The Bob Graham Center for Public Service provides a wide variety of programs for students and the larger public on topics related to public service, public leadership and civic engagement.
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Tom Harkin: Impacts of the Americans with Disabilities Act
October 20, 2015
While in the U.S. Senate, Tom Harkin was one of the main authors of the landmark 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act as well as the chief Senate sponsor of the legislation. Harkin’s older brother, Frank, was deaf. His struggles were behind many of the younger brother’s efforts to help the disabled.
The act was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. The legislation altered the American landscape by requiring that buildings and transportation be wheelchair-accessible and that workplace accommodations be provided for those with disabilities. It also prohibited businesses and governments from discriminating against the disabled in job applications and required closed captioning for television.
The Dean of Student’s Office Common Reading Program and the Bob Graham Center hosted Senator Tom Harkin, who spoke about this legislation on its 25th anniversary. The event was held on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Reitz Union. The event is free and open to the public.This program is co-sponsored by the Alachua County Medical Society.
Download PDF: The Americans with Disabilities Act’s 25th Anniversary:Implications for Florida on the Employment Front
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