[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 5, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 20381-20382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-07318]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 88 , No. 65 / Wednesday, April 5, 2023 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 20381]]


                Proclamation 10549 of March 31, 2023

                
World Autism Awareness Day, 2023

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                There is no one way to be autistic--each individual 
                with autism experiences it differently--but together, 
                autistic people make industries, communities, and our 
                Nation stronger. Today, we celebrate the achievements 
                of neurodiverse people everywhere and champion the 
                equal rights and dignity of all those living on the 
                autism spectrum.

                Here in the United States, more than 5.4 million adults 
                are autistic, and 1 in every 44 children has been 
                diagnosed with autism. Yet this developmental 
                disability is still misunderstood. Autistic people 
                continue to face obstacles when seeking employment, 
                health care, education, and housing, and the immense 
                contributions of people with autism are often 
                overlooked. We owe it to our fellow Americans to 
                address the disparities they face and to support 
                autistic people with tools that facilitate clearer 
                communication, increased productivity, and greater 
                independence.

                That is why my Administration is funding cutting-edge 
                research to enable earlier autism diagnoses and to 
                develop more resources to help neurodiverse people of 
                all ages thrive. Recognizing that Autism Spectrum 
                Disorder is categorized as a disability, my American 
                Rescue Plan provided $25 billion to States to make it 
                easier for people with disabilities, including autism, 
                to receive care at home. We also rolled out new tools 
                and strategies for partner organizations to connect 
                disabled Americans with stable housing while helping 
                them pay rent, fight eviction, and prevent 
                homelessness.

                Last year, I was proud to reauthorize Kevin and 
                Avonte's Law, which expands training for first 
                responders and others giving care to people with 
                autism. And in my recent State of the Union Address, I 
                called on the Congress to increase its support for 
                community living for people with disabilities.

                My Administration is also boosting employment 
                opportunities for autistic and other historically 
                marginalized Americans. I was proud to sign an 
                Executive Order advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, 
                and accessibility in the Federal workforce, which will 
                help create new jobs for Americans with autism and make 
                space for their voices in the policy-making process.

                We are helping State and local governments, employers, 
                and nonprofits tap Federal funds to hire more Americans 
                with disabilities like autism through competitive 
                integrated employment practices. We are cracking down 
                on employers who discriminate on the basis of 
                disability, and we are fighting to end the unfair use 
                of sub-minimum wages. I continue to urge States that 
                have not yet expanded Medicaid coverage under the 
                Affordable Care Act to do the right thing and provide 
                health insurance to those currently locked out of 
                Medicaid support that would otherwise be available to 
                them from the Federal Government. Medicaid expansion 
                would help many Americans with disabilities, including 
                those with autism.

                To support students with autism, the Department of 
                Education is ensuring that public schools uphold their 
                obligation to provide free and appropriate public 
                education in the least restrictive environment to all 
                students. My Administration has also issued new 
                guidance to help schools avoid the

[[Page 20382]]

                discriminatory use of discipline, which too often 
                impacts autistic students, whose needs and behaviors 
                are commonly misunderstood.

                As we build a more inclusive, just, and equal Nation, 
                we aim to lead by the power of our example. I 
                reestablished the role of Special Advisor on 
                International Disability Rights at the Department of 
                State to prioritize disability rights in our policy 
                discussions with foreign nations. The United States 
                Agency for International Development is advancing 
                disability inclusion as part of its democracy, climate, 
                humanitarian, and peacebuilding activities. And as co-
                chair of the Global Action on Disability Network and a 
                participant in the Global Disability Summit, the United 
                States continues to promote the equal human rights of 
                people with disabilities worldwide.

                America is founded on the idea that all people are 
                created equal and deserve to be treated equally 
                throughout their lives. Today and always, let us strive 
                to live up to this ideal. Let us embrace our diversity; 
                empower each other to reach our full potential; and 
                promote the basic decency, acceptance, and fairness we 
                know is right.

                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, 2023, 
                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 
                thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                seventh.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2023-07318
Filed 4-4-23; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3395-F3-P