WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley today received the Justice for All Award from the American Association of People with Disabilities at their 17th anniversary celebration of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Grassley is the author, along with Sen. Ted Kennedy, of the bipartisan Family Opportunity Act that was recently signed into law. The law encourages parents to work and get ahead without sacrificing health coverage for their children with special needs. It allows parents to buy Medicaid coverage without impoverishing their families.
“Advancing public policy that promotes equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for all members of our society, has always been a priority of mine,” Grassley said. “Receiving this award lets me know that I’m doing something right, but the real triumph is the American Association of People with Disabilities and their grassroots success story. They speak with one voice for the millions of Americans with disabilities.”
Other award recipients included Sen. Richard Durbin, Clarence Otis, President and CEO of Darden Restaurants, Inc., for incorporating disability into his company’s worldwide diversity practices, and Nancy Ward, a nationally-recognized grassroots disability leader from Oklahoma .
American Association of People with Disabilities press release