Speeches by Secretary Elaine L. Chao

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Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
National Summit on Employment and Transportation for People with Disabilities
Renaissance Hotel
Washington, D.C.
June 26, 2002

Thank you, Administrator Dorn. I am delighted to be here today.

I want to thank Secretary Mineta and Administrator Dorn for their strong commitment to this joint effort.

This Summit has been a cooperative effort from the start. It serves as a great example of how the federal government can coordinate its resources to address issues of critical importance.

I would also like to thank the other federal agencies for their participation, as well as the state agencies, public and private transportation providers, and the local employment networks.

And a special thanks to Easter Seals.

In addition to these important stakeholders, the Department of Labor sees another valuable partner in this effort: the disability community. Summits, such as these, give us an opportunity to hear directly from those who are impacted by government policies.

From these summits come new, innovative ideas that will improve the lives of all Americans, especially those with disabilities. I want to thank you for your commitment to these discussions.

I want you to know how sad I was to hear of Justin Dart’s passing this week. He was truly a great American, an advisor to Presidents and an inspiration to millions with and without disabilities. It is fitting that this Summit be dedicated to his memory. As you know, next month, America will celebrate the twelfth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

With a stroke of a pen, President George H.W. Bush signed the most sweeping civil rights legislation in more than a generation. The ADA has lived up to our greatest expectations.

Barriers are coming down. Technologies are improving Discrimination is outlawed. The ADA has done so much good, but some challenges remain.

President George W. Bush is setting our sights higher—encouraging America to go beyond what is required by law, and do what is mandated by conscience.

Like opening employment opportunities even wider. Increasing assistive technologies. Encouraging home ownership and independent living. And so on.

Just two weeks into office, the president announced his New Freedom Initiative, one of his first executive actions.

This initiative will increase access to assistive technologies, educational opportunities, as well as allow more Americans with disabilities to enter the workforce and enjoy community life.

When describing this bold new step, the president said, “Old misconceptions about physical and mental disability are being discredited. Old barriers are falling away. Our task is now clear: 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 is truly a privilege for me to work alongside other federal partners, especially Secretary Mineta and DOT.

You might be wondering why the Department of Labor is a major partner in removing barriers to community life for people with disabilities.

The truth is: employment has everything to do with a successful life in the community.

Assisting people with disabilities to own their own homes, for example, will mean very little if people cannot make a down payment or pay the mortgage.

In the same way, finding a great job means nothing if you do not have the adequate transportation to get to work every day, and on time.

As an employer, I take that responsibility seriously. Over 1,000 self-identified civil servants with disabilities commute to the Labor Department everyday.

For many, a broken elevator or an inaccessible bus can mean getting to work late, or not at all.

And while this summit focuses on transportation, the challenges extend much further than that.

I am committed to making sure the Department of Labor is a place that welcomes, celebrates, and encourages the skills and talents of the disability community.

Through better technology, emergency evacuation plans, flex time, and so on, we are striving to make DOL the leader in disability employment.

As Secretary, I have the exciting challenge of implementing solutions… as outlined in the President’s New Freedom Initiative. Let me share with you some of the things we are doing.

We are currently in the process of opening a permanent new agency within the Department of Labor: the Office of Disability Employment Policy.

ODEP is just now “coming on line” and will be greatly expanded in the coming months.

This new agency will provide the leadership, as well as develop policies and initiatives to eliminate barriers to employment for people with disabilities.

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

ODEP’s mission is to develop strategies to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

It’s so important, especially with the unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities at levels 10 times higher than the national average. There is a lot of work to be done.

And your involvement today is helping us to begin the work ahead.

This Summit represents a “kick off” of sorts for the new Office of Disability Employment Policy. In the past, supports and services have normally been designed to address only a single aspect of an individual’s life: their education, their health care, their employment, their living situation. “Stovepipe” services were, and to a great extent continue to be, the norm.

This new Office will challenge states and localities to break down the artificial bureaucratic barriers and produce real coordinated results for people.

Any federal response, however, must be based upon some fundamental principles.

We have some basic assumptions that guide the policies and practices of the Office and the President’s agenda.

• The federal government has a significant role to play in the employment and community participation of people with disabilities.
• The key to a successful life in the community is closely linked to the ability of the individual to be a productive, contributing member of that community. As the Secretary of Labor, I believe that a job is the shortest route to that success.
• Meaningful employment for people with disabilities is sometimes based on obtaining all of the necessary supports needed to sustain a job. And that includes family, community and faith-based organizations, reliable transportation, technology, and housing.
• And finally, the federal response to the high unemployment among Americans with disabilities should be comprehensive and aggressive.

Such an effort will require the active and cooperative involvement of a number of federal agencies over an appreciable period of time.

These assumptions form the basis for the President’s New Freedom Initiative and for the new Office of Disability Employment Policy.

And this Summit represents our first significant effort to act on these assumptions.

I can assure you, the Department of Labor understands that accessible and affordable transportation is absolutely critical to the successful employment of Americans with disabilities.

The staff at ODEP, the entire Department, and this President, will be listening to your ideas and concerns. We understand that America cannot take this next step without your help.

Once again, I want to thank you for being here, and thank you in advance for all of your hard work in support of Americans with disabilities.

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