MEMORANDUM TO SENATOR DOLE 
DA: July 24, 1995 
FR: Alec Vachon 
RE: LETTER FOR SIGNATURE--TO ACCOMPANY KANSAS GRANT APPLICATION TO JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO FUND A STATEWIDE ADA CONFERENCE 

	Attached for signature is a letter of support--to accompany a grant application from the Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns to the Justice Department for funding for a statewide conference on ADA to be held in May 1996. The conference will allow Kansas county, city, and town officials--together with the disability community--to exchange information about what has worked in their communities to implement ADA. 

	This project is one outcome of about a year's worth of work with the Department of Justice to improve their technical assistance efforts, and about six months of work with Kansans to apply for a grant. This conference will hopefully be a model for other states. 

Bob Dole
Kansas
141 Senate Hart Building
(202)224-6521

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Uinited States Senate
WASHINGTON. DC 205 10-160 1 

July 24, 1995 

Mr. H. A. Schlobohm 
Program Consultant 
Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns 
1430 	S.W . Topeka Boulevard 
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1877 

RE: Grant Application to the U.S. Department of Justice, to Conduct a Statewide ADA Information-Sharing Conference 

Dear 	Alan: 
	Thank you for sharing with me information about your grant application to the U.S. Department of Justice for funding for a statewide conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
 
	I believe your project is very important. As you may know, I was responsible for the technical assistance authorization in ADA. In my view, we cannot expect state and local governments and businesses to do what ADA a sks unless they understand what the law requires and the most effective--and cost-effective--ways to meet those requirements. Several months ago my staff began talking with associations that represent local governments to learn how ADA was going for them. I felt this outreach was particularly important since ADA was exempted from recent unfunded mandates legislation. We learned that many local communities were having a tough time in getting straight answers about ADA. Moreover, it seems to me that much criticism of ADA has come from a misunderstanding of what the law really says. 

	I believe your conference will help solve these problems, and will not only benefit the citizens of Kansas but, as a model project, people throughout the nation. Please keep me informed of your progress, and let me how I can be helpful. 

Sincerely,
BOB DOLE 
United States Senate 




 
TELECOPIER TRANSMITTAL 
DATE: 7/26/95
TO: Alan Schlobohm 913/296-1984
FROM: Alexander Vachon

Office of Senator Bob Dole
141 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 2051 O 

(202) 224-6521 

NUMBER OF PAGES TO FOLLOW: 1
SUBJ: ___________________________ 

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