Washington, DC—In commemoration of the 15th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act, Congressman Al Green (TX-9) announced the formation of the Ninth Congressional District’s Taskforce on the Disabled.

Green named Mr. Syed Izfar, a wheelchair-bound Houston attorney, to chair the taskforce. “I am honored to serve as the chair of the Ninth Congressional District’s Taskforce on the Disabled and know that this effort will make a difference in the lives of disabled Houstonians. As a taskforce, we plan to bring attention to the legitimate needs of the disabled American community,” said Izfar.

“By soliciting the input of disabled members of the Houston community, I hope to be able to address the specific needs of Houston area disabled residents. We need to work together to ensure all members of the Houston community are afforded the same opportunities and the formation of the taskforce is another step towards this goal,” added Green.

The Ninth District’s Taskforce on the Disabled will be charged with promoting the human rights as well as the economic and social integration of disabled persons living in the district. In addition the council will work to develop a strategy to address the needs and concerns of Houston’s disabled community. The group also intends to work to promote legislation that will enhance the educational, economic, and social opportunities of this to often neglected segment of society.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was a meaningful next step in the civil rights revolution that began with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The ADA extended broad civil rights protections to America’s 54 million citizens with disabilities. “The ADA recognized the simple premise that every American ought to have the right to live independently and to participate fully in all aspects of our society – in the job market, in schools and in our communities,” stated Green.

The ADA sought to foster inclusion and to break down the barriers of exclusion to people with disabilities. Despite many areas of widespread progress, the fact remains that the promise of the ADA remains unfulfilled for far too many disabled Americans. Only 32 percent of people of working age who have a disability are employed. And today, people with disabilities are still three times more likely to live in poverty.

“We must do more to ensure that Americans with disabilities are fully integrated into our society and that qualified individuals with disabilities can obtain a job. We must work to bring our nation closer to the ideals of equality and opportunity that are both our heritage and our hope. This is why we are forming a district taskforce to explore and address the issues facing people with disabilities.”