Another Obstacle Conquered

Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) is the only current member of the House who relies on a wheelchair all the time. (By Melina Mara -- The Washington Post)

"It's the ultimate handicapped parking in the House," Langevin said. "Right up front."

Langevin, 44, is the only current member of the House who relies on a wheelchair all the time. But other members have used wheelchairs or motorized scooters at times, including the late representative Henry Hyde of Illinois.

"Hopefully, this will be an inspiration to people with disabilities not only in Rhode Island, but across America," Langevin said. "I hope others with disabilities will continue to dream and hope to serve. There's no reason that they can't."

Last month, the House voted 402 to 17 to provide broad protections to more people with disabilities, overturning several Supreme Court decisions that narrowed the definition of disabled. Advocates of the legislation said the bill would confirm Congress's more sweeping intentions for the ADA. Pelosi arranged the announcement of the speaker's rostrum reconstruction to coincide with that vote.

Some court rulings have denied job protections and accessibility rights to people with epilepsy, diabetes, cancer, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and other conditions, arguing that they are not disabilities because they could be temporary or improved with medication.

The Senate held a hearing on a companion bill late last year and is expected to begin considering it in coming weeks. President Bush has indicated support for the concept of strengthening disability rights, but the administration has expressed "significant concerns" about litigation and difficulty implementing the House bill.

Staff writer Paul Kane contributed to this report.