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Good afternoon everyone thank you so much for being here- I feel as though twenty twenty hasn't had all that many bright spots and today is really one of them- in terms of the good news announcement- as Josh just mention my name is Zach Terwilliger and on the U. S. attorney for the Eastern District of Zhenya Medical little bit slower today to make sure one I always talk too fast but to make sure my colleague over here- I don't I don't go too fast. I'm extremely grateful and humbled to be announcing that the US attorney's office for the Eastern discover Zhenya is establishing a new civil rights enforcement unit this is been over two and a half years in the making and it's the fulfillment of one of the key aspects of our strategic goals. At the beginning of the civil rights enforcement unit or crew. Will focus on enforcing the rights of persons with disabilities under the Americans with disabilities act or ADA. And will focus on the rights of service members and veterans under statutes like the servicemembers civil relief act in the uniformed services employment and reemployment rights act otherwise known as you Sarah. USA Steve Gordon who is known to many of the people behind you who are advocates and community members. Has worked for years with the people disappear the people with disabilities community help anchor R. eighty a side of the unit. A USA Deirdre brew. Was a lieutenant colonel retired from the U. S. army and a member of the Veterans with disability community herself. Who is now permanent member of our office. Will be the primary response primary one responsible for service members and veterans related matters. Again this new unit institutionalize and expands the office's existing civil rights program. The unit also seeks to expand our work assisting veterans with disabilities to ensure that those who fought for our country are not discriminated against based upon a disability. The new unit will include three Assistant United States attorneys who will be dedicated to enforcing disability and service members rights and veteran's rights on a full time basis the unit will also include to contract investigators. Prior to this we were not able to dedicate this level of resources to disability and service members rights. To create the unit we fought hard to obtain additional resources in this time where there is not many to be going around. Increasing the personnel dedicated to this work will allow us to grow the capacity of our thriving but over burdened ADA practice. I'm grateful to the Civil Rights Division at main justice to the Executive Office of U. S. attorneys in the Justice Management Division. Especially Julian laurea in hell our off obtain the Reese. We need to made this unit morality. The Civil Rights Division at main justice has led the nation's fight for disability rights for decades and continues to be a critical partner to us here in the Eastern District. The establishment of this unit honors the thirtieth anniversary of the landmark Americans with disability act which was signed into law by president George H. W. bush in nineteen ninety. People with disabilities have long faced multiple barriers that excluded them from many aspects of community life. Through the eighty eight Congress recognized and I quote. The nation's proper goals regarding individuals with disabilities are to assure the quality of opportunity full participation independent living and economic self sufficiency. The eighty eight prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. The ADA empowers the Department of Justice including through its United States attorneys offices to investigate litigate and resolve complaints of disability related discrimination as well as to conduct compliance reviews of covered entities and provide technical assistance. After taking office as United States Attorney I spent time with a USA Steve Gordon when we travel to meet with some of the organizations were represented here today. In our field visits I discovered two things. First this office has a national nationally recognized eighty eight enforcement practice. That's creatively found ways to make a significant impact with limited resources into the needs of the Eastern District disability community far outpaced our offices resources. The CDC estimates that nearly one in four adults in Virginia have disabilities. These men and women continue to face innumerable barriers to their full inclusion aspects of society. Some examples of these barriers include attitudinal barriers communications barriers in architectural barriers going forward the will continue to combine case based advocacy with community outreach in this way we will build on our past success. Let me give you some highlights of our enforcement practice. We will ensure that entities that provide services to individuals with multiple disabilities are complying are complying with the ADA. So one of the things we're going to do today is make an announcement regarding a large case that Steve just settled. Today we are announcing for the first time that this office has reached a groundbreaking settlement. With good neighbors homes incorporated involving two matters with that entity. Good neighbors home Inc is the largest group home provider for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and Virginia with more than fifty group homes. For nine hundred and thirty nine days good neighbor fail to furnish sign language interpreting services to a former resident who is deaf in also as intellectual and developmental disabilities and cerebral palsy. The settlement requires good neighbor to do the following. Adopt practices and procedures that bring it to into compliance with the ADA to train its employees on steps they must take to comply with the ADA and to pay significant X. F. as compensatory damages in a civil penalty. I