Hoyer Statement on the Passing of Judy Heumann

"I join people throughout America and around the world in mourning the loss of Judy Heumann – a transformative leader in the disability rights movement.  Living in a wheelchair ever since she contracted polio at a young age, Judy was adamant that her condition was not a tragedy.  The societal barriers she faced because of her condition, however, were.  An instrumental advocate for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibited federal discrimination against people with disabilities, she sought to redefine how the public perceives those living with disabilities.  That provision set the groundwork for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 – legislation which I was proud to help advance as its leading sponsor in the House.  Later, she pushed for the international community to adopt similar disability standards after President Obama appointed her to serve as the State Department’s Special Advisor on International Disability Rights. 

"These accomplishments make it clear why so many people consider Judy to be 'the mother of the disability rights movement.'  I was fortunate to work with her on many occasions to advance that noble cause and to consider her my close friend.  She understood what so few others did when she started her advocacy: a disability does not prevent someone from bettering our community, our country, and our people.  She exemplified that truth through her life of service, which continues to touch so many lives today.  We will miss Judy dearly, and I extend my prayers to her family and many loved ones during this time of reflection.  May her memory be a blessing.”