IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 159 
Expressing appreciation and support for essential employees with disabilities 
during the current pandemic, and beyond. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 24, 2021 
Mr. MORELLE (for himself and Ms. SHERRILL) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing appreciation and support for essential employees 
with disabilities during the current pandemic, and beyond. 
Whereas the COVID–19 pandemic has challenged the entire 
Nation but has disproportionately impacted people with 
disabilities, particularly people of color with disabilities, 
who are significantly over-represented among the victims 
of this deadly virus; 
Whereas the COVID–19 pandemic has resulted in the need 
for essential services to continue even in areas where 
most businesses and government buildings are closed; 
Whereas people with disabilities often work in the types of 
businesses identified as essential during the pandemic, 
such as grocery stores, retail distribution centers, and 
health care facilities; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:04 Feb 25, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR159.IH
HR159
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
•HRES 159 IH 
Whereas employees with disabilities also provide essential 
services fulfilling local, State, and Federal contracts in lo-
cations across the United States and its territories in-
cluding government buildings, hospitals, military bases, 
airports, call centers, highway rest stops, private non-
profit businesses supporting individuals with disabilities, 
and numerous other locations; 
Whereas many of these essential employees are supported by 
disability service providers that provide training, job 
coaching, transportation, and other needed supports to 
help these employees in performing this essential work; 
Whereas people with disabilities have continued to perform 
this essential work even though it sometimes increased 
their risk of exposure to the deadly COVID–19 virus; 
Whereas the essential work performed during the pandemic 
has included providing goods and services that were crit-
ical to the public health response to the crisis, includ-
ing— 
(1) manufacturing and delivering thousands of crit-
ical products that are strengthening the Nation’s 
COVID–19 response, including personal protective equip-
ment (PPE), hand sanitizer, cleaning products and dis-
infectants, first aid kits, exam gloves, toilet paper, and 
more to support hospitals, health care professionals, first 
responders, the United States military, and governments 
at all levels; 
(2) provisioning the United States Navy Hospital 
Ships Comfort and Mercy that provided emergency care 
in Los Angeles and New York to free up civilian hospitals 
to focus on COVID–19 patients; 
(3) supporting Federal and State efforts to establish 
pop-up hospitals; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:04 Feb 25, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR159.IH
HR159
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
•HRES 159 IH 
(4) maintaining offices and providing other services 
in local, State, and Federal buildings where vital work is 
being performed; 
(5) providing deep cleaning and sanitizing services in 
hospitals and other health care facilities; 
(6) providing call center and technical support to 
State and Federal entities, including operating crisis hot-
lines and call centers to process the surge in State unem-
ployment claims; 
(7) sourcing and providing urgently needed PPE; 
(8) providing custodial services at military installa-
tions to slow the spread of COVID–19 and protect mili-
tary personnel from exposure to the virus thus shielding 
our combat readiness; and 
(9) working in essential businesses such as grocery 
stores, retail, and restaurants that have continued to sup-
ply the Nation with food and other essential supplies 
throughout the pandemic; 
Whereas the essential employees with disabilities who perform 
these jobs play a central and invaluable role in protecting 
the United States and its territories in fighting the pan-
demic; 
Whereas this essential workforce has continued to perform its 
regular duties and more throughout the pandemic; 
Whereas this essential workforce is vital to the economy of 
the United States and its territories; 
Whereas competitive, integrated employment is vital to the 
personal economies and well-being of the essential work-
force; and 
Whereas these essential employees with disabilities were es-
sential before the pandemic and will continue to be essen-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:04 Feb 25, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR159.IH
HR159
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
•HRES 159 IH 
tial after the pandemic has passed into history: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) thanks essential employees with disabilities 
for their efforts throughout the COVID–19 pan-
demic; 
(2) recognizes— 
(A) the essential work performed by indi-
viduals with disabilities during the COVID–19 
pandemic; 
(B) that it is in the national interest to 
provide equality of opportunity, full participa-
tion, independent living, and economic self-suf-
ficiency for people with disabilities; and 
(C) the importance of ensuring that people 
with disabilities have opportunities to engage in 
competitive integrated employment; and 
(3) recognizes and thanks these essential em-
ployees for the vital contribution to this country they 
have made in the past and will make in the future. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:04 Feb 25, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR159.IH
HR159
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS