Thinkdifferently About Disability Employment Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. SIMON. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman McGarvey for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Stauber, and I am excited to work with him so closely during my time in Congress to advance the opportunities for folks with disabilities in this country. It is just a deep honor for the two of us to continue on our path of representing Americans with disabilities.

As the first congenitally blind person to serve in the United States Congress, I am honored to rise today in support of this bipartisan bill with Representative Stauber, the ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act.

As a community organizer and leader for over 20 years, I focused on finding jobs and opportunities for low-income folks in the bay area in California, and I came to Congress to bring those communities with me, particularly the disability community, a community that I belong to.

The disability community is too often left out of policy conversations, and today, Democrats and Republicans are bringing our brothers and sisters to the table.

Right now, the unemployment rate for people with intellectual, physical, and developmental disabilities remains alarmingly high in this country. Ashamedly, it is at 80 percent. Yes, 80 percent. This, we know, is unacceptable.

We can close the disability employment gap, not only to advance independence, dignity, and freedom for Americans with disabilities, but to drive economic growth.

This bill, my bill, our bill, creates an essential partnership between the Small Business Administration and the National Council on Disability to help individuals with disabilities pursue self- employment, dignity, launch small businesses, and thrive in the workforce.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill and build an economy that works for all of us. Mr. Speaker, I am so honored to say we can move this forward today.

Mr. Speaker, I again thank Representative Stauber for advocating for his son and the millions of folks with disabilities in this country to have their just due and to support me in this legislation moving forward. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I thank Chair Williams and Ranking Member Velazquez for their efforts in moving this bill forward.

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