[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9938 of September 30, 2019

National Disability Employment Awareness Month, 2019

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a time to celebrate
the contributions of Americans with disabilities to our country's
workforce and economic strength. We also reaffirm our commitment to
fostering opportunity for Americans of all abilities to apply their
skills and talents in the workplace as they pursue their dreams.
Thanks to my Administration's economic policies, we have seen the
creation of more than 6.3 million new jobs since the election, providing
tremendous opportunities for job seekers nationwide. In April, the
national unemployment rate dropped to a near half-century low, and the
unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities reached the lowest
level on record. It is essential that we continue creating an
environment in which Americans with disabilities have access to full
participation in our economy and the ability to experience the benefits
of employment.
My Administration is working to expand opportunities to empower men and
women with disabilities through apprenticeships. In March, the
Department of Labor (DOL) announced the Apprenticeship Inclusion Model
(AIM) initiative to expand career pathways leading to family-sustaining
wages for individuals with disabilities. These efforts help Americans
earn paychecks while also earning credentials and degrees. Together with
employers, unions, and apprenticeship programs, AIM will improve the
recruitment and retention of individuals with disabilities and support
the expansion of inclusive apprenticeship programs.
States are in the best position to create real, lasting, and
quantifiable change through solutions tailored to the economic and
employment realities within their communities, especially for Americans
with disabilities. Through the State Exchange on Employment and
Disability initiative, we are helping States develop, implement, and
promote policies to improve workforce inclusion for persons with
disabilities, including veterans with service-related disabilities. Last
year alone, this initiative engaged policymakers in 29 States to help
advance employment opportunities and ensure that workforce development,
transportation, and technology are disability-inclusive.

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Employers, both public and private, are critical to our nationwide
efforts to promote workplace access for individuals with disabilities.
My Administration has launched a major initiative to encourage Federal
contractors to take proactive steps to recruit, hire, retain, and
advance people with disabilities. Additionally, two DOL programs, the
Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion and the
Job Accommodation Network, have helped tens of thousands of employers
implement effective organizational policies and individual accommodation
solutions that keep American workers on the job and contributing to our
workplaces and economy. Automation and technology are changing the way
in which work is organized and performed--and who can perform it. Many
jobs will be open to new populations, particularly individuals with
disabilities.
This month, we renew our dedication to furthering the participation of
Americans with disabilities in the workforce. We are grateful to all of
our Nation's employers who hire individuals with disabilities, giving
them the opportunity to excel as they provide for themselves and their
families. By supporting the aspirations of all Americans who want to
work, we will strengthen our workplaces, economy, and communities.
The Congress, by Joint Resolution approved August 11, 1945, as amended
(36 U.S.C. 121), has designated October of each year as ``National
Disability Employment Awareness Month.''
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim October 2019 as National Disability
Employment Awareness Month. I call upon government and labor leaders,
employers, and the great people of the United States to recognize the
month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities across our
land.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
fourth.
DONALD J. TRUMP