[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 121 (Friday, September 5, 2003)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1715] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] RECOGNITION OF THE 13TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT INTO LAW ______ HON. KATHERINE HARRIS of florida in the house of representatives Thursday, September 4, 2003 Ms. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a landmark civil rights anniversary in American history, which passed after we had adjourned for the District Work Period in July. Thirteen years ago, the first President Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law, launching a new era in our nation's everlasting journey towards equal opportunity for all. This long-overdue legislation finally breathed life into the principal that every American has the right to be a full and equal participant in our society. As Florida's Secretary of State, I was blessed to have the opportunity to apply the mission of the ADA to the cause of election reform. Beginning with my appointment of a Select Task Force in 2001, we worked to remove the obstacles that prevented persons with disabilities in Florida from enjoying the sanctity of the secret ballot and the civic majesty of going to the polls on Election Day. Thanks to powerful advocates from Florida's disabilities community like Pam Dorwarth, Doug Towne, and Richard LaBelle as well as the skilled leadership of Colonel Charley Price in mobilizing our veterans with disabilities, Florida became the first state in the nation to pass wide-ranging legislation vindicating the voting rights of persons with disabilities. As we celebrate how far we have come, we must not forget how many miles we still must travel to truly secure for every American the rights and privileges that most of us take for granted. ____________________