Tom Harkin: “I wish to pay tribute to a much respected and beloved leader in America's disability community, the late Dr. Susan…”

“I wish to pay tribute to a much respected and beloved leader in America's disability community, the late Dr. Susan Daniels. Dr. Daniels acquired her disability at a very young age. Though she spent much of her early years in rehabilitation institutes and hospitals, her parents advocated for her full inclusion in school and in the life of her local community. As a consequence, Susan attended regular elementary and secondary schools. She went on to graduate summa cum laude from Marquette University, and to earn her master's degree at Mississippi State University and her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina. And I would note that she achieved these things before the days of accessible campuses. While still in her twenties, Dr. Daniels served as chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling at Louisiana State University Medical Center. There, she developed an innovative program to train individuals to work directly in community-based settings with people with developmental disabilities. This program became a core element in Louisiana's efforts to deinstitutionalize people with disabilities. Throughout her adult life, Dr. Daniels was a passionate advocate for people with disabilities. She served as Associate Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration in the U.S. Department of Education, and as Associate Commissioner of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, ADD, in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.…”