[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Pages 24187-24188]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT MONTH

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, this October marks the 60th anniversary of 
National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and gives us an 
opportunity to recognize and celebrate the contributions that employees 
with disabilities have made to the American workforce.
  The effort to help our fellow Americans understand these important 
contributions began in 1945, when Congress designated the first week in 
October each year as National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. 
In 1962, the name was changed to include all employees with 
disabilities. And, in 1988, Congress expanded the designated week to a 
full month, and changed the name to National Disability Employment 
Awareness Month.
  National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a time to celebrate 
the progress we have made in opening the doors of opportunity for 
individuals with disabilities. People with disabilities--as all 
people--have unique abilities, talents, and aptitudes. And there is no 
question that our nation is better, fairer, and richer when we make 
full use of those gifts.
  This July, our Nation celebrated the 15th anniversary of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act--the landmark civil rights law securing 
the rights of people with disabilities. As the chief sponsor of the ADA 
in Congress, I remember the day it was signed into law--June 26, 1990--
as one of the proudest in my entire legislative career. And, just as 
many predicted, the ADA has taken its place among the great civil 
rights laws in our Nation's history. Today, the impact of the ADA is 
all around us, in countless facets of our daily lives.
  Yet we still have much work to do to increase employment 
opportunities for people with disabilities. Long-term employment, 
career advancement, and equal pay continue to be challenging for many 
workers with disabilities. Most importantly, we need to improve the 
employment rate of persons with

[[Page 24188]]

disabilities. The gap between the employment rates of working-age 
people with and without disabilities was more than 40 percentage points 
in 2004.
  There are many factors that contribute to this gap, including 
disincentives, transportation issues, and outdated stereotypes about 
people with disabilities. But the end result is unfortunate and 
unacceptable. Most people with disabilities want to work; they want to 
be self-supporting and independent. As a government and as a society, 
we need to encourage employers to hire people with disabilities. We 
need to support creative job accommodations so we expand employment 
opportunities.
  Misconceptions and apprehensions about hiring people with physical or 
mental disabilities continue to exist as a barrier to progress. We need 
to get out the truth, which is that most workers with disabilities 
require no special accommodations, while the cost for those who do is 
often minimal. Moreover, research amply shows that employees with 
disabilities have above-average records in attendance, job 
dependability, performance, and safety.
  Breaking down these persistent attitudinal barriers requires a 
cooperative, sustained, and consistent effort. A new generation of 
young people with disabilities is growing up in America today--
graduating from high school, going to college, and preparing to 
participate fully in the workplace. These young people have a right to 
make the most of their potential. Likewise, America must make the most 
of their intellect, talents, and abilities.
  So this month, as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of National 
Disability Employment Month, let us rededicate ourselves to breaking 
down the workplace barriers--physical and psychological--that continue 
to stand in the way of people with disabilities. Our goal must be to 
make the American dream accessible to all Americans.

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