Presidential Documents

52223

Federal Register

Vol. 62, No. 193

Monday, October 6, 1997

Title 3—

The President

Proclamation 7031 of October 2, 1997

National Disability Employment Awareness Month, 1997

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

America has always been blessed with abundant natural resources; but we

sometimes fail to recognize that we have been blessed with rich human

resources as well. Millions of people in thousands of professions have built

this great country with their labor and made a reality of the American

Dream for themselves and their families. But for 20 percent of our population,

that dream has too often been deferred or denied. Americans with disabilities

have had to overcome barriers in communication, transportation, architecture,

and attitude to take their rightful place in our Nation’s work force.

If America is to continue to grow and prosper, if we are to lead the challenging global economy of the 21st century, we cannot afford to ignore the

talents, energy, and creativity of the 54 million Americans with disabilities.

Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act, we are making significant

progress in eliminating workplace discrimination and ensuring equal job

opportunities for people with disabilities. This landmark civil rights legislation, enacted 7 years ago with bipartisan support, has opened doors and

brought down barriers across our country for people with disabilities. It

has empowered them with the opportunity to become employees, taxpayers,

and active participants in the life of their communities.

To build on this progress, government at every level must work in partnership

with business, labor, and community organizations to ensure that all Americans, regardless of disability, can live and learn and work alongside their

fellow citizens. Only when we guarantee the inclusion, empowerment, and

independence of all our people will America fulfill its great promise of

freedom and opportunity.

To recognize the full potential of individuals with disabilities and to encourage all Americans to work toward their full integration into the work force,

the Congress, by joint resolution approved August 11, 1945, as amended

(36 U.S.C. 155), has designated October of each year as ‘‘National Disability

Employment Awareness Month.’’

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States

of America, do hereby proclaim October 1997 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. I call upon government officials, educators, labor

leaders, employers, and the people of the United States to observe this

month with appropriate programs and activities that reaffirm our determination to achieve the full integration into the work force of people with

disabilities.
52224 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 193 / Monday, October 6, 1997 / Presidential Documents

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day

of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven,

and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred

[FR Doc. 97–26440

Filed 10–3–97; 10:53 am]

Billing code 3195–01–P

and twenty-second.

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