Today is the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
As reported earlier (see post below), President Obama on Friday announced his intention to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. As part of a ceremony marking the ADA anniversary, the president also signed a proclamation (read full text) and commented on the work that remains to be done in the area of disability rights.
The proclamation notes: "People with disabilities far too often lack the choice to live in communities of their choosing; their unemployment rate is much higher than those without disabilities; they are much likelier to live in poverty; health care is out of reach for too many; and too many children with disabilities are denied a world-class education."
And in his remarks, the president said, "I am not satisfied -- I am proud of the progress we have made, but I am not satisfied -- and I know you are not either -- until every American with a disability can learn in their local public school in the manner that's best for them. Until they can apply for a job without discrimination and live and work independently in their communities, if that is what they choose, we have got more work to do."
Watch CSPAN's video of Friday's event.
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