Anthony Lee Coelho (born June 15, 1942) is an American politician from California who served in the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the primary sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act and is a former chairman and current member of the board of directors of the Epilepsy Foundation. Early life and education Coelho was born in rural Los Banos, California to parents of Portuguese descent. Coelho attended public schools in nearby Dos Palos, and grew up working on his family's dairy farm. At age 15, Coelho was injured in a pickup truck accident, which doctors later suggested was the precipitating event for the onset of his epilepsy. For years after the accident, Coelho did not know he had the illness. Coelho graduated with a B.A. from Loyola University of Los Angeles (now Loyola Marymount University) in 1964. At Loyola, he was initiated as a member of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity and a member of the Crimson Circle, and later was elected Student Body President during his senior year. After the Kennedy assassination, Coelho decided to become a priest. He went to a doctor for a medical exam, a prerequisite for entering the seminary. The doctor informed him that he had epilepsy. Because of canon law, he was unable to become a priest. Once his diagnosis was reported to the state, Coelho lost both his driver's license and his health insurance. Career Coelho worked as a staff member for Congressman Bernie Sisk from 1965 until 1978. By 1970, Coelho was serving as Sisk's administrative assistant. He enhanced his expertise in agriculture policy as staff director for the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Cotton. As staff coordinator for the House Rules Subcommittee on Broadcasting, on which Sisk served, Coelho helped develop the procedures that made possible the television coverage of the House proceedings via C-SPAN. When Sisk retired, Coelho ran for his seat and won. During his first campaign for Congress, Coelho's opponent asked how people would feel if Coelho went to a meeting at the White House and had a seizure. "The press called me and the good Lord was with me," Coelho later related. "Off the top of my head I said, 'Well, in the 13 years I have served in Washington I knew a lot of people who went to the White House and had fits. At least I'd have an