Orrin Hatch: “23 years ago I stood here on the Senate floor as we voted 91 to 6 for the conference report on the Americans With…”

“23 years ago I stood here on the Senate floor as we voted 91 to 6 for the conference report on the Americans With Disabilities Act. I predicted this landmark piece of legislation would literally unlock the resources of individuals with disabilities that had previously been wasted. I worked long and hard to get it enacted into law. It is one of the bills of which I feel most appreciative. In 2008, I again stood here on the Senate floor as we passed the ADA Amendments Act by unanimous consent. I said it was part of our ongoing effort to expand opportunities for individuals with disabilities and to help them participate in the American dream. I remain committed to that effort. Both of these legislative achievements were the result of negotiation and compromise, and they directly addressed and provided concrete solutions to problems faced by American citizens. We should address such public policy issues through the legislative process so elected representatives make the decisions that affect Americans and are consequently accountable to them. There is underway an effort to promote the rights and opportunities of persons with disabilities through a treaty rather than through legislation. Advocates of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities--or CRPD--appear to believe that statutes and treaties are simply alternative means to accomplish the same end.…”