,,iii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #fgf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,october #aa1 #bjah ,mrs4 ,murray 7for herself and ,mr4 ,casey7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,,resolution ,to recognize the importance of ,national ,disability ,employment ,awareness ,month4 ,whereas1 in #aide1 ,congress passed the ,joint ,resolution of ,august #aa1 #aide 7#ei ,stat4 #ecj1 chapter #cfc71 to establish the first week in ,october of each year as ,national ,employ the ,physically ,handicapped ,week2 ,whereas1 in #aihh1 ,congress passed the ,handicapped ,programs ,technical ,amendments ,act of #aihh 7,public ,law #ajj-fcj2 #ajb ,stat4 #cbhi71 which designated ,october of each year as ,national ,disability ,employment ,awareness ,month2 ,whereas1 according to the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 approximately #fa1jjj1jjj people in the ,united ,states have a disability2 ,whereas1 among people with disabilities in the ,united ,states1 #cc percent participate in the workforce2 ,whereas the unemployment rate for people with a disability is higher than for people without a disability across all educational attainment groups2 ,whereas community-based1 integrated employment at competitive wages is a human right and vital to economic self-sufficiency in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas ,employment ,first is a national movement1 supported by the ,department of ,labor1 that supports the belief that all people1 including people with significant disabilities1 are capable of full participation in competitive integrated employment and community living2 ,whereas1 under ,employment ,first policies1 ,state and ,federal systems align services1 incentives1 and policies for youth and adults with disabilities to lead to community-based1 integrated employment at competitive wages2 ,whereas1 when provided the accommodations and support they need1 people with disabilities as a group are capable of performing virtually any job in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas ,congress has enacted laws to ensure people with disabilities are not discriminated against in employment1 have access to supports and services to find and keep a job1 and are entitled to accommodations in the workplace1 including-- 7#a7 in #aigc1 when ,congress enacted the ,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gja et seq471 a landmark civil rights law that-- 7,a7 prohibits discrimination on the basis of a disability in employment by the ,federal ,government and ,federal contractors2 7,b7 requires the ,federal ,government and ,federal contractors to engage in affirmative action to promote the employment and advancement of people with disabilities2 and 7,c7 established programs administered by the ,rehabilitation ,services ,administration of the ,department of ,education1 including vocational rehabilitative services administered by ,state agencies2 7#b7 in #aige1 when ,congress enacted the ,education for ,all ,handicapped ,children ,act of #aige 7,public ,law #id-adb2 #hi ,stat4 #ggc71 later renamed the ,individuals with ,disabilities ,education ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #adjj et seq471 that requires public schools to provide all eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment1 including services to assist students with disabilities as those students transition from high school to higher education or the workforce2 7#c7 in #aiij1 when ,congress enacted the ,americans with ,disabilities ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abaja et seq471 a landmark civil rights law that prohibits employment discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities1 mandates reasonable accommodations in the workplace1 and requires public entities to provide services 7including employment services7 in the most integrated setting2 7#d7 in #bjjh1 when ,congress enacted the ,genetic ,information ,nondiscrimination ,act of #bjjh 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bjjj;ff et seq471 a landmark civil rights law that prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of genetic information2 7#e7 in #bjad1 when ,congress enacted the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caja et seq47 to strengthen and improve the workforce system of the ,united ,states to better support people with disabilities by-- 7,a7 focusing on increasing competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities2 7,b7 limiting the use of discriminatory subminimum wages2 and 7,c7 requiring that #ae percent of vocational rehabilitation funds be used to help people with disabilities transition from high school to higher education or the workforce2 7#f7 in #bjad1 when ,congress extended the work opportunity tax credit program to encourage the hiring of people with disabilities referred by vocational rehabilitation agencies2 and 7#g7 in #bjah1 when ,congress reauthorized the ,carl ,d4 ,perkins ,career and ,technical ,education ,act of #bjjf 