U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes the 30th Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act

Today marks the 30^th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a critical civil rights law that guards against the discrimination of individuals with disabilities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma takes great pride in its support of the Justice Department’s enforcement efforts under the Act.

The ADA was signed into law on July 26, 1990, becoming a vital civil rights law that guarantees access and equal opportunities for people with disabilities. As this important law turns 30, U.S. Attorney Trent Shores pledges to continue his commitment to the enforcement of this civil rights legislation.

“The Americans with Disabilities Act levels the playing field for people like my mother who had multiple sclerosis and experienced mobility challenges. The ADA ensures Americans with disabilities have access to facilities, activities, employment, and other opportunities that most of us take for granted,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Consistent with my oath of office, I will safeguard the civil rights of all Americans, including those protected by the ADA. I encourage Oklahomans to report ADA violations to the Civil Rights Division’s portal at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/ or call the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TTY) for more information.”

U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division further the goals of the ADA through mediation, technical assistance, outreach, and enforcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma has been instrumental in assisting with a multitude of ADA matters over the years, from making sure health care providers furnish interpreters for people with hearing loss to ensuring veterans are allowed to bring service animals to local hotels.

The ADA addresses employment, areas of civic life, and the day-to-day activities and access to goods and services that we all enjoy. Over the past 30 years, the United States has undertaken the challenge of changing perceptions about disability, tearing down barriers to equality, and reshaping systems that historically excluded people with disabilities. Today, the Justice Department commemorates the many ways that the ADA has transformed society—by replacing exclusion with access, segregation with integration, and limitations with self-determination.

For more information about the 30th Anniversary of the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov. You can access Civil Rights Division Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband’s statement on the ADA’s 30th Anniversary here.

To file a complaint with the Department, please visit the Civil Rights Division’s portal at https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/. For more information about the ADA, call the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TTY).