[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 129, 114th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9376 of December 2, 2015

International Day of Persons With Disabilities, 2015

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

The United States has long been a leading voice for the rights of
persons with disabilities, and we join the international community in
expressing our support for them in all they do and in recognizing them
as the valuable members of society that they are. This year, as we
celebrate the 25th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA)--landmark legislation that helps ensure the
places that make up our shared national life truly belong to everyone--
we also recognize that protecting the rights of those with disabilities
is not just an American ideal, but a cornerstone of our work to ensure
human rights around the globe. On International Day of Persons with
Disabilities, we rededicate ourselves to building a fairer and more
accessible world and to upholding the fundamental dignity and respect of
all people.
A quarter-century ago, our Nation marked a milestone in the long march
toward achieving equal opportunity for all with the passage of the ADA.
A result of quiet persistence and perseverance coupled with passionate
and vocal advocacy, this Act showed the world our full

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commitment to the rights of people with disabilities, and in these past
25 years, we have built on the foundation of equality laid by this law.
The Affordable Care Act also guarantees people with disabilities a basic
but fundamental protection--that they can no longer be denied access to
health insurance due to a pre-existing condition. Additionally, my
Administration has supported increasing funding for the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) grants, which would boost our efforts
to provide every child living with a disability with a quality public
education. And this year, the White House hosted a series of events
commemorating IDEA's 40th anniversary to highlight the importance of
inclusion and of recognizing the talents of all Americans in every
aspect of society.
Each day, our founding values of equality and opportunity guide our work
to forge a bright future for people with disabilities. Serving to
protect these ideals are our brave men and women in uniform who give of
themselves for us all, and when they return home with wounds of war,
seen or unseen, it is our sacred obligation to ensure they can take full
advantage of the freedoms they fought so hard to defend. That is why my
Administration has worked to provide our country's veterans who have
disabilities with access to timely, quality health care and the tools
needed to convert their military skills into careers in civilian life.
As we continue working to expand the promise of America to all our
people, we must remember that the fight for disability rights should not
stop at our Nation's shores. The United States continues to uphold our
global commitment to the international disability community. During my
first year in office, the United States signed the Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities, an international declaration, now
signed by 160 countries, that recognizes the inherent worth of people
with disabilities and urges equal protection and benefits before the
law. I am disappointed that the Senate blocked ratification of the
Convention, and I continue to call on these elected leaders, all of whom
represent Americans with disabilities, to provide their advice and
consent to ratification. A pillar of American leadership is our profound
respect for the human dignity of all people, and it is imperative that
we reach for a day when all of the more than 1 billion people of the
world who live with a disability can enjoy the same rights afforded to
those living here at home.
Our pursuit of equal rights for those with disabilities is not over.
Today, we stand on the shoulders of generations who fought for better
laws, demanded better treatment, and who, by being good, decent people
and hard workers, proved to the world that having a disability should
not force individuals into the margins of society. On this day, let us
honor the efforts of those who agitated for the respect and dignity of
all by picking up the inextinguishable torch of equality and carrying it
forward into a future that recognizes the incredible talents and skills
of people with disabilities. Together, we can secure a tomorrow in which
all people know no limits but the scope of their dreams.
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, 2015, as
International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I call on all Americans
to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and
programs.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of
December, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
fortieth.
BARACK OBAMA