Advancing the rights of persons with disabilities globally strengthens America

The CRPD works to extend protections pioneered in the U.S. to the more than one billion people with disabilities throughout the world. This is an opportunity for the U.S. to join its allies — including Australia, Canada, France, Mexico, South Korea, the United Kingdom and Germany — in continuing our historical leadership on disability rights.

Passage of the ADA constituted a proud moment in U.S. history, when we joined together as a nation to stand up for a worthy cause. Now is the time to reaffirm the common goals of equality, access and inclusion for Americans with disabilities — both when those affected are in the United States and outside of our country's borders.

Bob Dole, a former Senate majority leader, was the Republican candidate for president in 1996. This article is adapted from his written testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 12, 2012.