Americans with Disabilities Want to Stay in Their Homes
Floor Speech
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Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support the millions of Americans who live with disabilities and who want to stay in their homes. That seems like a pretty simple idea and something that, unfortunately, millions and millions of people are denied.
In 1999, the Supreme Court issued the Olmstead decision, finding that individuals with disabilities have a right under the Americans with Disabilities Act to receive State-funded supports and services while living independently in their community.
This landmark decision promised to ensure people would have access to home and community-based care as an alternative to institutionalization.
However, 25 years later, people are still being forced into institutions, including nursing homes and psychiatric hospitals.
One person who wanted to live in their home with the benefit of these services, which were court affirmed, was Latonya Reeves.
She lived in my hometown of Memphis but couldn't get the services in her home that she needed, so she moved to Colorado in 1991 where she could live without being institutionalized.
While there, she contributed to the community by working as a transition counselor and community activist.
This session, I introduced the Latonya Reeves Freedom Act, which would codify the Olmstead decision and strengthen the rights of Americans with disabilities to receive long-term services and supports in the settings of their choice.
This bill has been around in several forms for several years. In the last two terms, it has gained the support of a majority of the House of Representatives, and in this Congress it has had as many as 222 cosponsors. I filed a discharge petition to bring the bill to the floor just a few minutes ago.
In the remaining days of the 118th Congress, I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will sign the discharge petition to support the millions of Americans with disabilities.
Let's keep the American Dream alive for people with disabilities to stay in their homes.
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