Rehabilitation Act of 1973

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The Act was passed to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies, programs receiving federal funding, and federal employment. It was the first major U.S. disability rights law.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before 1973, no comprehensive protections existed for people with disabilities. The Act expanded civil rights principles to this community, setting the stage for the ADA (1990).

Acts

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (1990)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The ADA was passed to eliminate discrimination against individuals with disabilities and ensure equal opportunity in employment, government services, public accommodations, and telecommunications.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibited disability discrimination in federally funded programs, but not in private employment or public accommodations. The ADA expanded protections to cover nearly all aspects of daily life.

Acts

Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA)

Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA, 2008)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (Public Law 110–325)

2) Why It Was Done
The ADAAA was enacted to restore the broad protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 after a series of Supreme Court decisions had narrowed the definition of “disability.”

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The original ADA protected individuals with disabilities, but rulings such as Sutton v. United Airlines (1999) and Toyota v. Williams (2002) excluded many with chronic illnesses or controlled conditions. The ADAAA explicitly rejected these rulings.