[Federal Register: May 14, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 93)]
[Notices]               
[Page 26439-26440]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14my99-95]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary

 
Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults With 
Disabilities; Notice of Town Hall Meeting

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Labor.

ACTION: Notice of Town Hall meeting.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Executive Order No. 13078, authorizing the 
Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities 
(PTFEAD), notice is given of the first Town Hall Meeting. The purpose 
of the Task Force is to create a ``coordinated and aggressive national 
policy to bring adults with disabilities into gainful employment at a 
rate that is as close as possible to that of the general adult 
population.'' The purpose of this Town Hall Meeting is to invite the 
public to participate and discuss their thoughts, concerns, and 
experiences with Task Force members. The topics to be addressed at this 
Town Hall Meeting are Expanding Employment Opportunities for Youth with 
Disabilities, and Expanding Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Self 
Employment of Adults with Disabilities.

DATES: The PTFEAD Town Hall Meeting will be held on Thursday, June 3, 
1999, from 9:00 a.m. to approximately 4:00 p.m. Registration is from 
9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The date, location, and time for subsequent 
Town Hall Meetings will be announced in advance in the Federal 
Register.

ADDRESSES: The Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites, 404 South Figueroa 
Street, Los Angeles, California. All interested parties are invited to 
attend this Town Hall Meeting. Seating may be limited and will be 
available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Heather Hammer, Senior Associate,

[[Page 26440]]

Technical Assistance and Training Corporation, 2409 18th Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20009 (telephone (202) 408-8282 ext. 227; TTY (202) 408-
8033; fax (202) 408-8308; E-mail: hammerh@tatc.com). These are not 
toll-free numbers.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Executive Order No. 13078, the 
Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities 
(PTFEAD), notice is given of the first Town Hall Meeting.
    The purpose of the PTFEAD is to develop a ``coordinated and 
aggressive national policy to bring adults with disabilities into 
gainful employment at a rate that is as close as possible to that of 
the general adult population.'' Although more students with 
disabilities are graduating from high schools and colleges, compared to 
students without disabilities, those with disabilities drop out of 
school at higher rates and they enroll in post-secondary education at 
lower rates. Moreover, youth with severe disabilities from diverse 
linguistic and cultural backgrounds are at an even greater risk of 
dropping out of school and facing unemployment. Some of the key issues 
to be addressed at the Town Hall Meeting include the accessibility of 
youths with disabilities to employment services and support, higher 
education and vocational training, and career planning, as well as the 
impact of employer attitudes, and discrimination. The PTFEAD will pay 
special attention to the added barriers that make full participation in 
school and the workforce problematic for minority youth with 
disabilities.
    With respect to the expansion of entrepreneurial opportunities for 
the self employment of adults with disabilities, the Town Hall Meeting 
will address: (1) The need to expand the opportunities available for 
those who already have businesses and need contracts, counseling, and 
technical assistance regarding procurement and opportunities, and (2) 
the need to expand opportunities for those who want to become self 
employed or small business owners.
    The membership of the PTFEAD was appointed by President Clinton, 
and includes the: Secretary of Labor, Chair of the PTFEAD; Chair of the 
President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Vice 
Chair of the PTFEAD; Secretary of Education; Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs; Secretary of Health and Human Services; Commissioner of Social 
Security; Secretary of the Treasury; Secretary of Commerce; Secretary 
of Transportation; Director of the Office of Personnel Management; 
Administrator of the Small Business Administration; Chair of the Equal 
Employment Opportunity Commission; Chairperson of the National Council 
on Disability; Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission; 
and such other senior executive branch officials as may be determined 
by the Chair of the PTFEAD.

Agenda

    The Town Hall Meeting will focus on two topics: (1) expanding 
employment opportunities for youth with disabilities, and (2) expanding 
entrepreneurial opportunities for the self employment of adults with 
disabilities.

Public Participation

    Members of the pubic wishing to present oral statements to the 
PTFEAD should forward their requests to Ms. Heather Hammer, Senior 
Associate, Technical Training and Assistance Corporation as soon as 
possible and at least four days before the meeting. Requests should be 
made by telephone, fax machine, or mail, as shown above. Time 
permitting, the members of the PTFEAD will attempt to accommodate all 
such requests by reserving time for presentations. The order of persons 
making such presentations will be assigned in the order in which the 
requests are received. Members of the public must limit oral statements 
to five minutes, but extended written statements may be submitted for 
the record. Members of the public may also submit written statements 
for distribution to the PTFEAD membership and inclusion in the public 
record without presenting oral statements. Such written statements 
should be sent to Ms. Heather Hammer, as shown above, by mail or fax at 
least five business days before the meeting.
    Minutes of all Town Hall Meetings and summaries of other documents 
will be available to the public on the PTFEAD web site www.dol.gov. Any 
written comments on the minutes should be directed to Ms. Heather 
Hammer, as shown above.
    Reasonable accommodations will be available. Persons needing any 
special assistance such as sign language interpretation or other 
special accommodation, are invited to contact Ms. Heather Hammer, as 
shown above.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 10th day of May, 1999.
Rebecca L. Ogle,
Executive Director, Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults 
with Disabilities.
[FR Doc. 99-12218 Filed 5-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-23-M