National Disability Employment Awareness Month, 2014

Proclamation 9180 of September 30, 2014

National Disability Employment Awareness Month,
2014

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Americans with disabilities lead thriving businesses,
teach our children, and serve our Nation; they are
innovators and pioneers of technology. In urban centers
and rural communities, they carry forward our Nation's
legacy of hard work, responsibility, and sacrifice, and
their contributions strengthen our economy and remind
us that all Americans deserve the opportunity to
participate fully in society. During National
Disability Employment Awareness Month, we celebrate the
Americans living with disabilities, including
significant disabilities, who enrich our country, and
we reaffirm the simple truth that each of us has
something to give to the American story.

This year's theme, ``Expect. Employ. Empower.,''
reminds us that every American has a right to dignity,
respect, and a fair shot at success in the workplace.
For too long, workers with disabilities were measured
by what people thought they could not do, depriving our
Nation and economy of the full talents and
contributions of millions of Americans. Nearly 25 years
ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act codified the
promise of an equal opportunity for everyone who worked
hard, and in the years since, Americans with
disabilities have reached extraordinary heights. But
when employees with disabilities are passed over in the
workplace or denied fair accommodations, it limits
their potential and threatens our democracy; when
disproportionate numbers of Americans with disabilities
remain unemployed, more work must be done to achieve
the spirit of what is one of the most comprehensive
civil rights bills in the history of our country.

My Administration remains committed to tearing down the
barriers that prevent Americans with disabilities from
living fully independent, integrated lives. We have
supported programs that more effectively prepare
workers, including those with disabilities, for high-
growth, high-demand careers, and we have found new ways
to encourage businesses to foster flexible workplaces
that are open to diverse skills. We are also working to
ensure those living with disabilities have access to
the resources that support employment, including
accessible housing, transportation, and technology.

Meaningful careers not only provide ladders of
opportunity into the middle class, but they also give
us a sense of purpose and self-worth. When Americans
with disabilities live without the fear of
discrimination, they are free to make of their lives
what they will. This month, we renew our commitment to
cultivate a more inclusive workforce, and we continue
our efforts to build a society where everyone who works
hard has a chance to get ahead.

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 October 2014 as
National Disability Employment Awareness Month. I urge
all Americans to embrace the talents and skills that
individuals with disabilities bring to our workplaces
and communities and to promote the right to equal
employment opportunity for all people.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord two
thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
ninth.