Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 6, 2022 / Presidential Documents 19781 

Proclamation 10364 of April 1, 2022 

World Autism Awareness Day, 2022 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

On World Autism Awareness Day, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring 

that the more than 5 million Americans who live with autism are able 

to make the most of their talents and participate fully in our society, and 

we celebrate the contributions autistic Americans have made to our families, 

our communities, our Nation, and the world. 

We have made significant progress in improving access to opportunity for 

people with developmental disabilities in recent years. However, many autistic individuals still experience gaps in employment and income. The COVID– 

19 pandemic has compounded these inequities, creating unique challenges 

and strains for people with autism and their families. 

That is why my Administration is committed to addressing the systemic 

barriers people with autism face in their daily lives. The pandemic upended 

school routines for children and students living with disabilities. That is 

why the Department of Education is working tirelessly to accelerate pandemic 

recovery for special education programs. In addition, the Department of 

Health and Human Services and the Department of Housing and Urban 

Development are committed to ensuring individuals with disabilities have 

access to affordable housing as we come through this pandemic. 

In order to improve quality of life for people with autism and their families 

in every community, my Administration is committed to funding cuttingedge research to help us better understand, diagnose, and treat autism, 

including funding research at the National Institutes of Health and the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that seeks to better understand 

the underlying mechanisms of autism from childhood through early adulthood, improve methods of early identification and diagnosis, and develop 

innovations in the delivery of interventions and services. 

My Administration remains committed to reducing barriers in access to 

early diagnoses, interventions, and services for people with autism—regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, culture, or geography—and to incorporating 

the lived experiences of individuals with autism into their research. Last 

June, when I signed the Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, 

and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce, I promised to cultivate a Federal 

workforce that draws from the full diversity of the Nation. One of the 

ways we are delivering on that promise is through a partnership between 

the Department of Labor and the Administration for Community Living, 

which is expanding access to competitive, integrated employment opportunities for people with disabilities, including autism. 

In addition, my Administration will continue to build on the work done 

by the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, the National Autism 

Coordinator, and others to make certain that autistic Americans have access 

to the care, services, and support they need, so they can pursue their 

educational, career, and life interests without discrimination. 

Today and every day, we honor autistic people and celebrate the meaningful 

and measureless ways they contribute to our Nation. We applaud the millions 

of educators, advocates, family members, caregivers, and others who support 


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19782 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 6, 2022 / Presidential Documents 

them. As we continue to build a better America, we reaffirm our promise 

to provide Americans with autism the support they need to live independently, fully participate in their communities, and lead fulfilling lives of 

dignity and respect. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., 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, 2022, as 

World Autism Awareness Day. I call upon all Americans to learn more 

about autism to improve early diagnosis, to learn more about the experiences 

of autistic people from autistic people, and to build more welcoming and 

inclusive communities to support people with autism. 

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

April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-sixth. 

[FR Doc. 2022–07447 

Filed 4–5–22; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3395–F2–P 


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