Speeches by Secretary Elaine L. Chao

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As Prepared

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
National Business Leadership Network Summit
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Washington, D.C.
November 19, 2002

Thank you, Cynthia [Richardson-Crooks, Director of Equal Employment Outreach at George Washington University].

I’m delighted to be here with all of you today. It’s great to see Claudia Ernharth, from my home state of Kentucky.

I know these two days have been very full and productive… sharing best practices and listening to new ideas.

The BLN [Business Leadership Network] is an example of how we can all work together to improve the lives of American’s with disabilities.

• Employers discussing how to fully open the workplace to people with disabilities
• Entrepreneurs creating new products and services for this important community
• Government and advocates supporting the needs of employers and employees.

Barriers that once impeded progress are vanishing. Employer-led initiatives are swinging the doors to economic independence wide-open. And discrimination has given way to appreciation, as more and more employers discover the extraordinary pool of talent that workers with disabilities represent.

You are leading the way, and that is exactly what we need to build a vibrant, productive, and inclusive workforce for the 21^st century.

You have a great leader in Tom Donohue, who has served as the chair of BLN.

The BLN understands that the business-to-business model works because it gets beyond the Beltway to create real results in the real world.

I’m pleased to say that my home state of Kentucky is doing a lot to break down the barriers for people with disabilities. For example, Bank One developed an on-line career center to link employers with job candidates who have disabilities.

And in Michigan, GM is working hard to create a disability-friendly corporate culture, as well as encouraging skilled candidates with disabilities to consider applying for jobs at GM.

In Virginia, SunTrust Bank and Manpower are ramping up their recruitment of people with disabilities. And Booz Allen & Hamilton, through its Emerging Leaders internship program, is introducing students with disabilities to career choices at the company and helping them acquire interview and resume writing skills.

These local, grassroots initiatives are putting into action the President’s call to leave no one behind in the 21^st century workforce.

You know, it’s been twelve years since President George H.W. Bush signed the most sweeping civil rights legislation in more than a generation—the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA has lived up to our expectations to break down barriers and promote productive change. But some challenges still remain.

Two that come to mind are:

• The high levels of unemployment in the disability community.
• And need for the full integration of people with disabilities into community life.

President George W. Bush is asking us to go beyond what is required by law, and do what is mandated by conscience:

That means:

• Creating more employment opportunities for people with disabilities
• Encouraging the development of more assistive technologies
• Providing greater home ownership and independent living opportunities for people with disabilities.

Immediately after he took office, President Bush announced his New Freedom Initiative. The fact that this was one of his very first executive actions shows how much importance he places on this program.

The New Freedom initiative increases access to assistive technologies and educational opportunities for people with disabilities. It also paves the way for more Americans with disabilities to enter the workforce and enjoy community life.

When describing the New Freedom Initiative, President Bush said, “We must speed up the day when the last barrier has been removed to full and independent lives for every American with or without disability.”

It makes sense that the Department of Labor plays a large role in its implementation because we regulate every workplace in America.

But it also makes good economic sense because employment is the gateway to a successful life in the community.

I am committed to making sure America welcomes, celebrates, and encourages the contributions of the disability community. One way we’re doing that is through the Office of Disability Employment Policy, led by Assistant Secretary Roy Grizzard.

ODEP, as you know, is providing leadership, as well as new policies and initiatives, to knock down barriers to employment for people with disabilities.

It is the only Assistant Secretary-level federal office specifically focused on disability employment issues.

In the past, services to this community have generally been designed to address only a single aspect of an individual’s life: education, or health care, or employment or living situation. This model was, and to a great extent continues to be, the norm.

ODEP will challenge states and localities to break down the artificial bureaucratic barriers and produce coordinated, integrated real results for people.

I want to share with you the basic assumptions that guide our policies and programs for this important community.

First, the federal government has a significant role to play in the encouraging the employment and full participation in their communities of people with disabilities.

Second, we believe that the key to successful community integration is the opportunity to become a productive, contributing member of that community. As the Secretary of Labor, I believe that a job is the surest route to that success.

Third, we believe that meaningful employment for people with disabilities is sometimes contingent on obtaining the necessary support services. That involves mobilizing family, community and faith-based organizations to provide reliable transportation, technology, and housing.

And finally, the federal response to the high unemployment among Americans with disabilities should be comprehensive and aggressive.

These are guiding principles for the Department’s work in implementing the President’s New Freedom Initiative.

I hope—indeed, I know—that you will continue to work with us to achieve better and better results for this important community.

Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for sharing best practices and for being role models. You are changing lives for the better, and I expect even more progress as the President’s New Freedom Initiative is fully implemented.

Keep up the good work! Thank you.

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