ADA Amendments Act Unanimously Passes House and Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 17, 2008—The Epilepsy Foundation applauds Senate and House leaders for passing the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 by unanimous consent. This marks a historic move toward securing the promise of the original Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law by President George H. W. Bush in 1990. Visit www.adabill.com for more information.

“This is a major victory for people with epilepsy who have seen their protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act disappear over the last decade,” said Eric R. Hargis, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation. “We salute Congress for making great strides towards strengthening the American workforce.” Former congressman and Epilepsy Foundation immediate past board chair, Tony Coelho, a key author of the original ADA, added, "For those of us with epilepsy, this legislation is even more important than the original passage of the ADA. This bill was primarily focused on correcting our exclusion from the ADA. The Congress listened to us and we thank them!"

The President is expected to sign this bill into law in September. The Foundation joins hundreds of employer, disability, faith, civil rights and veterans’ organizations who have supported the ADA Amendments Act and have worked in a strong collaboration to secure the promise of the ADA, as it was originally envisioned.

"We have restored the promise of the ADA, which was signed into law 18 years ago," said Senator Tom Harkin (Iowa), another key author of the original ADA. "The protections afforded under this historic law have been eroded and the result is that people with serious conditions like epilepsy or diabetes could be forced to choose between treating their conditions and forfeiting their protections under the law. That is not what Congress intended when we passed the law, and this bill is the right fix."

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VIDEO
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) Speaks at a Press Conference Following the Unanimous Senate Passage of the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. Kristina Foster, 17, an Epilepsy Foundation Kids Speak Up! advocate from Virginia Beach, Virginia and Tony Coelho, immediate past chair of the Epilepsy Foundation and primary author of the original ADA also spoke at the event.

Part One

Part Two

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"This bill continues our ongoing effort to expand opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in the American Dream," said Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah). "Passage of the ADA Amendments Act ensures the Americans with Disabilities Act will continue to help change lives. I'm proud to have worked with my good friend Tom Harkin in crafting this monumental bill that enjoys such strong bipartisan support." This legislation clarifies for the courts that people with disabilities should not lose civil rights protections because their condition is treatable with medication or can be addressed with the help of assistive technology.

The bill also addresses the definition of disability making it clear that Congress intended the ADA’s coverage to be broad, to cover anyone who faces unfair discrimination because of a disability. In the past, Supreme Court rulings have eroded the ADA, leaving people with disabilities including epilepsy, diabetes, cancer and mental illness without the protections Congress envisioned when the ADA was originally enacted.