Statement by the President on the Passing of Paul Miller

I was saddened to learn of the passing of one of my staffers and a leader in the disability rights movement – Paul Miller.  In a world where persons with disabilities are still too often told “you can’t,” Paul spent his life proving the opposite.  A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Law School, Paul went on to become a law professor, disability law expert, one of the longest-serving commissioners of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, an advisor to President Bill Clinton, and later, an invaluable advisor to me.  But more important than any title or position was the work that drove him.  He dedicated his life to a world more fair and more equal, and an America where all are free to pursue their full measure of happiness – and all of us are better off for it.  My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Jennifer, his daughters, Naomi and Delia, and all whose lives Paul touched.