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Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S.
Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Secretary's New Freedom Initiative Awards
Ceremony
U.S. Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Thursday, October
27, 2005
Thank you, Dr. Grizzard [Assistant Secretary for Disability
Employment Policy]. And thank you for your leadership.
Welcome, everyone, to the U.S. Department of Labor's fourth annual New
Freedom Initiative Awards Ceremony. This is the fourth consecutive year of
celebrating groundbreaking opportunities for Americans with disabilities!
It's good to see Congressman Norm Dicks. And I would also like to
welcome Yoshiko Dart, and Sally Atwater. Thank you all for joining us today.
Each of the organizations and employers honored here today helps
workers with disabilities enter and stay in the workforce. You will hear about
each one in a few minutes. The stories of the people they have helped to
realize their dreams are inspiring!
We have a distinguished list of awardees. They include Fortune 500
companies, a woman-owned technology accessibility company, a special education
teacher turned entrepreneur and an innovative outreach program in agriculture.
All the awardees honored today have shown an unwavering commitment to helping
Americans with disabilities enter the mainstream workforce and build solid
career paths.
As you know, President George W. Bush and his Administration place a
high priority on helping Americans with disabilities reach their full
potential. That's why the President introduced the New Freedom Initiative on
February 1st, 2001-just two weeks after taking the oath of office. This
initiative is designed to ensure that Americans with disabilities have full
access to mainstream transportation, home ownership, education and employment
opportunities. Through full inclusion and innovative solutions, disabled
Americans get the help they need to reach their full potential and participate
fully in the community where they live and work.
Here at the Department of Labor, I established the New Freedom
Initiative Awards to recognize organizations, employers and individuals who are
making a difference for Americans with disabilities in the workplace. Their
achievements and commitment exemplify the President's New Freedom Initiative.
We are fortunate because we live in a world in which technology has
empowered all workers to access greater opportunities than ever before. And
nowhere is this more important than for Americans with disabilities. Today's
recipients are modifying equipment, developing assistive technologies and
training and placing workers. They have solid track records maintaining high
retention rates, some greater than 90 percent, for the workers they place.
Their organizations are noteworthy for establishing workplace cultures in which
the commitment to employ persons with disabilities is supported and sustained
at every level of leadership. In facilitating the workplace to be more friendly
and accessible to workers with disabilities, these employers are also tapping
an underutilized pool of talented workers.
And so, I want to thank each of the award recipients for coming to
Washington from all across America to be with us today. Thank you for
everything you are doing to help Americans with disabilities reach their full
potential and access mainstream opportunities. And congratulations to you all!
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