Today is the observance of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, one of the most humane pieces of legislation to take place in the past fifty years. With its passage and signature of the President the hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities in this country achieved full stature of citizenship and a promise of full access to perform that citizenship without hindrance.
One of the ways in which this observance will be marked is by the presence of Rhode Island Congressman Jim Langevin, my Representative in Congress , at the speaker’s podium in the House of Representatives. Because the podium has just been made “handicap accessible” Jim will become the first wheelchair-bound Member of the House of Representatives to preside over the House and its activities.
When Jim was a high school kid in Rhode Island he was shot accidentally while participating in a Boy Scout training program at the Police training facility. His spine was damaged, and he has spent the entirety of his adult life in a wheelchair. Not allowing that fact to dissuade him, Jim ran for and was elected a Representative to the United States Congress and has served our district well in that capacity. He is beloved in his home state of Rhode Island and highly respected by his colleagues in Congress. He is the first paraplegic to serve in the House of Representatives of the United States.
The impact of the Disabilities Act on the nation has been profound. I continue to be an advocate for the renovations required to make all public buildings accessible. It is inconceivable to me that municipalities are willing to allow court houses, police stations, and other facilities to be restricted by barriers, not allowing disabled citizens to participate fully in the work of a community. Even more frustrating to me is the huge number of churches, schools, hospitals, and other special facilities that practice the same demoralizing and embarrassing restrictions.
My hope is that the presence of Jim Langevin at the podium of the House of Representatives today will serve as a reminder of all that has been accomplished so far in bringing about a reform in this practice, as well as reminding us of the strides required to complete the dream of a fully-accessible America.
