A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

I am also so pleased that Ambassador Richard Holbrooke could participate today. This event and this legislation does have an impact around the world. We have laid a foundation of equality and civil rights for all our citizens, and I am glad that here in UN Plaza we will be passing the torch off to share our commitment with the rest of the world.

In the past few weeks, as the torch has moved across the country, we have all been looking at the progress made since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

We can all look at our own lives and those of our families and we don't usually have to look too far to see the impact a disability can have. Ten days ago, on the grounds of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, DC., President Clinton gathered thousands of people to mark the anniversary of the ADA, and to pay tribute to the only President, so far, to lead his country from a wheelchair.

There are 54 million of us in America who have disabilities. The issues of rights and access will touch us all in some way, some day. In the 1950's, when I was serving in the Navy, I didn't anticipate getting a disability. Yet I did. And it changed my life temporarily. Did it hinder my life? I don't think so. My wife Tunky and I have 4 children and 11 WONDERFUL grandchildren. I became the Governor of the great state of South Carolina, and now I serve as U. S. Secretary of Education.

This country was founded on the principle that we are all created equal. Our democratic values have inspired many others around the world. Yet throughout our history, fundamental civil rights have been denied to too many of our own citizens.

To help right that wrong, we have used our democratic institutions to support the rights of the people -- ALL the people. Today, we have the opportunity to look behind us and see the path that brought us here. So many of us are able to participate in the festivities today because of the work of Judy Heumann, and Ed Roberts, and Justin Dart, and the thousands of other people with disabilities and their families who were determined that their disability would not alter their desire for the American Dream.

We are marking the 10th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This sweeping piece of civil rights legislation guaranteed that no American would be denied the opportunity to participate, side-by-side, in employment, in education, in recreation, and as members of their communities.

We also are marking the 25th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This law guaranteed that every child is entitled to a "Free and Appropriate Education." We continue to strive to make sure that children with disabilities are held to the same high standards, and have the same opportunities to learn and excel as their non-disabled peers.

I never want to hear another story like Judy's, where a child who is eager to learn is turned away. Learning is a lifelong pursuit, and we all have a responsibility to encourage that pursuit.

In the year 2000, record numbers of students with disabilities are learning alongside their non-disabled friends in classrooms across the nation. That has given us a new generation of young people who are learning to high standards, going to college, making their mark in the world of work, and taking their rightful place in our communities.

Together, the principles of the ADA and the IDEA have changed the landscape for people with disabilities. With these pieces of legislation the Federal government has been able to streamline a system of providing services that assist people to live independent lives. That is the American Dream. For some it is a big house, a nice van, an exotic vacation. For others, that dream may include being able to go to the movies with friends, being a member of the debate team, or being able to go for a job interview. Whatever your version of the American Dream is, nothing institutional or attitudinal should keep you from achieving it.

Are we where we want to be in this country in terms of complete participation for people with disabilities? Not yet. Are we getting there? Absolutely. President Clinton and Vice President Gore have been committed to making the government more inclusive. The President just directed the Federal government to hire 100,000 more people with disabilities over the next 5 years. This is an important step. It is also a challenge. We have to make sure that more people with disabilities are getting the kinds of education and training that will prepare them for these highly skilled jobs.

We owe all of our children the educational background that will let them grow to find their own version of the American Dream, and to achieve it. Thanks to the ADA, we have made tremendous progress, and like all battles for civil rights, it is the young people who will carry on the fight. We need to arm them with education and access. We need to make sure they have good teachers, and modern schools, and access to the technology that makes the United States the envy of the world.

On behalf of the United States and the U.S. Department of Education, I am passing this Torch to representatives of America's youth who will carry the promises of ADA into the future.