[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 148 (Tuesday, October 2, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2050]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      ACKNOWLEDGING NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH

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                            HON. DAVID SCOTT

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 2, 2007

  Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, In 1945, Congress enacted a law 
declaring the first week in October of each year as ``National Employ 
the Physically Handicapped Week,'' in order to educate the American 
public about issues related to disability and employment. From there, 
the week expanded into a month designated ``National Disability 
Employment Awareness Month.'' And today, I am so pleased to acknowledge 
and praise those who work to further the necessary awareness of those 
individuals and American workers who live with a disability.
  The American worker has enough to handle and manage as it is, but the 
employee who lives with a disability copes with other barriers many of 
us will never experience. I commend the work these groups are doing to 
ensure these individuals, completely capable of employment, find that 
employment and are not discriminated against. However, there is much 
work to do. The employment rate of working age people with disabilities 
remains only half that of people without disabilities. These numbers 
are far too low and this population has for far too long been a group 
unable to rise above the employment and earnings gaps. There is a 
benefit to us all for working toward inclusion of more and more 
disabled workers. Again, I am pleased to celebrate ``National 
Disability Employment Awareness Month'' this October and will continue 
my ongoing efforts in Congress to ensure equality for all, making the 
barriers facing individuals with disabilities once and for all a thing 
of the past.




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