 28, 2015. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 20 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Recognizing and honoring the 25th anniversary of 

abilities Act of 1990. the date of enactment of the Americans with Dis-