[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 552 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 552
Recognizing the importance of independent living for individuals with
disabilities made possible by the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 and calling for further action to strengthen home and community
living for individuals with disabilities.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 26, 2021
Mr. Hoyer (for himself, Mr. Langevin, and Mr. Young) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education
and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and
Infrastructure, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the importance of independent living for individuals with
disabilities made possible by the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 and calling for further action to strengthen home and community
living for individuals with disabilities.
Whereas, in enacting the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12101 et seq.), Congress recognized that ``historically, society has
tended to isolate and segregate individuals with disabilities, and,
despite some improvements, such forms of discrimination against
individuals with disabilities continue to be a serious and pervasive
social problem'';
Whereas the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 recognized the rights of
individuals with disabilities to fully participate in their communities
through independent living, equality of opportunity, and economic self-
sufficiency;
Whereas, 31 years after the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 and 22 years after the decision of the Supreme Court of the United
States in Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999), many individuals with
disabilities continue to live in segregated institutional settings
because of a lack of support services;
Whereas continued instances of segregated institutional settings have hindered
the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in communities, schools,
and workplaces, undermining the promise of the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990;
Whereas people with disabilities living in institutional and long-term care
settings suffered disproportionate rates of infection and death during
the COVID-19 pandemic, with data showing 60 percent of COVID-19 deaths
involved a person with a disability;
Whereas people of color with disabilities experience disproportionately greater
barriers to quality, accessible health care, education, and employment
opportunities, infringing on the right of such people under the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to full participation in their
communities;
Whereas, 31 years after the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990, people with disabilities continue to face higher rates of
unemployment and barriers to accessible workplaces and access to
competitive integrated employment opportunities;
Whereas, 31 years after the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990, some telecommunication, electronic, and information technologies
continue to be developed without the goal of full accessibility and
inclusion for all people of the United States; and
Whereas, 31 years after the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990, many businesses, public and private organizations, transportation
systems, and services are still not accessible to all individuals with
disabilities: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the importance of independent living for
individuals with disabilities made possible by the enactment of
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et
seq.);
(2) encourages all people of the United States to celebrate
the advancement of inclusion and equality of opportunity made
possible by the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990;
(3) pledges to continue to work on a bipartisan basis to
identify and address the remaining barriers that undermine the
national goals of equality of opportunity, independent living,
economic self-sufficiency, and full participation for
individuals with disabilities, including by focusing on
individuals with disabilities that remain segregated in
institutions;
(4) pledges to work with States to improve access to home-
and community-based services for individuals with disabilities;
(5) calls on the Department of Labor to develop policies
and practices and provide technical assistance that enable
individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-
sufficiency; and
(6) calls on the Department of Health and Human Services to
provide information, resources, and technical assistance
regarding home- and community-based services and supports that
enable individuals with disabilities to live independently.
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