[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 169 (Thursday, October 11, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S6809]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY, INDEPENDENT 
                  LIVING, AND REHABILITATION RESEARCH

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, on behalf of millions of people with 
disabilities, today I wish to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 
establishment of the National Institute on Disability, Independent 
Living, and Rehabilitation Research, NIDILRR, and its 40 years of 
accomplishments and contributions to the lives of people with 
disabilities.
  NIDILRR is the Federal agency supporting applied research, 
demonstration, training, and technical assistance to enhance the 
quality of life of people with disabilities. NIDILRR's mission is to 
generate new knowledge and to promote its effective use to improve the 
abilities of people with disabilities to perform activities of their 
choice in the community and to expand society's capacity to provide 
full opportunities and accommodations for our citizens with 
disabilities. NIDILRR carries out its mission by building the capacity 
of institutions and individuals to conduct high-quality research in the 
major life domains, including employment, participation in the 
community, community integration, and health.
  NIDILRR plays a unique and critical role in Federal research. 
NIDILRR-sponsored projects and programs target populations that include 
all disability types and all age groups. While other Federal research 
entities fund prevention, cure, and acute rehabilitation research, 
which are vital for people with disabilities, NIDILRR invests in 
applied research meant to quickly translate to greater independence, 
community participation, and employment for people with disabilities.
  The many contributions of NIDILRR's grantees cannot be overstated. 
Our Nation owes a debt of gratitude to the researchers and 
practitioners whose efforts empower people with disabilities to lead 
proud, productive lives in pursuit of independence, community living, 
and employment. During October, which is National Disability Employment 
Awareness Month, it is important to highlight the major role that 
NIDILRR has played in promoting and enabling the employment of people 
with disabilities. Over the past 40 years, NIDILRR-funded researchers 
have been extraordinarily productive, including in my home State of 
Washington. Across the United States, grantees have created more than 
1,200 new products, including peer-reviewed publications, intervention 
protocols, measurement tools, and software and technologies that impact 
the field of rehabilitation and enhance the lives of people with 
disabilities.
  NIDILRR-funded fellowship programs have trained and supported a 
substantial number of emerging scholars, researchers, and policy 
implementation experts, including a significant focus on scholars with 
disabilities and those from minority communities. NIDILRR-funded 
fellows have contributed to substantive policy development in Congress, 
including by serving as content experts on my staff at the Senate 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. NIDILRR supports 
the ADA National Network, which provides information, guidance, and 
training on the Americans with Disabilities Act to businesses, 
employers, State and local governments, architects, disability 
organizations, and individuals with disabilities. In addition, NIDILRR 
also supports AbleData, an information center hosting an extensive 
database of assistive technology products and resources to increase 
awareness of and access to assistive devices. Finally, NIDILRR supports 
the National Rehabilitation Information Center, NARIC, a research 
library and information center that promotes access to disability, 
independent living, and rehabilitation research information.
  The need for NIDILRR's important work will only increase in the 
coming decades. Demographic trends indicate a substantial increase in 
the number of people with disabilities as a result of the effects of 
injuries, illnesses, chronic conditions, developmental disabilities, 
and an aging population. NIDILRR will continue to play a critical role 
in empowering this growing population of individuals with disabilities 
to live the American dream. The next 40 years of NIDILRR hold much 
promise for the future of addressing the emerging needs of people with 
disabilities and the need for disability, independent living, and 
rehabilitation research.
  I congratulate the National Institute on Disability, Independent 
Living, and Rehabilitation Research on its 40th anniversary and the 
significant accomplishments and contributions it has made to enhance 
the quality of life for people with disabilities in the United States. 
I am proud of the work NIDILRR has funded and the dedicated researchers 
and practitioners that have improved employment, participation and 
community integration, and health and function for people with 
disabilities. I look forward to 40 more years of NIDILRR's continued 
contributions to our society.

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