ADA25 CRT Stakeholders and Friends, Yesterday June 26th marked the 25th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It's passage was a major achievement for the rights of people with disabilities and for our country. The ADA is focused on "ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency". While there is more work to be done to meet those objectives, the anniversary is a great reminder of their importance and promise. A great website to visit to see the ADA's history is the ADA Legacy Project at www.adalegacy.com. The site focuses on "preservation, celebration, and education". You can also make a donation to help further the work of the Project. With CRT Awareness week coming up August 17th we will be premiering a new video incorporating the ADA and CRT. As we know they are significantly intertwined. Without access to the right wheelchair, seating and positioning, and other adaptive technology the ADA can be an unfulfilled promise for many people with disabilities. The video will include comments from recently retired U. S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), the Senate sponsor of the ADA legislation. Senator Harkin served in Congress for 40 years (30 in the Senate and 10 in the House) and earned a reputation as a true champion for the rights of people with disabilities. He weighs in on the importance of CRT. Promoting and protecting access to CRT is critical to building on the successes of the ADA and improving the ability of people with disabilities to be independent, productive, and fully engaged in their communities. That's the mission of NCART. We are grateful for your participation and those of other CRT Stakeholder organizations in these initiatives. So Happy 25th Birthday ADA! We look forward to seeing legislators and policy makers at both the federal and state levels fully embrace the goals of the ADA and work to address the issues that continue to create barriers for people with disabilities to get the CRT they need and depend on. Don Donald E. Clayback Executive Director | NCART Office 716-839-9728 | Cell 716-913-4754 dclayback@ncart.us | www.ncart.us