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Hoyer, Langevin, Sensenbrenner to Commemorate ADA at White House

Updated: July 26, 2:58 p.m.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Reps. James Langevin (D-R.I.) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) will meet with President Barack Obama on Monday to mark the 20th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

The Oval Office meeting will be in the late afternoon, followed by a White House event at 6 p.m. to commemorate the anniversary, the White House press office and Hoyer spokeswoman Maureen Beach said Sunday.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) will also be at the Oval Office meeting, the White House announced Monday. Harkin introduced a resolution last week to recognize the ADA anniversary.

Hoyer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced last week that Langevin would preside over the House on Monday, becoming the first Member in a wheelchair to preside. The Architect of the Capitol recently finished adding lifts to the rostrum to make it accessible, according to Langevin’s office.

“I have long said that I may be the first quadriplegic to serve in Congress, but I won’t be the last,” Langevin said in a statement Thursday. “On Monday, we will celebrate another major step in continuing efforts to make the Capitol Complex accessible when I preside over the US House of Representatives. This is an extremely proud moment for me and helps renew my spirit as we continue to remove barriers and strengthen the ADA for millions of Americans with disabilities in the decades to come.”

At the news conference Thursday, Pelosi praised Hoyer, Sensenbrenner and Harkin for the work they did two decades ago to get the legislation passed. She also commended Sensenbrenner’s wife, Cheryl, for her advocacy work on behalf of people with disabilities.

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