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Senator Tom Harkin
Senator Tom Harkin, D- Iowa worked with many leaders including Bob Dole to author the ADA. He was the first Senator to testify for the ADA on the floor of the US Senate using Sign Language. Senator Harkin believes strongly in the rights of people with disabilities because of the relationship he had with his late brother Frank. Frank was deaf since childhood. Senator Harkin saw first-hand the discrimination faced by his brother; consequently, Senator Harkin's work within the Senate reflects a strong disability policy. Some of his achievements in the Senate include authoring the legislation that required all new TV sets to provide close captioning. He also authored the law creating the National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders, helped write legislation-reforming education for children with disabilities, emphasizing early intervention, and worked to improve mental health services and insurance coverage.
Today, Senator Harkin, who is running for re-election for his Iowa Senate seat, is very eager to continue his aggressive disability policy agenda work in the Senate. This includes working with Republican Senator Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania on "MiCASSA", legislation that would allow people with disabilities living in nursing homes to get care in their own homes and communities. He is also working with President Bush to expand technologies that can improve the lives of people with disabilities. In addition, Senator Harkin is working with Senator John McCain of Arizona to improve public access to voting places for people with disabilities. It is because of pioneers like Senator Harkin that people with disabilities are able to gain freedom and independence through employment.
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