Columns

Tuesday, November 25, 2003

progress for americans with disabilities

December 3 is a very special day on my calendar, and I hope on yours. This is the day the United Nations has proclaimed as the International Day of Disabled Persons.

For me, this is personal. My brother, Frank, was profoundly deaf. At a young age, he was sent across the state to a school for the “deaf and dumb.” Frank told me often, “I may be deaf, but I am not dumb.”

Learning from the experiences of my brother and so many other people like him, I have been an outspoken advocate for people with disabilities. In fact, one of my proudest achievements in Congress was authoring the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. This landmark law protects the civil rights of more than 47 million Americans with physical and mental disabilities. It has proved to be a powerful tool for preventing discrimination -- and enabling individuals with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of society.

Iowans witnessed the power of ADA in October, when we applauded the victory of a courageous 14-year-old from Laurens named Bryce Wiley. Bryce has muscular dystrophy and uses a motorized wheelchair to get around. Many of the sidewalks in Laurens do not have curb cuts or ramps to allow Bryce to get around, including to high school football games, like other teenagers. The police -- concerned about his and others’ safety -- ordered him not to drive his wheelchair at night. Bryce’s father objected, saying, “The wheelchair serves as my son’s legs. I don’t feel like we can just lock our son up at home.” Fortunately, my office was able to help in arranging a compromise: Bryce would increase the lighting on his wheelchair and stay to the side of the road.

This was not just a success for Bryce Wiley. It was also a vivid reminder of what ADA is all about. ADA requires that communities provide reasonable modifications for people with disabilities. This law gives Americans the leverage they need to fight for their freedom – and to win.

This is about core American values: It is about fairness. It is about respect for the dignity and worth of every person. So I applaud the Wiley family for insisting on Bryce’s rights. And I applaud the police and the entire Laurens community for the way they resolved this.

This episode should serve as a wake-up call to other small towns and cities in Iowa and across America. It has been 13 years since ADA was signed into law. Localities should be well on their way to ensuring access to people with disabilities. We also need a change to Iowa law to clarify that wheelchair users can be on sidewalks. In the 21st century, none of our loved ones or neighbors – no American, period -- should find himself or herself in the predicament that confronted Bryce Wiley.

The good news is that creating opportunities for individuals with disabilities is a goal shared by Democrats and Republicans. For example, I am working with Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) on “MiCASSA,” legislation that would allow people with disabilities the choice of receiving services in their own homes and communities, instead of in nursing homes. And I am working with Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) on a bipartisan plan to fully fund the federal government’s commitment to pay 40 percent of special education costs.

As we celebrate the International Day of Disabled Persons, Americans should be proud of the enormous progress we have made in recent years. But much remains to be done to ensure that all individuals with disabilities have full access and equal opportunity to participate in our communities. This truly is a great goal for America.