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National Disability Rights Network Urges Congress to Pass ADA Restoration Act 17th anniversary of landmark Americans with Disabilities Act reveals progress and much yet to be done For Immediate Release October 4, 2007 Contact: Kaaryn Sanon, Communications Manager 202.408.9514 x122 WASHINGTON – Today the first hearing on the ADA Restoration Act of 2007 was held in the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary. With 218 cosponsors – the prerequisite number for passage in the House – it is time to restore Congress’ original intent in passing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): to make this great nation’s promise of equality and freedom a reality for Americans with disabilities by protecting anyone who is treated less favorably because of a current, past, or perceived disability. Over the past 17 years, the courts have narrowed the definition of disability so much that p eople with conditions like epilepsy, diabetes, HI V, cancer, and hearing loss who manage their disabilities with medication, prosthetics, or hearing aids are viewed as “too functional” to have a disability. While these same people may be denied a job or fired because an employer mistakenly believes they cannot perform the job, they are denied the ADA’s protection from employment discrimination. This creates a Catch-22 in which employers say a person is “too disabled” to do the job but not “disabled enough” to be protected by the law. “While great progress has been made since passage of the ADA, bad court decisions over the years have eroded many of its essential protections,” said NDRN Executive Director Curt Decker. “We urge Congress to quickly pass this bill to restore the rights of all Americans to be free from unfair discrimination.” # # # The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and the Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, the Network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.

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