World Autism Awareness Day, 2016

Proclamation 9417 of April 1, 2016

World Autism Awareness Day, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Every person deserves the chance to reach for their
highest hopes and fulfill their greatest potential. On
World Autism Awareness Day, we reaffirm our dedication
to ensuring that belief is a reality for all those who
live on the autism spectrum--including 1 in 68
children. And we uphold our obligation to help make
sure every man, woman, and child, regardless of ability
or background, is accepted for who they are and able to
lead a life free from discrimination and filled with
opportunity.

From home to school and in businesses and communities
around the world, people living with autism spectrum
disorder contribute in immeasurable ways to our
society. They remind us each day that every person is
born with unique talents and should be treated with
respect, play an active role in planning for their
futures, and feel empowered to fully participate in and
contribute to their communities. When those with autism
have access to equal opportunities, we all do better,
and that begins with making sure our country lives up
to its commitment to ensure all things are possible for
all people.

Individuals with autism are just as deserving of the
peace of mind that comes with having quality,
affordable health insurance as anyone else. The
Affordable Care Act helps ensure no person is prevented
from obtaining health coverage simply because they live
with a preexisting condition like autism, and it
requires most plans to cover recommended preventive
services--including critical screenings that test for
autism in children. My Administration is dedicated to
ensuring educational opportunities for autistic
students are worthy of their extraordinary potential
and to providing Americans with autism the chance to
earn good jobs and hone their skills and talents. We
are working to break down barriers to competitive,
integrated employment for people with disabilities,
including people with autism. We are also promoting
inclusivity for kids with autism in high-quality, early
childhood education programs. In 2014, I signed the
Autism CARES Act, which supports autism-related
research and helps us to better understand the
particular challenges faced by students and young
adults living on the autism spectrum. And this month
marks 3 years since my Administration launched the
BRAIN Initiative--a collaborative effort by Federal
agencies, philanthropies, universities, foundations,
and others in the medical and scientific communities
that aims to accelerate our work to solve some of the
most intricate mysteries of human brain function and
reveal new insights into conditions like autism. In my
most recent budget proposal, I was proud to support
increased funding for this important initiative.

Americans with autism play an important role in our
national story, and in their daily lives they embody
the belief at the heart of our founding: that in
America, with hard work and equal access, all people
can realize their aspirations. Today, and every day,
let us reach for a future in which no person living on
the autism spectrum is limited by anything but the size
of their dreams--one in which all people have the
opportunity to live a life filled with a sense of
identity, purpose, and self-determination.

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 April 2, 2016, as
World Autism Awareness Day. I encourage all Americans
to learn more about autism and what they can do to
support individuals on the autism spectrum and their
families, and to help shape a world in which all
people, including those with autism, are accepted for
who they are.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of April, in the year of our Lord two
thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and fortieth.