National Council on Disability Monthly Bulletin for Nov...( WASHINGTON Dec. 8 -- Following is th...),Health

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the National Council on Disability's monthly bulletin for November 2008:

A Monthly Newsletter from the National Council on Disability (NCD)

John R. Vaughn, Chairperson

November 2008

NCD -- 30 Years of Disability Policy Leadership -- 1978-2008

A Letter from NCD Chairperson John R. Vaughn

I am delighted to tell you that on November 6, the National Council on Disability (NCD) celebrated 30 years of disability policy leadership (1978-1998). NCD was initially established in 1978 as an advisory board within the U.S. Department of Education (P.L. 95-602). Congress changed that with the 1984 Rehabilitation Act Amendments (P.L. 98-221), transforming NCD into an independent federal agency with 15 members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the United States Senate.

From the beginning, NCD has been providing advice to the President, Congress, and executive branch agencies to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability; and empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society.

We are also proud that NCD, with the input of people with disabilities and stakeholders from around the country, played a pivotal role in the adoption of the ADA in 1990 as a result of our 1986 report entitled Towards Independence (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/1986/toward.htm). Since that time, NCD has been a valuable contributor in promoting successful disability policies in many arenas, including education, transportation, homeland
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