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Recognizing National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Floor Speech

Date: Oct. 6, 2025
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. WALKINSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, observed each October to honor the invaluable contributions of people with disabilities to the workforce and to reaffirm our commitment to expand their participation in the future.

In 1945, the Nation first designated a national week to recognize the contributions of people with physical disabilities. Designated by Congress as NDEAM in 1988, commemoration evolved to acknowledge the importance of increasing the number of people with disabilities in the workforce. In 2001, the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) was created and was given responsibility for NDEAM and for selecting and helping promote its annual theme.

This year's theme is ``Celebrating Value and Talent'', which reminds us that Americans with disabilities bring innovation, resilience, and unique perspectives to our communities and all sectors of our economy.

As we celebrate NDEAM and disability employment, I want to recognize the success of the AbilityOne Program, one of the largest and most impactful sources of employment for people who are blind or have significant disabilities in the United States.

Since Congress first established the program over 80 years ago, AbilityOne has empowered individuals with disabilities by providing meaningful work opportunities through Federal contracts. Today, nearly 40,000 Americans, including thousands of veterans, are employed on these contracts providing essential products and services for Federal agencies with excellence, reliability, and pride.

ServiceSource, based in my Congressional district, is one of 400 AbilityOne Federal contractors doing this work across the country, contributing to workforce development and strengthening communities. I commend their efforts and other employers who are actively hiring people of all abilities.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing National Disability Employment Awareness Month and in advancing policies that empower every American to secure a job and thrive. During the month of October, we should all reaffirm our commitment to a workforce that recognizes and welcomes everyone's contributions.

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