want to thank a USA Steve Gordon Steve for his great work on this case. Our unit will also focus on ensuring equal access to health care. Ensuring equal access to polling places ensuring physical access to places of public accommodation initial check in ensuring that individuals with disabilities accompanied by service dogs have equal access. Moving to our work on behalf of service members and veterans are program will include the following. Protecting our service members from unlawful evictions in damage accidents previously Our office under George's leadership obtain the largest ever settlement against a property property management company for violating the servicemembers civil relief act. Pursuant to the settlement agreement the property management company was required to do the following. K. up to one point four nine million in compensatory damages to affected servicemembers. Repair their credit. Develop training and service develop training and service members civil relief act compliant policies and procedures and pay a civil penalty of the United States. Next we will also focus on protecting our veterans employment and reemployment rights the U. S. attorney's office has investigated several matters in which civilian employers have allegedly violated veteran's uniformed services employment and reemployment rights under the U. Serra. We reserve one matter in favour an Army Reserve soldier to civilian employment. Was terminated after the soldiers absence due to active military service. On behalf of the soldier Our office recovered the soldiers lost income as well as liquidated damages. In addition to enforcement actions this office will also continue to prioritize community outreach and training which is amplified the impact of our work to date this offices held more than sixty community outreach and engagement events in support of our efforts including. An annual round table with stakeholders in the disability rights community we are grateful for the partnership and support of those disability rights focused organizations some of which are here with us today let me just mention those. The ark of Loudon county the disability resource center of Rappahannock. The northern Virginia resource center for deaf and hard of hearing people. The Loudon county community service board and the Virginia association for the deaf. With respect to our work under the servicemembers and veterans initiative we've conducted outreach to organizations that focus on supporting service members and veterans and have conducted trainings for the Virginia Judiciary in Clark's of court. The Virginia creditors bar the Virginia state bar in the military services- about the S. C. R. A. and you Serra. In some organizations that are joining us today from that group are. And I forgot I left one out earlier advocacy partners excuse me paralyzed veterans of America are here with us as well as the Coast Guard chief of legal assistance thank you both. We are eager to continue to strong forge park in fort strong partnerships with each of the branches chiefs of legal assistance in organizations like the military officers association of America paralyzed veterans of America the military coalition. Disabled American veterans the American Legion and the wounded warrior project. Finally establishing this unit holds great personal significance for me. At age five I was diagnosed with having dyslexia a learning disability. Children with dyslexia are often highly intelligent however this learning a bit disability affects your ability to read and write. I was extremely unfortunate to- receive appropriate services they gave me the opportunity to learn and expel excel despite my disability. Some of the services that made the biggest impact in my life where those skilled special education teachers that help me understand like so many of you as parents are going through in your children. That I wasn't stupid. That my errors weren't careless and I just needed to learn differently but I could learn. Thanks to patient teachers support of parents the work ethic that a slow being a slow reader instills in the legal protections of the ADA people like me now have the chance to serve as U. S. attorney. Further although I've never served in our armed forces I hold our men and women in uniform in the highest esteem. And I've committed myself to honoring their service throughout my tenure as U. S. attorney. This unit will enhance the work that our office has been doing to protect their rights. The eighty eight Archerd in as significant a period of significant progress with increasing access and opportunity. Thirty years after its passage we still have much more to do. Through our new civil rights enforcement unit however. The Eastern discover Zhenya is redoubling our efforts when it comes to protecting people with disabilities. Service members and veterans. I want to thank a USA Steve Gordon for laying this foundation. A USA Deirdre brew for her service in the military and now her service to our sisters and brothers in arms into our civil chief. Warren Wetzler was right behind me who's been my steadfast partner in bringing this unit from aspiration to reality. Thank you very much I'm happy to answer your questions. By. Great question so for those you can hear it let me repeat it the question was- well this unit just focus on the ADA and service members and veterans or what about other civil art Civil Rights violations- the answer is we're starting with these two and will expand from there in terms of hate crimes violations or pattern or practice violations are things involving law enforcement those are handled on or criminal side of the house we have an expert in our office who hired from there Civil Rights Division criminal side- who handles a lot of those matters for us so we have already been focused on issues related to use of force. That's not this particular