Hire More Heroes Act of 2015

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, there are no ideas more central to America's democracy and identity than liberty and equality. The Declaration of Independence lists liberty among mankind's inalienable rights and states: ``All men are created equal.'' But it wasn't until 1870 that the 15th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, extending the vote to African-American men, and women were not given the right to vote in America until 1920, when the 19th Amendment was ratified.

America's democracy has indeed been imperfect, but throughout our history, we have sought to address our imperfections. After all, the story of America is not the story of a perfect nation. It is the story of a nation in pursuit of a more perfect nation.

So it is sobering but not surprising that it took us nearly to the end of the 20th century to expand and acknowledge the rights of another group of Americans who suffered discrimination through history--people with disabilities.

This Sunday we mark the 25th anniversary of one of the most important civil rights victories in our nation's history--the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Americans with Disabilities Act set forth four great goals for people with disabilities: equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. But the fundamental goal of the ADA is simple. In the words of one activist, the ADA is about securing for people with disabilities the most fundamental of rights: ``the right to live in the world.''

It is worth remembering that this was a bipartisan victory. Senator Bob Dole, a Republican and a veteran wounded by German machine gun fire in World War II, and Tom Harkin, a Democrat from Iowa, teamed up to get this done.

When President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law, he said: ``Today's legislation brings us closer to that day when no Americans will ever again be deprived of their basic guarantee of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.''

Tom Harkin called the day the ADA passed the proudest day of his legislative career. I remember a story he told the Senate a few years ago. When he was first elected to the Senate, his whole family came for the swearing-in ceremony. They sat up in the gallery right behind me. He even arranged a sign language interpreter for his older brother Frank, who was deaf. But he was told by the guard outside of the gallery door that the interpreter was not allowed to stand in the gallery and interpret.

Tom Harkin could not believe it. He came down to the floor and told the majority leader, Bob Dole, the situation. Senator Dole said: ``I will take care of it.'' And he did. It was the first thing they did together. It sure wasn't the last. Five years later they watched President Bush sign the ADA into law.

I want to give credit to some tireless advocates who helped make that a reality: Justin Dart, the ``Father of the ADA,'' who has passed on, and my great friend from Chicago, Marca Bristo, President and CEO of Access Living.

In 1977, Marca had a serious accident and broke her neck, leaving her paralyzed from the chest down. She lost her job, her house, and her health insurance. A lot of people would have given up--but not Marca Bristo. She led an army of people who could not see, hear, walk, and talk to mobilize and pass the most comprehensive civil rights law since the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Marca is a force of nature. Every day, Marca and her team are on the frontlines helping people with disabilities. They help people such as Michael Grice. He uses a power wheelchair and has been involved with disability activism for many years. He has a bright personality that draws many people to him.

He speaks with passion and compassion. He calls himself a very active person. He was living on his own in an apartment in Hyde Park on the South Side of Chicago until health complications led him into a group home, where he lived for more than a year. His health continued to deteriorate, and he moved into a nursing home.

Michael and the group home staff planned for him to stay at the nursing home for 6 to 8 weeks and then move back on his own. Those 6 to 8 weeks became nearly 3 years. Michael grew more frustrated. That is when Marca Bristo and Access Living came to the rescue, and they helped Michael find a new place so he could live on his own. Last year Michael was able to move from the nursing home into his own apartment.

I am proud of activists such as Michael and Marca and the folks at Access Living. We owe them a debt of gratitude for helping America realize our full potential.

It is hard to imagine, but before the Americans with Disabilities Act, people with disabilities were denied the opportunity to participate fully in society. Back then, very few transit systems had buses or trains equipped for wheelchairs. If you needed a haircut or to see a doctor or just wanted to meet a friend for a cup of coffee, you probably had to rely on family and friends or a social service agency.

The Americans with Disabilities Act has changed that. The Americans with Disabilities Act has changed America. Every day you can see how far we have come as you walk down the street--with curb cuts, ramps, braille signs, and assisted listening devices. Because of the ADA, thousands of Americans with disabilities get to go to school, get a good education, and enter the workforce.

We still have a long way to go. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is still too high. Most people with disabilities want to work and have to work. When they do work, that can impact our communities in ways that are hard to imagine.

