On July 26, 1990, President George Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The ADA was enacted to establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability.

The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. It establishes discrimination based on disability similar to discrimination based on race, religion, sex, or national origin. In the ADA, disability is defined as "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity." The determination of whether any particular condition is considered a disability is made on a case by case basis. Certain specific conditions are excluded as disabilities, such as current substance abuse.

The ADA is a particularly notable Act, as more than a hundred groups dedicated to disability rights, civil rights, and social justice worked together to ensure its passage. Though there were groups that protested the passing of the Act, such as employers who did not want to accommodate the disabled, support of the Act prevailed and it was signed into law on July 26, 1990.

The ADA was amended in 2008 to give broader protections for disabled workers, and it is still in practice today.