The month of July marks the 15th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - the world's first comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities.

The ADA, which passed Congress with bipartisan support and was signed into law by the first President Bush, recognized the simple premise that every American ought to have the right to live independently and to fully participate in all aspects of our society - in the job market, in schools and in communities.  The ADA sought to foster inclusion, and to break down the barriers of exclusion to people with disabilities.

There is no question that the ADA has ushered in significant change during the last 15 years.  One need only look around to see the signs of progress: curb cuts, wheelchair lifts, Braille signs, closed-captioning for the hearing impaired on television, handicapped parking spaces and assistive listening devices at movie theaters.  The ADA has made transit systems and communications systems more accessible.  And, perhaps most importantly, the ADA has begun to change society's attitudes toward people with disabilities.

However, despite this important and widespread progress, the fact remains that the promise of the ADA remains unfulfilled for far too many.

A major focus of the ADA, for example, was to improve employment opportunities.  However, the evidence shows that there has been little change in the employment rate of people with disabilities.  Only 32 percent of people of working age who have disabilities are employed.  And today, people with disabilities are still three times more likely to live in poverty. 

Furthermore, despite the clear intent of Congress, federal courts in recent years have narrowed the scope of the ADA and limited the enforcement of key provisions, especially those related to the workplace and the application of the ADA to state law. 

Adding to the problem is the fact that President Bush has chosen judges for the federal bench who have a track record of explicit hostility to the ADA.  His Administration has also proposed funding cuts to Medicaid, Section 8 housing, vocational rehabilitation and assistive technology - all of which are essential to fostering independence.

The President also has failed to honor former President Clinton's pledge to hire 100,000 individuals with disabilities in the federal government by 2005.  In fact, under the current Administration, the number of federal employees with disabilities has declined.

It's clear that our work is far from finished in meeting the goals of the ADA.  We must continue to strive to reach a point in this nation where you can get a job if you are qualified and can do the job. 

This is as much a priority today as it was 15 years ago when the ADA was enacted.  With thousands of severely injured soldiers returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq, we have a special responsibility to assure them that they will receive the fair treatment they deserve as they attempt to return to work and re-integrate themselves in their communities.

We must bring our nation closer to the ideals of equality and opportunity that are both our heritage and our hope.  I am proud to be among the Members of Congress leading the way in our national effort to make those ideals a reality for all Americans.

(Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard's office offers a wide variety of services to the community, including financial aid workshops, a service academy workshop, a scholarship directory, a community health fair and constituent casework services to assist district residents in resolving problems with federal agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration.  More information about federal services can be obtained by visiting Congresswoman Roybal-Allard's web site at www.house.gov/roybal-allard or by calling her district office at (213) 628-9230.)