and projects of national significance, and for other pur-
poses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Developmental Disabil-
ities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act Amendments of
1993’’.
SEC. 2. TITLE AND PART HEADINGS.
(a) TITLE.—The heading of title I of the Developmen-
tal Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (42 U.S.C.
6000 et seq.) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘TITLE I—PROGRAMS FOR INDI-
VIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMEN-
TAL DISABILITIES’’.
(b) PART.—The heading of part A of title I of the De-
velopmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act
(42 U.S.C. 6000 et seq.) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘PART A—GENERAL PROVISIONS’’.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
Section 101 of the Developmental Disabilities Assist-
ance and Bill of Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 6000) is amended
to read as follows:
‘‘SEC. 101. FINDINGS, PURPOSES, AND POLICY.
‘‘(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—
‘‘(1) in 1993 there are more than 3,000,000
individuals with developmental disabilities in the
United States;
‘‘(2) disability is a natural part of the human
experience that does not diminish the right of individ-
uals with developmental disabilities to enjoy the op-
portunity to live independently, enjoy self-determina-
tion, make choices, contribute to society, and experi-
ence full integration and inclusion in the economic,
political, social, cultural, and educational main-
stream of American society;
‘‘(3) individuals with developmental disabilities
continually encounter various forms of discrimination
in critical areas;
‘‘(4) there is a lack of public awareness of the ca-
pabilities and competencies of individuals with devel-
opmental disabilities;
‘‘(5) individuals whose disabilities occur during
their developmental period frequently have severe dis-
abilities that are likely to continue indefinitely;
‘‘(6) individuals with developmental disabilities
often require lifelong specialized services and assist-
ance, provided in a coordinated and culturally com-
petent manner by many agencies, professionals, advo-
cates, community representatives, and others to elimi-
nate barriers and to meet the needs of such individ-
uals and their families;
‘‘(7) a substantial portion of individuals with
developmental disabilities and their families do not
have access to appropriate support and services from
generic and specialized service systems and remain
unserved or underserved;
‘‘(8) family members, friends, and members of
the community can play an important role in en-
hancing the lives of individuals with developmental
disabilities, especially when the family and commu-
nity are provided with the necessary services and sup-
ports; and
‘‘(9) the goals of the Nation properly include the
goal of providing individuals with developmental dis-
abilities with the opportunities and support to—
‘‘(A) make informed choices and decisions;
‘‘(B) live in homes and communities in
which such individuals can exercise their full
rights and responsibilities as citizens;
‘‘(C) pursue meaningful and productive
lives;
‘‘(D) contribute to their family, community,
State, and Nation;
‘‘(E) have interdependent friendships and
relationships with others; and
‘‘(F) achieve full integration and inclusion
in society;
in an individualized manner, consistent with unique
strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities and
capabilities of each individual.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to assure
that individuals with developmental disabilities and their
families have access to culturally competent services, sup-
ports, and other assistance and opportunities that promote
independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion
into the community, through—
‘‘(1) support to State Developmental Disabilities
Councils in each State to promote, through systemic
change, capacity building, and advocacy (consistent
with section 101(c)(2)), a consumer and family-cen-
tered, comprehensive system, and a coordinated array
of services, supports, and other assistance for individ-
uals with developmental disabilities and their fami-
lies;
‘‘(2) support to protection and advocacy systems
in each State to protect the legal and human rights
of individuals with developmental disabilities;
‘‘(3) support to university affiliated programs to
provide interdisciplinary preservice preparation of
students and fellows, community service activities,
and the dissemination of information and research
findings; and
‘‘(4) support to national initiatives to collect
necessary data, provide technical assistance to State
Developmental Disabilities Councils, protection, and
advocacy systems and university affiliated programs,
and support other nationally significant activities.
‘‘(c) POLICY.—It is the policy of the United States that
all programs, projects, and activities receiving assistance
under this Act shall be carried out in a manner consistent
with the principles that—
‘‘(1) individuals with developmental disabilities,
including those with the most severe developmental
disabilities, are capable of achieving independence,
productivity, and integration and inclusion into the
community, and the provision of services, supports
and other assistance can improve such individuals’
ability to achieve independence, productivity, and in-
tegration and inclusion;
‘‘(2) individuals with developmental disabilities
and their families have competencies, capabilities and
personal goals that should be recognized, supported,
and encouraged and any assistance should be pro-
vided in an individualized manner, consistent with
the unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns,
abilities, and capabilities of the individual;
‘‘(3) individuals with developmental disabilities
and their families are the primary decisionmakers re-
garding the services and supports such individuals
and their families receive and play decisionmaking
roles in policies and programs that affect the lives of
such individuals and their families;
‘‘(4) services, supports, and other assistance are
provided in a manner that demonstrates respect for
individual dignity, personal preferences, and cultural
differences;
‘‘(5) communities accept and support individ-
uals with developmental disabilities and are enriched
by the full and active participation and the contribu-
tions by individuals with developmental disabilities
and their families; and
‘‘(6) individuals with developmental disabilities
have opportunities and the necessary support to be
included in community life, have interdependent rela-
tionships, live in homes and communities, and make
contributions to their families, community, State, and
Nation.’’.