,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #abff  ,,in ,,the ,,house    
,,of ,,representatives  ,december #af1  
#bjbj,mr4 ,morelle 7for himself and ,ms4
 ,sherrill7 submitted the following     
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on ,education and ,labor     
,,resolution  ,expressing appreciation  
and support for essential employees with
 disabilities during the current        
pandemic1 and beyond4  ,whereas the     
,,covid-#ai pandemic has challenged the 
entire ,nation but has                  
disproportionately impacted people with 
disabilities1 particularly people of    
color with disabilities1 who are        
significantly over-represented among the
 victims of this deadly virus2 ,whereas 
the ,,covid-#ai pandemic has resulted in
 the need for essential services to     
continue even in areas where most       
businesses and government buildings are 
closed2 ,whereas people with            
disabilities often work in the types of 
businesses identified as essential      

during the pandemic1 such as grocery    
stores1 retail distribution centers1 and
 health care facilities2 ,whereas       
employees with disabilities also provide
 essential services fulfilling local1   
,state1 and ,federal contracts in       
locations across the ,united ,states and
 its territories including government   
buildings1 hospitals1 military bases1   
airports1 call centers1 highway rest    
stops1 private nonprofit businesses     
supporting individuals with             
disabilities1 and numerous other        
locations2 ,whereas many of these       
essential employees are supported by    
disability service providers that       
provide training1 job coaching1         
transportation1 and other needed        
supports to help these employees in     
performing this essential work2 ,whereas
 people with disabilities have continued
 to perform this essential work even    
though it sometimes increased their risk
 of exposure to the deadly ,,covid-#ai  
virus2 ,whereas the essential work      

performed during the pandemic has       
included providing goods and services   
that were critical to the public health 
response to the crisis1 including-- 7#a7
 manufacturing and delivering thousands 
of critical products that are           
strengthening the ,nation's ,,covid-#ai 
response1 including personal protective 
equipment 7,,ppe71 hand sanitizer1      
cleaning products and disinfectants1    
first aid kits1 exam gloves1 toilet     
paper1 and more to support hospitals1   
health care professionals1 first        
responders1 the ,united ,states         
military1 and governments at all levels2
  7#b7 provisioning the ,united ,states 
,navy ,hospital ,ships ,comfort and     
,mercy that provided emergency care in  
,los ,angeles and ,new ,york to free up 
civilian hospitals to focus on          
,,covid-#ai patients2  7#c7 supporting  
,federal and ,state efforts to establish
 pop-up hospitals2  7#d7 maintaining    
offices and providing other services in 
local1 ,state1 and ,federal buildings   

where vital work is being performed2    
7#e7 providing deep cleaning and        
sanitizing services in hospitals and    
other health care facilities2  7#f7     
providing call center and technical     
support to ,state and ,federal entities1
 including operating crisis hotlines and
 call centers to process the surge in   
,state unemployment claims2  7#g7       
sourcing and providing urgently needed  
,,ppe2  7#h7 providing custodial        
services at military installations to   
slow the spread of ,,covid-#ai and      
protect military personnel from exposure
 to the virus thus shielding our combat 
readiness2 and  7#i7 working in         
essential businesses such as grocery    
stores1 retail1 and restaurants that    
have continued to supply the ,nation    
with food and other essential supplies  
throughout the pandemic2 ,whereas the   
essential employees with disabilities   
who perform these jobs play a central   
and invaluable role in protecting the   
,united ,states and its territories in  

fighting the pandemic2 ,whereas this    
essential workforce has continued to    
perform its regular duties and more     
throughout the pandemic2 ,whereas this  
essential workforce is vital to the     
economy of the ,united ,states and its  
territories2 ,whereas competitive1      
integrated employment is vital to the   
personal economies and well-being of the
 essential workforce2 and ,whereas these
 essential employees with disabilities  
were essential before the pandemic and  
will continue to be essential after the 
pandemic has passed into history3 ,now1 
therefore1 be it ,that the ,house of    
,representatives-- 7#a7 thanks essential
 employees with disabilities for their  
efforts throughout the ,,covid-#ai      
pandemic2  7#b7 recognizes-- 7,a7 the   
essential work performed by individuals 
with disabilities during the ,,covid-#ai
 pandemic2  7,b7 that it is in the      
national interest to provide equality of
 opportunity1 full participation1       
independent living1 and economic        

self-sufficiency for people with        
disabilities2 and  7,c7 the importance  
of ensuring that people with            
disabilities have opportunities to      
engage in competitive integrated        
employment2 and  7#c7 recognizes and    
thanks these essential employees for the
 vital contribution to this country they
 have made in the past and will make in 
the future4