unit because this is on our civil side that's on or criminal side but were absolutely focus their- as someone told me the other day- you know- the only the only thing it that. Someone told me this the other day. A good cop. Bad cop more than anybody else and so well everybody knows I mean extreme- backer of law enforcement and then I am a huge supporter of law enforcement if you violate your oath. And you engage in criminal conduct as a law enforcement officer we'll be the first ones to hold you accountable. Thanks bye. Yes Sir. Sure we got to be careful because I got a can find my to four corners of the settlement but I tell you what why don't you hear from the person who handled that case and he'll be able to tell you what's public record. State thank his act so- good neighbors one of the largest group home providers in Virginia and- we've been looking at them for a while now- the settlement agreement I believe will be a public very shortly so you'll be able to learn more about- the case through that- and- this also I believe going to be a press release about the case which will have additional information. So we'll follow up with you to get your specifics on that we just want to be careful anytime were involved in litigation we want to make sure we're getting you exactly what's public record. Other questions yep that. Right. I guess the question. Great as usual Matt so to chance both go first regard voting yes- Steve is actually done cases involving access to polling places so you might you heard me mention architectural barrier- I believe it was in Faulkner county Steve- we had an issue where- an individual couldn't or individuals could not access the polling place due to architectural barriers- whether it was the you know a lack of a ramp or or some other accommodation that's required so that individuals with disabilities can can enter the polling place to vote to. Take second regarding preparations for the election in district security officers I think is what- addiction district election officers I believe is what you're talking about yes- so many of you who watched- what occurred- across our country following the death of George Floyd we saw massive civil unrest- we also of that incidents around the country- I've seen two thus far of ballots being burned- allegedly. Burned by arson world voter omits a the panda in modern history so we are per here at the Easter District as many of you know Alexion's- even when the federal- Federal individuals are U. S. individuals are being elected such as the president or or senators or congressmen or congresswomen- those those are largely stay issues however should the Federal government- need to be involved need to be consulted we've set up- our largest group. Ever to be ready and stand by to offer support to our state local law enforcement partners of federal law enforcement partners and state election officials so we've- we're on high alert going to next week- my prayers are for a peaceful few days- and that everyone has the ability and access- to get where. They need to devote. Thanks Matt. I to two in preparation the election next week in terms of the Assistant United States attorneys that we have designated- to be on stand by. And let me explain why- we have individuals who are from the department of justice's public integrity section who understand the voting laws inside and now. We have individuals- who deal with incidents of national security we have cyber security specialist should we have a cyber issue- we also did you our our our team includes individuals who. Responded to incidents of arson during the last- period of civil unrest so we're being prepared- I think it would be unwise not to but we're actually hoping for the best and- looking to support our state. Federal partners for whatever they need. Nothing I can comment on Claire. Sure so other question was are you gonna put information out about who they can contact yes- we can't put that information out there a some other US attorneys have frankly I haven't to date because a lot of your primary point of contact are going to be your state and local officials but if the interest is there we will push out- who are points of contact are across the district. Which as many of you know includes Norfolk Newport news Richmond- and- Alexandria. Any other questions yes Sir. So I am not not did the question was are I'm not gonna answer hypotheticals and I and I can't talk about anything that's not public record so I'm not not confirming or denying. Sorry I can't be more helpful. Any other questions. Well look let me look let me leave it at this- I some of you may have realized I came across this last night as I was doing my nightly roundup of. Of reading- some of you may know- the famous actor Jamie Foxx I recently lost his sister- the Andrea and she passed away- last Monday at age thirty six and she had. Down syndrome- and she was an ambassador for the global down syndrome foundation. This is what- Jamie Foxx said about his sister and I thought it really capsule later. Those of us who work with the disability community- this is what he said one thing people may not understand. Is that the person with special needs the love that they give you is unfiltered. And for those of you who have worked with the people the disability community know exactly what I'm talking about so- my condolences to the fox family but I just thought his quote. As a- as a family member who recently lost someone down syndrome was just right on the money. So thank you so for being here I thank you so much for covering this news and truly thank you to that. The three individual standing behind me Steve Gordon Deidre brew and Lauren what slur. And individuals who are standing by behind you. When I go back into my office. I'm I'm gonna have a multitude of things on my plate the people standing behind you do this working day in and day out