SENATOR DOLE REMARKS
ADA CELEBRATION AND INAUGURATION OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

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CONGRATULATIONS ON THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT! JULY 26, 1990, IS A LANDMARK DATE FOR ALL CITIZENS WITH DISABILITIES. IT IS ALSO A LANDMARK FOR ALL AMERICANS SINCE IT IS THE DATE WHEN PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BECAME FULL PARTNERS IN AMERICAN SOCIETY.

I ALSO CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU HERE TONIGHT ON THE INAUGURATION AND BOARD ELECTION OF THE NEW "AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES (AAPD)." THIS NONPARTISAN MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION HAS A POTENTIAL MEMBERSHIP OF OVER 49 MILLION PEOPLE. THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE OTHERS AFFECTED BY MANY ASPECTS OF DISABILITY IN THEIR LIVES. IN MY VIEW, THIS ORGANIZATION REPRESENTS THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP TO ACTUALLY REMOVE THE BARRIERS THAT THE ADA INTENDS TO ELIMINATE. I KNOW THAT MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THIS HAVE BEEN TRIED BEFORE; BUT THESE ARE DIFFERENT TIMES. THE ADA HAS PAVED THE WAY FOR NEW RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BUSINESS AND DISABILITY ISSUES. MORE THAN EVER BEFORE, LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE AWARE OF THEIR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES TO REMOVE THE BARRIERS THAT PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES CONFRONT SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY.

TECHNOLOGY HAS BROUGHT VAST NEW WORLDS INTO OUR HOMES AND WILL BE A CHANGING FORCE IN COMMUNICATIONS FOR ALL OF US. TELECOMMUNICATIONS WILL REVOLUTIONIZE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. I HOPE THAT THIS NEW ORGANIZATION WILL UTILIZE THIS MEDIUM BOTH TO RECRUIT AND TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO ITS MEMBERSHIP.

FINALLY, FOR THE ADA TO WORK THE EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES MUST BECOME MORE THE RULE RATHER THAN THE EXCEPTION. THOSE NOT WORKING OR OUT OF THE WORKFORCE MUST BECOME TAX PAYERS IN ORDER TO RECOGNIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. THE "AAPD" MUST ADOPT PRACTICES DESIGNED TO COUNTERACT THE DISTURBING EMPLOYMENT PROBLEM AND FULFILL THE DREAM OF THE ADA.

BANDING TOGETHER AND USING MEMBERSHIP DUES AND PRIVATE SUPPORT TO SOLVE THESE QUESTIONS IS THE RIGHT APPROACH. IN THE MONTHS AHEAD, I WILL LOOK CLOSELY AT THE GROWTH AND POTENTIAL OF THIS ORGANIZATION WITH A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST.

MANY TIMES l'VE PONDERED THE QUESTION OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO ME, HAD THE PEOPLE OF RUSSELL, KANSAS NOT COME TO MY AID MANY YEARS AGO. THOSE GOOD PEOPLE RAISED MONEY TO HELP ME, SO I COULD HELP MYSELF. AT THAT TIME, NEITHER THE PEOPLE OF RUSSELL NOR I HAD ANY IDEA HOW FAR THEIR HELP WOULD ALLOW ME TO GO.

IN THE SAME WAY, AS WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF THIS ORGANIZATION TONIGHT, ON THE EVE OF THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADA, I THINK WE DO NOT KNOW THE POTENTIAL OF HOW FAR THIS ORGANIZATION WILL PROPEL PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO GO.