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #bcja et seq47 to increase the focus on and funding for recruiting and supporting individuals with disabilities through career and technical education2 ,whereas the ,federal ,government is the largest employer in the ,united ,states and has taken steps to increase recruitment1 hiring1 and retention of people with disabilities in the ,federal workforce1 including when-- 7#a7 on ,july #bf1 #bjjj1 ,president ,william ,j4 ,clinton issued ,executive ,order #acafc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gia note2 relating to increasing the opportunity for individuals with disabilities to be employed in the ,federal ,government71 which set the goal for the ,federal ,government to hire #ajj1jjj people with disabilities over #e years1 including individuals with targeted disabilities2 7#b7 on ,july #bf1 #bjaj1 ,president ,barack ,obama issued ,executive ,order #acedh 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gia note2 relating to increasing ,federal employment of individuals with disabilities71 which directed the ,federal ,government to take additional steps to achieve the hiring goals of ,executive ,order #acafc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gia note2 relating to increasing the opportunity for individuals with disabilities to be employed in the ,federal ,government71 including-- 7,a7 directing the ,office of ,personnel ,management to design model recruitment and hiring strategies for ,federal agencies to increase the employment of people with disabilities2 and 7,b7 directing each ,federal agency to develop a plan for that agency for promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities1 with-- 7i7 performance measures and numerical goals for the employment of individuals with disabilities and targeted disabilities2 and 7ii7 a focus on the retention of employees with disabilities2 7#c7 on ,august #ah1 #bjaa1 ,president ,barack ,obama issued ,executive ,order #acehc 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bjjj;e note2 relating to establishing a coordinated government-wide initiative to promote diversity and inclusion in the ,federal workforce71 which prompted the ,office of ,personnel ,management to encourage the use of ,schedule ,a hiring authority for people with disabilities1 conduct barrier analyses1 and support ,special ,emphasis ,programs to promote diversity in the workforce2 7#d7 on ,may #ad1 #bjae1 ,president ,barack ,obama issued ,executive ,order #acfeh 7#gi ,fed4 ,reg4 #ihea2 relating to establishing a minimum wage for contractors 7,february #bj1 #bjad771 which required certain ,federal ,government contractors to pay the same minimum wage to workers with disabilities as all other workers2 7#e7 the ,equal ,employment ,opportunity ,commission1 in implementing the ,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gja et seq471 required ,federal agencies to set hiring and workforce goals for people with specific disabilities that are associated with high rates of unemployment and underemployment2 7#f7 the ,equal ,employment ,opportunity ,commission created the ,leadership for the ,employment of ,americans with ,disabilities 7or ,,lead7 ,initiative to encourage ,federal agencies to recruit1 hire1 and promote people with severe disabilities2 and 7#g7 the ,office of ,federal ,contract ,compliance ,programs of the ,department of ,labor1 in implementing the ,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gja et seq471 established a nationwide #g percent utilization goal for ,federal contractors employing people with disabilities2 ,whereas some private employers see disability employment not only as a civil rights issue but also as a smart business strategy1 and have recruited employees with disabilities2 ,whereas employing people with disabilities increases the diversity of the workforce2 ,whereas employers with diverse workforces have been found to have an advantage over competitors2 ,whereas ,employment ,first policies1 the laws ,congress has enacted1 actions by ,executive agencies1 and actions by some private companies have increased the employment of people with disabilities1 which has1 in part1 resulted in #bf consecutive months of improvement in disability employment in the period between ,march #bjaf and ,may #bjah2 and ,whereas1 despite progress1 unemployment and underemployment of workers with disabilities remains high3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 recognizes the importance of ,national ,disability ,employment ,awareness ,month2 7#b7 urges ,congressional offices1 ,federal ,executive agencies1 ,state and local government employers1 and private employers to redouble their efforts to increase employment of people with disabilities2 and 7#c7 encourages individuals1 employers1 cities1 counties1 and ,states to observe ,national ,disability ,employment ,awareness ,month with appropriate programs and activities that increase the recruitment1 hiring1 and retention of people with disabilities to the workforce4