White House and Congress Recognize ADA and the Importance of Home and Community-Based Services

July 26 marked the 33rd anniversary of the signing into law of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). President Biden issued a proclamation celebrating the anniversary. The presidential proclamation noted the history of the legislation’s passage, including his co-sponsorship of the bill when he was in the Senate, and his administration’s efforts to strengthen and expand disability rights. The President also used the proclamation to “call on the Congress to improve and expand home and community-based services so more seniors and people with disabilities can live independently in their own homes.”

Also in commemoration of the ADA anniversary, Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI)—the co-chairs of the Congressional Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus—introduced a resolution recognizing the importance of home and community-based services for people with disabilities. The resolution “[r]ecogniz[es] the importance of independent living for individuals with disabilities made possible by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and call[s] for further action to strengthen home and community living for individuals with disabilities.”

On the Senate side, Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) led a companion resolution co-sponsored by 32 Senators. Although resolutions like these do not carry the force of law, they send important messages about congressional priorities.