Sep 16 2008
Senate Passes The ADA Amendments Act of 2008
In addition, the Senate passed The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (S. 3406) on Thursday, September 11. This legislation to clarify and update the Americans with Disabilities Act has been widely supported by disability advocacy organizations, including BIAA.According to a news article in CQ Today, this bill is designed to “clarify a landmark 1990 disability rights law [The Americans with Disabilities Act] in the wake of numerous Supreme Court decisions that lawmakers say have improperly narrowed the law’s scope” (CQ Today, 9/11/08, Karoun Demirjian).
BIAA has signed on to multiple coalition letters in recent weeks and months urging passage of this legislation. This legislation aims to restore the Americans with Disabilities Act to its original intent in the wake of a series of court rulings which disability advocates assert has resulted in a category of clinically disabled people who do not qualify for protections under the ADA.
The House passed its version of the legislation, H.R. 3195, earlier this year but is expected to take up the Senate’s version next week in order to expedite final passage and signature into law in coming weeks.
