THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                            (Aviano, Italy)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                      June 22, 1999

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

I am pleased that the Supreme Court decision's in the Olmstead case upholds the purposes of the ADA by recognizing that unjustified isolation of institutionalized persons with disabilities is prohibited discrimination. This decision will increase access to home- and community-based long term care services and support for these persons.

My Administration is committed to finding affordable ways to enable people who need long term services and support to remain in the community if they choose and are able to do so. The best way to continue progress toward this goal is for State Governments, the Federal Government, and the affected communities to work together to develop cost-effective ways to provide these services. We must ensure that the quality of these services is excellent and that they are available to persons with disabilities of all ages.

Therefore, I am asking Secretary Shalala and Attorney General Reno to work with all interested parties to carry out today's decision in a fair and effective manner. Although this may not be easy in some cases, we can do it by working together in order to advance the goals of the ADA. Our ultimate goal is a nation that integrates people with disabilities into the social mainstream, promotes equality of opportunity, and maximizes individual choice.

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