[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 66 (Wednesday, April 6, 2022)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 19781-19782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-07447]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 6, 2022 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 19781]]


                Proclamation 10364 of April 1, 2022

                
World Autism Awareness Day, 2022

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                On World Autism Awareness Day, we reaffirm our 
                commitment to ensuring that the more than 5 million 
                Americans who live with autism are able to make the 
                most of their talents and participate fully in our 
                society, and we celebrate the contributions autistic 
                Americans have made to our families, our communities, 
                our Nation, and the world.

                We have made significant progress in improving access 
                to opportunity for people with developmental 
                disabilities in recent years. However, many autistic 
                individuals still experience gaps in employment and 
                income. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded these 
                inequities, creating unique challenges and strains for 
                people with autism and their families.

                That is why my Administration is committed to 
                addressing the systemic barriers people with autism 
                face in their daily lives. The pandemic upended school 
                routines for children and students living with 
                disabilities. That is why the Department of Education 
                is working tirelessly to accelerate pandemic recovery 
                for special education programs. In addition, the 
                Department of Health and Human Services and the 
                Department of Housing and Urban Development are 
                committed to ensuring individuals with disabilities 
                have access to affordable housing as we come through 
                this pandemic.

                In order to improve quality of life for people with 
                autism and their families in every community, my 
                Administration is committed to funding cutting-edge 
                research to help us better understand, diagnose, and 
                treat autism, including funding research at the 
                National Institutes of Health and the Centers for 
                Disease Control and Prevention that seeks to better 
                understand the underlying mechanisms of autism from 
                childhood through early adulthood, improve methods of 
                early identification and diagnosis, and develop 
                innovations in the delivery of interventions and 
                services.

                My Administration remains committed to reducing 
                barriers in access to early diagnoses, interventions, 
                and services for people with autism--regardless of 
                race, gender, ethnicity, culture, or geography--and to 
                incorporating the lived experiences of individuals with 
                autism into their research. Last June, when I signed 
                the Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, 
                and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce, I promised 
                to cultivate a Federal workforce that draws from the 
                full diversity of the Nation. One of the ways we are 
                delivering on that promise is through a partnership 
                between the Department of Labor and the Administration 
                for Community Living, which is expanding access to 
                competitive, integrated employment opportunities for 
                people with disabilities, including autism.

                In addition, my Administration will continue to build 
                on the work done by the Interagency Autism Coordinating 
                Committee, the National Autism Coordinator, and others 
                to make certain that autistic Americans have access to 
                the care, services, and support they need, so they can 
                pursue their educational, career, and life interests 
                without discrimination.

                Today and every day, we honor autistic people and 
                celebrate the meaningful and measureless ways they 
                contribute to our Nation. We applaud the millions of 
                educators, advocates, family members, caregivers, and 
                others who support

[[Page 19782]]

                them. As we continue to build a better America, we 
                reaffirm our promise to provide Americans with autism 
                the support they need to live independently, fully 
                participate in their communities, and lead fulfilling 
                lives of dignity and respect.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., 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 April 2, 2022, 
                as World Autism Awareness Day. I call upon all 
                Americans to learn more about autism to improve early 
                diagnosis, to learn more about the experiences of 
                autistic people from autistic people, and to build more 
                welcoming and inclusive communities to support people 
                with autism.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                first day of April, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-two, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                sixth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2022-07447
Filed 4-5-22; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F2-P