Political Quotes

“and Members of the Senate, today is the 25th anniversary of Senator Dole's maiden statement on the Senate floor. On April 14, 1969, a young, newly elected Bob Dole rose to address the Senate for the first time. The subject of his statement then says a lot about Bob Dole then and now. It was a topic of enduring and personal interest to him, and one to which he has devoted an immense amount of time and energy in his 25 years of Senate service. Bob Dole spoke, of course, about the abilities of those who were in 1969 generally called handicapped Americans. It was not just Senator Dole's first Senate statement; it was more than that. It was a groundbreaking event in the Senate as well, because for the first time this body was asked to focus its attention in a systematic manner on the broad issue of national policy toward disabled Americans. He addressed the full spectrum of disability issues in that first statement. He spoke of the rights of persons with disabilities to receive a complete education, to hold a job, to get health insurance, to participate in recreational activities. He presented a compelling case for the Federal Government's responsibilities in this area and offered a legislative proposal to that end. He spelled out, in 1969, much of the legislative agenda which he subsequently and successfully pursued with other Senators over many years.”