Pelosi: On 20th Anniversary of ADA, Langevin to Become First Member in a Wheelchair to Preside Over the House

WASHINGTON, July 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Congressman Jim Langevin of Rhode Island held a news conference this afternoon, in advance of next week's 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), to announce that on Monday, Congressman Langevin will preside over the House, the first time a Member in a wheelchair has ever presided over the House of Representatives. Below are the Speaker's remarks:

"Thank you, Mr. Langevin. What an honor it is to serve with you in the Congress. What a privilege it is to call you colleague. Many of us worked very hard to get to Congress and had to surmount many obstacles. None of us is the role model to the young people of our country that you are in demonstrating that anything is possible.

"I join you in commending our colleague, Majority Leader Hoyer, for his tremendous leadership, not only in passing the ADA 20 years ago, but for the ongoing leadership that he provides to make sure that it is enforced. That we now keep up with technology, make sure that the access for those with other challenges are able to participate fully in all of the technological changes that are happening as well. And that's part of what—we will have legislation to that effect soon.

"Mr. Hoyer mentioned earlier before we came in here, a former colleague, Tony Coelho of California, who was a champion in this issue. Simply said, in the House of Representatives, we would not have passed this legislation without Mr. Coelho, Mr. Hoyer, and Mr. Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, whose wife Cheryl Sensenbrenner has been a very important part of advocacy on this part. So it has been bipartisan.

"The ADA was great civil rights legislation for our country in terms of expanding opportunity. It said to people in our country: 'We respect you for what you can do, instead of judging you for what you cannot. And the physical barriers to your full participation and leadership must be removed.'

"I thank Stephen Ayers, the Architect of the Capitol, for his leadership and his accelerated timetable in getting this done. [Making the rostrum wheelchair accessible through a series of lifts.] And when we have this historic moment on Monday, when Congressman Langevin presides over the House, we will be in your debt as well.

"Just so you know, the Speaker of the House presides over each session of Congress. But the Speaker is not always in the chair and appoints Speakers Pro Tem. When we attained the majority, and then Democrats would be presiding as the majority party that presides, Mr. Langevin wanted to do that. We had to make sure he was able to from the standpoint of the raised level of the podium that the access would be there.

"So, as has been mentioned, and I want to be associated with saying it too — on Monday, on the 20th anniversary of the ADA, Mr. Langevin, when he picks up that gavel, it will be an historic moment for the Congress. His service in the Congress — every day that he comes to the floor, he has instructed Members in a way — changed their thinking, transformed their attitudes.

"And on Monday, he will preside and in another way and lead the way on this. Again, it's a part our of diversity initiatives — Mr. Ayers is working on House workforce diversity and opportunities. We also have the Wounded Warriors program creating fellowships and employment opportunities for wounded and disabled veterans. So that access must be expanded for Members, but also our staff here and especially reaching out to our Wounded Warriors.

"With those efforts, we honor the work of Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Coelho, Mr. Sensenbrenner — and I might add Senator Harkin, as you mentioned, but Ted Kennedy, who was a champion on this issue. We honor our commitment to equal opportunity under the law to have a fair shot for all Americans to participate, to lead.

"And Mr. Langevin, it's so appropriate that you would be the first. There's a reason for that because you are such a champion on these and so many other issues of concern to the American people. It is a privilege to mark this historic moment in history with you.

"Now, I'm pleased to yield to our distinguished Majority Leader, a champion of the ADA, Mr. Hoyer of Maryland."

SOURCE Office of the Speaker of the House

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