speaker, jim langevin . mr. speaker, it's with great pride and joy that i rise today to acknowledge the history that you are making. by your leadership and your inspiration and your education of the congress, you have helped take us to a place that honors the tradition and the goals of our founders. to improve liberty and equality for all americans. today through technology, the leadership of the architect of the house, we are able to in a way that is almost magical extend to you the privilege that you deserved all along, to be able to preside over the house. we are joined by our former colleagues in the house and now senator, senator harkin, who is set to champion a path -- set in championing the path to americans with disability act. our colleagues who worked so hard on that subject, mr. markey, mr. kennedy, and the champion in our house on americans with disabilities act, steny hoyer, our wished majority leader. mr. sensenbrenner has made this part of his legacy in the congress, not so fast, i know, more to c

five-term rhode island democrat jim langevin in a wheelchair since an accidental shooting as a teenagernd the first and only quadriplegic to serve in congress was able to do this for the first time. the speaker's rostrum itself was made wheelchair-accessible. it marks the anniversary of the landmark americans with disabilities act. it transformed our country, making so much more of our country accessible while banning workplace discrimination against millions of americans with disabilities. 20 years ago, the first president bush signed the act into law, calling it a kind of independence day as thousands on the white house lawn looked on, many of them in wheelchairs. there was a similar scene on the south lawn late today as president obama marked the 20th anniversary. by the way, first lady michelle obama is planning a mother-daughter trip to spain next week with 9-year-old sasha. older daughter malia will be at summer camp. her husband, the president, will be at home where he will turn 49 next wednesday. >>> in another birthday in the news, mick jagger turned 67 today, and the rolling s