NCD announces Plan for Disability Middle Class Framework on ADA anniversary
July 26, 2026
WASHINGTON– Forty years ago, the National Council on Disability published a report recommending to the President and Congress the creation of an Americans with Disabilities Act.
On this 36th anniversary of the signing of the ADA into law by President George H.W. Bush, the independent federal agency responsible for its initial draft is announcing that it is in the process of creating a framework for a disability middle class to offer federal policymakers.
The idea for the framework was brought to the Council by Acting Chairman Neil Romano during a June 11 special meeting.
NCD has a long history of recommending systems change to promote the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act across all aspects of life, inclusive of employment, health care, and transportation. Accordingly, NCD Council members fulsomely embraced Acting Chairman Romano’s proposal on June 11, which officially signaled the start of the agency endeavor.
At the upcoming Council meeting on August 19, Council members will take the next step in the framework’s formation by deliberating what policy changes are necessary to represent the pillars of the framework.
“While we will remain focused on protecting and advancing the ADA in the years to come, NCD wants to live up to its legacy by articulating to federal policy makers the blueprint to move more Americans with disabilities into the middle class and break down the policy barriers that have kept too many relegated to poverty,” said Acting Chairman Romano. “Disability is a natural part of the human experience and it shouldn’t mean a guaranteed lifetime of poverty–we can and must do better,” he continued. “A free society cannot long exist if a significant portion of the population is allowed to pursue their dreams for themselves and those they love.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately one in four Americans with disabilities live below the poverty line, which is more than double the poverty rate of nondisabled Americans.
NCD’s 1986 report Toward Independence’ recommended an ADA and 1988 report ‘On the Threshold of Independence’ contained the original draft of the ADA.
The Americans with Disabilities Act was first introduced as legislation in 1988 during the 100th Congress by U.S. Senators Lowell Weicker (Connecticut) and Tom Harkin (Iowa); and U.S. Reps. Tony Coelho (California) and Silvio Conte (Massachusetts). It was reintroduced and passed in the 101st Congress and signed by President Bush on July 26, 1990.
The ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008 was signed into law by President George W. Bush on Sept. 25, 2008 and took effect on Jan. 1, 2009. The ADAAA made significant changes to the ADA’s definition of a disability, broadening the scope of coverage under both the ADA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Since the ADA became law, NCD has continued in its critical role of advising federal policymakers on needed improvements to a wide array of policies affecting Americans with disabilities nationwide, through government communication and reports, all of which are available on NCD.gov.
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