ALEXANDRIA, Va.–During a webinar marking the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the Americans With Disabilities Act, NCUA Chairman Rodney Hood called the ADAa “vital step forward in the ongoing effort to extend our nation’s full promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
“This landmark legislation transformed the lives of millions of Americans who’d been marginalized, disregarded, or cast aside into lives of dependence and segregation for far too long,” Hood said.
Hood called the ADA another “important step forward for civil rights in the United States” that has allowed many “disabled individuals could now enter the mainstream of American life; contribute to our national prosperity; and achieve the dignity and independence that so many yearned for.”
While the legislation has improved the lives of disabled people, Hood said “it wasn’t only Americans with disabilities who gained from this important legislation. In truth, it was a gain for all of us. In extending the promise of opportunity to those with disabilities, Americans came to appreciate more fully just how much this population had to offer.”
Hood said NCUA has worked to create an inclusive environment and he praised the agency and credit unions for their efforts in meeting the objectives of the ADA.
“But that does not mean we will embrace a sense of complacency. While we’re proud of the efforts we’ve made to provide our employees with disabilities with the support they need to perform, we must always seek ways to do better,” Hood said.