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Remarks Prepared
For Delivery By
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Secretary’s
New Freedom Initiative Awards Ceremony
Great Hall, U.S. Department of
Labor
Washington, D.C.
October 16, 2003
Thank you very much, Dr. Grizzard. And, welcome everyone—to the
Department of Labor’s second annual Secretary’s New Freedom
Initiative Awards Ceremony!
What an exciting day this is! What lovely surroundings we’re in! I
want to thank everyone who has worked to make this event so special.
I’ve been out of town since last Thursday evening but I hurried
back to Washington for today’s event because I have been looking forward
to this gathering. I feel such a deep and personal commitment to this awards
ceremony because of all that these awards represent and symbolize. I
established the Secretary’s New Freedom Initiative awards in 2002 because
I believe that organizations and companies that have demonstrated progress in
helping Americans with disabilities enter and stay in the workforce should be
recognized and encouraged. I also hoped that these awards would inspire other
organizations and people to realize what can be done to help workers with
disabilities and spur them to do better. Each year’s awards ceremony
furthers our goal of a more compassionate and equal world for everyone!
As you’ve heard, our Office of Disability Employment Policy is
making great strides toward achieving its mission—as you can tell from the
many activities during this National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Just yesterday, in this hall, we opened our doors to employees from
Federal agencies and matched them with youth with disabilities for a day of
mentoring and job-shadowing activities. This was part of National Disability
Mentoring Day.
Today, we are so pleased to be in this same hall offering
congratulations to organizations, corporations and an individual whose
achievements and commitment truly exemplify President George W. Bush’s New
Freedom Initiative. As you know, this initiative is a priority for this
President—he introduced it less than 30 days after he was sworn in as the
43rd President of the United States.
President George W. Bush wants all Americans, including Americans with
disabilities, to have the opportunity to learn and develop skills and engage in
productive and dignified work. The recipients of the 2003 Secretary’s
New Freedom Initiative Awards are organizations that recognize the value
that persons with disabilities bring to the workplace and they exemplify that
philosophy in everything they do.
Our Office of Disability Employment Policy is here to ensure that there
are policies in place that help others to achieve that goal.
As we’ve said before, because of demographic and technological
changes in our society, there is a skills gap, or a shortage of workers with
the right skills, in some of the emerging sectors of our economy. I applaud
this year’s award winners for understanding that challenge and taking
steps to fully utilize the talents and skills of disabled Americans.
Some of today’s award winners have launched training programs
tailored for the disabled.
Others have sponsored aggressive placement services for the disabled and
met with great success.
Still others have focused on assistance technology to make the workplace
more accessible and friendly to those who need it most.
All of this year’s New Freedom Award winners are outstanding in
their own unique way and exemplify the spirit of the New Freedom
Initiative.
So please accept my heartfelt congratulations to all of the award
winners. You are doing wonderful things, and I look forward to working with you
to ensure that disabled Americans can fully access all the opportunities in our
society.
Thank you and God bless you.
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