This week, Vice President Kamala Harris convened disability rights leaders to highlight the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to building a nation where people with disabilities are afforded the opportunities, independence, and respect they deserve, including through efforts to increase transportation accessibility. She was joined by Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden, and White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu.
During the event - held during Disability Pride Month and in recognition of the 33rd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - Vice President Harris and senior Biden-Harris officials discussed how the ADA has transformed our country. They outlined how the Administration is expanding accessibility through historic investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including $1.75 billion under the All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) to make it easier for people with disabilities to access our nation's oldest and busiest rail transit systems, and $5 billion through the Airport Terminals program to make airports across the country more accessible and equitable.
Vice President Harris and senior officials also applauded disability advocates for their leadership and reiterated the Administration's commitment to fulfilling the promise of the ADA and all of our disability civil rights laws.
Participants included:
- Zainab Alkebsi, President, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network and representing the National Association of the Deaf
- Heather Ansley, Associate Executive Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America
- Alexandra Bennewith, Vice President, Government Relations, United Spinal Association
- Theo Braddy, Executive Director, National Council on Independent Living
- Brandon Brown, Executive Director, Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living
- David Capozzi, President Biden's Nominee to AMTRAK Board of Directors
- Keely Cat-Wells, Founder & Producer, C-Talent
- Tony Coelho, Author of the ADA and former House Majority Whip
- Virginia Dize, National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
- Stephanie Enyart, Chief Public Policy Officer, American Foundation for the Blind
- Gregory S. Fehribach, Principal, Fehribach Group
- Colleen Flanagan, Outreach Specialist, Boston Mayor's Commission on People with Disabilities
- Danica Gonsalves, Advocacy Attorney, Paralyzed Veterans of America
- Kimberly Knackstedt, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation Disability Economic Justice Initiative
- Mia Ives-Rublee, Director, Center for American Progress Disability Justice Initiative
- Janni Lehrer-Stein, Advocate
- Sarah Malaier, Senior Advisor for Public Policy and Research, American Foundation for the Blind
- Sophie Morgan, Founder, #RightsOnFlights UK campaign
- Swatha Nandhakumar, Advocacy and Outreach Specialist, American Council of the Blind
- Teresa Nguyen, Director, Brandeis University Community Living Policy Center
- Jose Ramos, Senior Vice President, The Wounded Warrior Project
- Rylin Rodgers, Disability Policy Advisor, Microsoft
- Marlene Sallo, Executive Director, National Disability Rights Network
- Rachita Singh, Senior Policy Associate, American Association of People with Disabilities
- Bill Sweeney, Senior Vice President, AARP
- Karen Tamley, President & CEO, Access Living
- Kimberly Tissot, President and CEO, Able-South Carolina
- Carol Tyson, Government Affairs Liaison, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
- Emily Voorde, Councilmember, National Council on Disability
- Emma Vrabel, Founder, Harvard University Disability Justice Club
- Donald Wood, Ph.D., President, Muscular Dystrophy Association
