[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 235 (Friday, December 6, 2013)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 73685-73686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29397]



[[Page 73683]]

Vol. 78

Friday,

No. 235

December 6, 2013

Part III





The President





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Proclamation 9066--International Day of Persons With Disabilities, 2013
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  Federal Register / Vol. 78 , No. 235 / Friday, December 6, 2013 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

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                Proclamation 9066 of December 2, 2013

                
International Day of Persons With Disabilities, 
                2013

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Nearly a quarter century has gone by since our Nation 
                passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a 
                landmark civil rights bill that enshrined the 
                principles of inclusion, access, and equal opportunity 
                into law. The ADA was born out of a movement sparked by 
                those who understood their disabilities should not be 
                an obstacle to success and took up the mission of 
                tearing down physical and social barriers that stood in 
                their way. On this International Day of Persons with 
                Disabilities, we celebrate the enormous progress made 
                at home and abroad and we strengthen our resolve to 
                realize a world free of prejudice.

                Every child deserves a decent education, every adult 
                deserves equal access to the workplace, and every 
                nation that allows injustice to stand denies itself the 
                full talents and contributions of individuals with 
                disabilities. I was proud that under my Administration 
                the United States signed the Convention on the Rights 
                of Persons with Disabilities, an international 
                convention based on the principles of the ADA, and I 
                urge the Senate to provide its advice and consent to 
                ratification. By joining the 138 parties to this 
                convention, the United States would carry forward its 
                legacy of global leadership on disability rights, 
                enhance our ability to bring other countries up to our 
                own high standards of access and inclusion, and expand 
                opportunities for Americans with disabilities--
                including our 5.5 million disabled veterans--to work, 
                study, and travel abroad.

                My Administration remains committed to leading by 
                example. This year, as we celebrated the 40th 
                anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act, we updated rules 
                to improve hiring of veterans and people with 
                disabilities, especially among Federal contractors and 
                subcontractors. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, 
                insurers can no longer put lifetime dollar limits on 
                essential health benefits for Americans with 
                disabilities. And in January, it will be illegal to 
                deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions.

                The changes achieved in the last two decades speak to 
                what people can accomplish when they refuse to accept 
                the world as it is. Today let us once again reach for 
                the world that should be--one where all people, 
                regardless of country or disability, enjoy equal 
                access, equal opportunity, and the freedom to realize 
                their limitless potential.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim December 3, 2013, as 
                International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I call 
                on all Americans to observe this day with appropriate 
                ceremonies, activities, and programs.

[[Page 73686]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                second day of December, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
                eighth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2013-29397
Filed 12-5-13; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F4