Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Long title	An Act to replace the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, to extend and revise the authorization of grants to States for vocational rehabilitation services, with special emphasis on services to those with the most severe disabilities, to expand special Federal responsibilities and research and training programs with respect to individuals with disabilities, to establish special responsibilities in the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare for coordination of all programs with respect to individuals with disabilities within the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and for other purposes.
Nicknames	Rehab Act
Enacted by	the 93rd United States Congress
Effective	September 26, 1973
Citations
Public law	Pub. L. 93-112
Statutes at Large	87 Stat. 355
Codification
Acts amended	Vocational Rehabilitation Act
Titles amended	29
U.S.C. sections created	29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.
U.S.C. sections amended	31-41c
Legislative history
	Introduced in the House as H.R. 8070 by John Brademas (D–IN) on May 23, 1973; Committee consideration by House Committee on Education and Labor; Passed the House on June 5, 1973 (384-13); Passed the Senate on July 18, 1973 ; Reported by the joint conference committee on July 24, 1973; agreed to by the House on September 13, 1973 (400-0) and by the Senate on September 18, 1973 (88-0); Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on September 26, 1973;
Major amendments
	Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987; No Child Left Behind Act;
United States Supreme Court cases
	New York City Transit Authority v. Beazer, 440 U.S. 568 (1979); Southeastern Community College v. Davis, 442 U.S. 397 (1979); University of Texas v. Camenisch, 451 U.S. 390 (1981); Community Television of Southern Cal. v. Gottfried, 459 U.S. 498 (1983); Consolidated Rail Corporation v. Darrone, 465 U.S. 624 (1984); Irving Independent School Dist. v. Tatro, 468 U.S. 883 (1984); Smith v. Robinson, 468 U.S. 992 (1984); Alexander v. Choate, 469 U.S. 287 (1985); Honig v. Students of Cal. School for Blind, 471 U.S. 148 (1985); Atascadero State Hospital v. Scanlon, 473 U.S. 234 (1985); County of Los Angeles v. Kling, 474 U.S. 936 (1985); Bowen v. American Hospital Assn., 476 U.S. 610 (1986); Department of Transportation v. Paralyzed Veterans of America, 477 U.S. 597 (1986); School Bd. of Nassau Cty. v. Arline, 480 U.S. 273 (1987); Traynor v. Turnage, 485 U.S. 535 (1988); Lane v. Pena, 518 U.S. 187 (1996); Barnes v. Gorman, 536 U.S. 181 (2002); Fry v. Napoleon Community Schools, No. 15-497, 580 U.S. ___ (2017); Cummings v. Premier Rehab Keller, P.L.L.C., No. 20-219, 596 U.S. ___ (2022);

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Pub. L. 93–112, 87 Stat. 355, enacted September 26, 1973) is a United States federal law, codified at 29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq. The principal sponsor of the bill was Rep. John Brademas (D-IN-3). The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 replaces preexisting laws (collectively referred to as the Vocational Rehabilitation Act) to extend and revise the authorization of grants to States for vocational rehabilitation services, with special emphasis on services to those with the most severe disabilities, to expand special Federal responsibilities and research and training programs with respect to individuals with disabilities, to establish special responsibilities in the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare for coordination of all programs with respect to individuals with disabilities within the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and for other purposes. It created the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

The Rehabilitation Act requires affirmative action in employment by the federal government and by government contractors and prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies, in programs receiving federal financial assistance, in federal employment, and in the employment practices of federal contractors. The standards for determining employment discrimination under the Rehabilitation Act are the same as those used in title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.^[1]

President Richard Nixon signed H.R. 8070 into law on September 26, 1973 after he had vetoed two previous versions.^[2]

^ This article incorporates public domain material from "A Guide to Disability Rights Laws". Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act. United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. July 2009.
^ "The Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Independence Bound | ACL Administration for Community Living". acl.gov. Retrieved March 21, 2021.

[ada_web_site-1] This article incorporates public domain material from "A Guide to Disability Rights Laws". Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act. United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. July 2009.

[2] "The Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Independence Bound | ACL Administration for Community Living". acl.gov. Retrieved March 21, 2021.

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