Let me tell you about the late Bob Greenberg, a legendary sportscaster at WBEZ radio in Chicago. For his loyal Chicago radio audience, Bob described sporting events that they couldn't see. But Bob's story is unique because Bob couldn't see them either. Bob Greenberg was blind. But that didn't stop him from achieving his dreams.

In the early 1980s, Hall of Fame basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was taking questions from reporters after a hard game. He turned to Bob, who was holding a white cane and a microphone and he said: How did you get here?

It wasn't hard, Bob said. He then explained how he knew the exact number of steps from his home to the Lake Street ``L,'' how he felt for the right combination of coins to put in the turnstile, and then how he knew the exact number of steps to take along West Madison to Chicago Stadium.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar paused to take that in and finally said: Ask your question, sir.

It was clear. Bob Greenberg worked hard to get where he was.

There is no doubt that laws such as the ADA helped Bob. I just wish we had passed it sooner. Maybe Bob's road to achieving his dream could have been a little smoother.

Let me close by noting this. I wonder if the Americans with Disabilities Act were called before the Senate today, if it would pass. We know how great it is. We know what it has done for America. But there were also always voices then--and there are voices now--that question whether Government ought to have that big a say, that big a role, that big a voice in our private lives and our public lives. Thank goodness Bob Dole, a Republican, and Tom Harkin, a Democrat, put together a coalition that realized that at some moments in history we have to move together as an American family to solve a problem. We use our Government to achieve that goal.

The day the ADA passed, Senator Harkin stood at this podium in the Chamber and gave his entire speech in sign language. Afterward, he said it was the first time anyone ever gave a long-winded speech on the Senate floor and no one ever heard him. He was wrong. His brother Frank heard him. Marca Bristo heard him, Michael Grice heard him, Bob Greenberg heard him, and millions of others with disabilities heard that speech.

Before leaving the Senate, Senator Harkin taught me a wonderful sign for the word ``America.'' It is this: All ten fingers joined together, rotating in a circle around your chest. That is sign language for ``America.'' That is the America that we all are striving to become, a place where no one is left out, where we are all included within the circle of equal opportunity. That is how we honor our Constitution and our great Nation--with liberty and justice for all.

SYRIAN SAFE ZONE ANNOUNCEMENT

Mr. President, I recently spoke on the floor about the terrible humanitarian crisis in Syria. If you had to pick out one place in the world today where more innocent people are dying, it is hard to think of any place that matches Syria. Over 200,000 people have died during the course of the Syrian war, and up to 12 million Syrians have been displaced.

I have a friend of mine in Chicago, he is a Syrian American doctor, Dr. Sahloul, who comes to see me regularly and brings photos back from Syria. They are heartbreaking photos.

Dr. Sahloul and his friends literally sneak across the border into Syria to treat the casualties in this war. He shows me pictures of surgeries performed on the floors of schools and on card tables, and he shows me those who have been maimed and killed by the barrel bombs of Bashar Assad and by the ravages of war.

We will be judged as a generation as to whether we have responded properly to this humanitarian challenge.

In April, Senators Kaine, Graham, and McCain joined me on a letter to President Obama urging him to work with other world leaders to create no-fly zones within Syria where modern medical treatment can be provided and displaced persons can safely escape.

I have raised this with many involved in this extremely difficult issue, including Gen. John Allen, Retired, U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, the Turkish Ambassador, and National Security Advisor Susan Rice.

So, I was heartened today--in fact, exhilarated--to read in the morning paper that the United States is now working with Turkey and other countries to establish a humanitarian safe zone in the northern part of Syria to try to find one patch of real estate in that war-ravaged country where these children, their mothers, families, elderly people, and those who have been hurt can go and safely--safely--be treated and live.

We have to do this. The Turks are going to lead the way. We are going to support them, but it is a challenge not just to our two countries--to us and to Turkey--but to the world to step up and put an end to this bloody, terrible, ruthless war.

There have been so many casualties. The United States--our good people who reach out to help those around the world--should stand and be counted when it comes to the establishment of this humanitarian zone to try to bring some peace to some part of the population living in war-torn Syria.

This won't solve the larger crisis right away, which ultimately will require a political transition in Syria. Without a political dialogue, there is no long-term hope for Syria, only short-term relief.

But this announcement does have the possibility to bring the Syrian civil war one step closer to an end.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source