NAM commends Senate for passage of ADA Amendments Act.
Press Release Summary:
According to NAM, Senate passage of ADA Amendments Act is "a meaningful achievement for all stakeholders and encouraging sign that good legislation can triumph over politics as usual." Restoring original intent of ADA is practical for employers who urgently need qualified workers to fill vacancies. NAM's EVP, Jay Timmons said NAM is proud to have worked with disability, civil rights, employer groups, and Members of Congress and Senators to address workforce needs of manufacturers in America.
Original Press Release:
NAM Commends Senate For Strong Bipartisan Passage Of Balanced ADA Amendments Act
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept 11, 2008 - The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) today called Senate passage of the ADA Amendments Act (S. 3406), "a meaningful achievement for all stakeholders and an encouraging sign that good legislation can triumph over 'politics as usual.'"
"Remarkably, in this era of partisan wrangling, everyone came to the table in the Senate to pass this landmark legislation in a bipartisan manner," said National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Executive Vice President Jay Timmons. "The NAM is proud to have worked with disability, civil rights, employer groups and Members of Congress and Senators on both sides of the aisle to address the workforce needs of manufacturers in America," he said.
"Restoring the original intent of the ADA is a practical issue for employers who urgently need qualified workers to fill vacancies - and it's the right thing to do. No one intended for this law to exclude qualified individuals who want to work from receiving appropriate protections. Unfortunately, over the last decade, judicial interpretations have narrowed the ADA and, as a result, excluded people originally covered by the law," Timmons said.
"As the Baby Boom generation begins to retire, manufacturers face growing shortages of skilled workers and cannot afford to turn away any qualified individual who wants to work," he added.
"Today's action in the Senate represents a true collaboration of all stakeholders and lawmakers and sets an example for the way federal legislation should be shaped," he concluded.
The National Association of Manufacturers is the nation's largest industrial trade association, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NAM has 11 additional offices across the country. Visit the NAM's award-winning web site at www.nam.org for more information about manufacturing and the economy.
CONTACTS:
LAURA NARVAIZ (202) 637-3104
JERI GILLESPIE (202) 637-3127
