Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 2016

Proclamation 9471 of July 25, 2016

Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities
Act, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On July 26, 1990, our Nation marked a pivotal moment in
history for Americans with disabilities. Fueled by a
chorus of voices who refused to accept a second-class
status and driven by a movement that recognized that
our country is stronger and more vibrant when we draw
on the talents of all our people, the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) enshrined into law the notion
that Americans living with disabilities deserve to
participate in our society free from discrimination.
Twenty-six years later, as we mark this anniversary, we
recognize all this milestone law has made possible for
the disability community.

The ADA sought to guarantee that the places we share--
from schools and workplaces to stadiums and parks--
truly belong to everyone. It reflects our Nation's full
commitment to the rights and independence of people
with disabilities, and it has paved the way for a more
inclusive and equal society. For the 6.5 million
students and the approximately 50 million adults living
with mental or physical disabilities, the ADA has swung
open doors and empowered each of them to make of their
lives what they will.

Building on this progress is a priority for my
Administration. The Federal Government has taken the
lead in creating meaningful employment opportunities
for people with disabilities. In my first term, I
issued an Executive Order that called on Federal
agencies and contractors to hire more people with
disabilities--and today, more Americans with
disabilities are working in Federal service than at any
time in the last three decades. My Administration has
vigorously enforced the Supreme Court's ruling in the
Olmstead decision--which determined that, under the
ADA, people with disabilities cannot be unnecessarily
segregated--and worked to deliver on the promise that
individuals with disabilities have access to
integrated, community-based services. The Affordable
Care Act affirmed that Americans with pre-existing
conditions can no longer be denied health insurance,
and this year, we made it clear that health care
providers must offer reasonable accommodations and
ensure effective communication for individuals with
disabilities in order to advance health equity and
reduce health care disparities.

As we commemorate this progress, we know our work to
expand opportunity and confront the stigma that
persists surrounding disabilities is not yet finished:
We have to address the injustices that linger and
remove the barriers that remain. Too many people with
disabilities are still unemployed and lack access to
skills training or are not paid fairly for their work.
We must continue increasing graduation rates for
students with disabilities to give them every chance to
receive the education and training they need to pursue
their dreams. We must make the information and
communication technologies we rely on accessible for
all people, and ensure their needs are considered and
incorporated as we advance the tools of modern life.
And we must keep fighting for more consistent and
effective enforcement of the ADA in order to prevent
discrimination in public services and accommodations.

At a time when so many doubted that people with
disabilities could contribute to our economy or support
their families, the ADA assumed they

could, and guided the way forward. Today, as we reflect
on the courage and commitment of all who made this
achievement possible, let us renew our obligation to
extend the promise of the American dream to all our
people, and let us recommit to building a world free of
unnecessary barriers and full of deeper understanding
of those living with disabilities.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim July 26, 2016, the
Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. I
encourage Americans across our Nation to celebrate the
26th anniversary of this civil rights law and the many
contributions of individuals with disabilities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord two
thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and forty-first.