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NMPASI mourns passing of former president
File photo shows former President George H.W. Bush signed into federal law the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. (Contributed Photo)
The Northern Marianas Protection and Advocacy Systems, Inc., or NMPASI, joins the rest of the nation in mourning the death of former President George H.W. Bush, who holds a special place in the lives of people with disabilities since he signed into federal law the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
As a member of the National Disabilities Rights Network, NMPASI would like to share these words from Curt Decker, executive director of the National Disability Rights Network, who issued the following statement on the death of the former President:
“All Americans owe President Bush a debt of gratitude. When he signed the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, it opened new frontiers in education, employment, transportation, and community living for people with disabilities. It ensured that all of us, whether born with a disability or acquiring one later in life, would have the same rights and opportunities as every other American.
“The passing of the ADA is also an example of a time in our nation’s history when elected officials worked together to do what is best for the country. Under President Bush’s leadership, the law was negotiated in the spirit of compromise and passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. We urge our leaders today to follow that example.”
NMPASI executive director James Rayphand said: “Much of what we do at NMPASI is rooted in the mandates of the ADA and, though we are saddened by President Bush’s passing, we also take comfort in knowing that his legacy as a champion for the civil rights of Americans with disabilities will live on through our advocacy efforts and through the countless contributions not otherwise possible, if not for the ADA, of people with disabilities in communities throughout the nation.”
For more information about your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, contact NMPASI at 235-7273/4 or visit us online at nmpasi.org. (PR)
