,,iii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #ajc  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,march    
#aa1 #bjai ,mr4 ,casey 7for himself and 
,mr4 ,cramer7 submitted the following   
resolution2 which was considered and    
agreed to  ,,resolution  ,designating   
,march #bg1 #bjai1 as ,national         
,assistive ,technology ,awareness ,day4 
,whereas assistive technology is any    
item1 piece of equipment1 or product    
system that is used to increase1        
maintain1 or improve the functional     
capabilities of people with disabilities
 and older adults2 ,whereas the term    
assistive technology service means any  
service that directly assists a person  
with a disability or an older adult in  
the selection1 acquisition1 or use of an
 assistive technology device2 ,whereas1 
in #bjah1 the ,centers for ,disease     
,control and ,prevention reported that  
#a in #d people in the ,united ,states1 
or almost #fa1jjj1jjj individuals1 has a
 disability2 ,whereas1 in #bjag1 the    

,department of ,education reported that 
there were more than #f1gjj1jjj children
 with disabilities2 ,whereas the        
,centers for ,disease ,control and      
,prevention reported that1 among adults 
#fe years of age and older1 #b in #e    
have a disability2 ,whereas assistive   
technology allows people with           
disabilities and older adults to be     
included in their communities and in    
inclusive classrooms and workplaces2    
,whereas assistive technology devices   
and services are not luxury items but   
necessities for millions of people with 
disabilities and older adults1 without  
which they would be unable to live in   
their communities1 access education1 and
 obtain1 retain1 and advance gainful1   
competitive integrated employment2      
,whereas the availability of assistive  
technology in the workplace promotes    
economic self-sufficiency1 enhances work
 participation1 and is critical to the  
employment of people with disabilities  
and older adults2 and ,whereas ,state   

assistive technology programs support a 
continuum of services that include--    
7#a7 the exchange1 repair1 recycling1   
and other reutilization of assistive    
technology devices2  7#b7 device loan   
programs that provide short term loans  
of assistive technology devices to      
individuals1 employers1 public agencies1
 and others2  7#c7 the demonstration of 
devices to inform decision making2 and  
7#d7 providing ,state financing         
activities to help individuals purchase 
or obtain assistive technology through a
 variety of initiatives1 such as        
financial loan programs1 leasing        
programs1 and other financing           
alternatives1 that give individuals     
affordable1 flexible options to purchase
 or obtain assistive technology3 ,now1  
therefore1 be it  ,that the ,senate--   
7#a7 designates ,march #bg1 #bjai1 as   
,national ,assistive ,technology        
,awareness ,day2 and  7#b7 commends--   
7,a7 assistive technology specialists   
and program coordinators for their hard 

work and dedication to serving people   
with disabilities who are in need of    
finding the proper assistive technology 
to meet their individual needs2 and     
7,b7 professional organizations and     
researchers who are dedicated to        
facilitating the access and acquisition 
of assistive technology for people with 
disabilities and older adults in need of
 assistive technology devices4