[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 26319]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. NICK J. RAHALL, II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 29, 2009

  Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to show my support for 
National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
  As President Obama stated in his proclamation naming October as the 
National Disability Employment Awareness Month, fair access to 
employment is a fundamental right of every American, including the 54 
million people in this country living with disabilities.
  Through the Ability One Program, a federal initiative, that enables 
people who are blind or have other significant disabilities to work and 
provide products and services to federal and commercial customers, 
thousands of working Americans are contributing to West Virginia and 
national economies.
  The more people know about the capabilities of people with 
disabilities to work and lead independent lives, the more we can 
shatter stereotypes and misperceptions. We need to celebrate empowering 
one another by highlighting the ingenuity and perseverance of people 
with disabilities. As a Nation, we should take this month as an 
opportunity to showcase the contributions of those with disabilities 
who have found success in the workplace.
  However, there is more that needs to be done to spread the awareness 
that hiring people with disabilities is good for businesses in West 
Virginia. For example, seven out of ten working age Americans who are 
blind are not employed.
  The month of October honors these men and women who live with 
disabilities and are working or want to work within their communities. 
I would like to take this time to shine a spotlight and raise awareness 
of programs in West Virginia and around the Nation that work with 
individuals with disabilities.
  Both the American Foundation for the Blind, AFB, and the National 
Federation for the Blind, NFB, have chapters in Huntington and around 
the state where they work with individuals with disabilities to improve 
their lives through advocacy, education and career programs. These 
organizations work to educate the public on the ability of those with 
disabilities to succeed and thrive within employment settings They 
promote independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by 
providing them and their families with relevant and timely resources.
  Another organization working in West Virginia to educate employers 
about employing workers with disabilities is Goodwill Industries. They 
provide education, training and career services for people with 
physical, mental and emotional disabilities. They work to train and 
employ contract workers to fill outsourced needs for document 
management, assembly, mailing, custodial work, grounds keeping and 
more. In 2008, local Goodwill organizations collectively provided 
employment and training services to more than 1.525 million 
individuals.
  Federal initiatives such as AbilityOne Program, also help people who 
are blind or have other severe disabilities find employment by working 
for nonprofit agencies, NPAs, that sell product or services to the U.S. 
government. They are the largest source of employment for people who 
are blind or have other severe disabilities in the United States with 
12 participating non-profit agencies in West Virginia.
  I know employers can make a difference. Two years ago, my chief of 
staff became disabled after a fall in his home injured his spinal cord. 
He's now back at work and continues on the road to recovery with the 
help of accommodations I'm pleased to say the House of Representatives 
made for him at my request. From the Speaker and her staff, to both the 
Sergeant-At-Arms and the CAO's staff and to the Capitol Police and the 
House Staff Fitness Center--all of these offices have responded 
enthusiastically. From help getting his transportation past security 
checkpoints to getting his wheelchair into the office, from designing 
his workstation to accommodating his workout routine, the House 
answered my requests affirmatively. This month he was recognized by his 
state vocational rehabilitation program for his accomplishment of 
returning to work.
  All of us face battles--many of us face more than our fair share. 
This month serves as a reminder of that truth. It is a truth we as a 
society must respect and must work to make right. We have some strong 
allies in that battle as evidenced above. There is more than abundant 
evidence here that despite all odds against it, the human spirit is a 
difficult, if not impossible, flame to snuff out. Hope is but a small 
thing on show this day when compared to the many triumphs and 
remarkable victories we celebrate. The courage shown every day by those 
with disabilities is contagious and their successes empower all of us 
to be better individuals, better community members, and better 
Americans.
  Please join with me in celebrating all of the organizations who work 
to raise awareness about the dedicated and hard-working Americans who 
are blind or have other significant disabilities who provide quality 
products and services at fair market prices to the Federal government 
every day.

                          ____________________