Jacquie Brennan
On September 25, 2008, the ADA Amendment Act (ADAAA) was signed into law and will become effective on January 1, 2009. The ADAAA was supported by more than 220 national organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Society of Employers, disability organizations, veterans' groups, church organizations, and the National Association of Manufacturers. The bill passed the House on a vote of 402 to 17, and unanimously passed the Senate.
To understand what the ADAAA means, though, it's important to understand why the ADA needed amending in the first place.