The White House Blog: Disabilities
Wounded Warriors Bring Inspiration to the White House
Posted byon May 6, 2011 at 5:37 PM EDTThis week, the White House was host to some truly inspiring guests: wounded veterans who are participating in the Wounded Warrior's Soldier Ride Program to raise money and awareness for other veterans struggling to recover from their injuries. Take a look at a video that aims to capture the spirit of the event; we hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed having these heroes come inspire us.
Darienne Page is the Assistant Director of Public Engagement at the White House.
West Wing Week: "A Good Day For America"
Posted byon May 6, 2011 at 1:00 AM EDTThis week, the President announced the death of Osama bin Laden, visited New York City to honor the victims of 9/11 and their families, made sure the federal government was doing its part in the states devastated by storms and much more.
Learn more about Defense, Disabilities, Economy, Education, Family, Foreign Policy, Homeland Security, Rural, Service, Veterans, Additional Issues"Our Obligations to Each Other As Americans": President Obama Welcomes the Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride
Posted byon May 4, 2011 at 5:35 PM EDTThis afternoon, the South Lawn of the White House was full of veterans, military families, and their bicycles, as the Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride came to the White House. The Soldier Ride started as a way to help wounded soldiers recover from their injuries through adaptive cycling. Nearly a decade later, the program has expanded to involve civilians as well, raising money for and promoting the cause of America's wounded warriors.
In welcoming the riders, President Obama said a few words about the beginnings of the Soldier Ride effort:
Today is a reminder -- as Michelle and Jill Biden have already said -- that every American, every single person in this country, can do something to support our remarkable troops and their families. Everybody can do something.
So seven years ago, a bartender from Long Island had the same idea. He wasn’t from a military family. He had never served in the military. But he knew that he owed our military something. He was just an ordinary American who was grateful for the service of all those who wear the uniform. And he said, “I just wanted to give something back.”
So he jumped on his bike and rode across the country -- over 5,000 miles -- to raise funds and awareness for our wounded warriors. Today, there are Soldier Rides all across America giving our wounded warriors the confidence and support they need to recover. That’s the difference a single person can make. Today we want to thank Chris Carney and everyone from the Wounded Warrior Project for reminding us of our obligations to each other as Americans.
Meeting the Needs of People with Autism
Posted byon April 25, 2011 at 12:27 PM EDTHelping every American with autism achieve their full potential is one of this administration’s top priorities. At the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, we continue to strive to meet the complex needs of all people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and their families. While there is no cure, early intervention is critical and can greatly improve a child’s development.
Perhaps the biggest step we’ve taken to support those affected by autism and their families happened over a year ago, with the signing of the Affordable Care Act. Now, new insurance plans are required to cover autism screening and developmental assessments for children at no cost to parents. Insurers will also no longer be allowed to deny children coverage for a pre-existing condition such as ASD or to set arbitrary lifetime or annual limits on benefits.
Learn more about Disabilities, Health CareOne Year Later: Remembering the Miners of Montcoal
Posted byon April 5, 2011 at 12:00 PM EDTEd. note: This was originally posted on Work In Progress, the Department of Labor blog. Read another blog post on this topic on the Middle Class Task Force blog.
One year ago today, in West Virginia, 29 men died in the worst mine disaster in 40 years.
Wives lost husbands. Parents lost sons. Children lost fathers. Neighbors lost friends. And a community lost a big part of its soul.
Since that day, I have been convinced that the best way to honor these men is to do everything in our power so that a tragedy like this never happens again.
The administration has taken many steps to make that goal a reality. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (a part of the U.S. Department of Labor) has made available unprecedented resources to find out what exactly happened on April 5, 2010 and we are making sure that the U.S. Department of Justice can fully prosecute any wrongdoers.
Learn more about Disabilities, Economy, Energy & Environment, Family, Poverty, Rural, Technology, Additional IssuesWeekly Wrap Up: Healthy Anniversary!
Posted byon March 25, 2011 at 6:47 PM EDTYour quick look at the week that was on WhiteHouse.gov
Protecting Civilians in Libya: As U.S. forces participate in a U.N. coalition to establish a no-fly zone over Libya, President Obama spoke on the humanitarian importance of our mission in North Africa. He also answered questions from the media during press conferences in Chile and El Salvador.
The Affordable Care Act Turns One: On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In the 12 months since, millions of Americans have benefited from improvements to the American health care system. WhiteHouse.gov had a whole week of coverage:
- Read about the benefits the Affordable Care Act has provided to seniors, small businesses, women, and young adults.
- Watch President Obama's surprise phone call to a young man in Michigan who can pursue his dream of becoming a doctor.
- Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President and Chair of the Council on Women and Girls, authored a guest blog post.
- Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis wrote a special post on the Department of Labor blog.
- Vice President Biden recorded a video message to mark the one-year anniversary.
Learn more about Defense, Disabilities, Economy, Education, Foreign Policy, Health Care, Homeland Security, Rural, Seniors & Social Security, Technology, Veterans, Women, Additional IssuesImproving Employment Access for Americans with Disabilities
Posted byon March 24, 2011 at 9:41 AM EDTLast July, I had the tremendous honor of kicking off the Administration’s observance of the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and to then welcome hundreds to the White House as President Obama commemorated that extraordinary Anniversary. It was a momentous occasion as we listened to the President’s powerful speech and witnessed the signing of his Executive Order to increase the federal government’s employment of individuals with disabilities. As Americans, we’re imbued with those fantastic American values, embodied in the ADA, of a strong work ethic and working together to find common ground--all of which keeps us moving forward, diligently working to win the future.
Today, those American values are once again on display. With bi-partisan support, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) found common ground and today made available for public viewing final Rules on the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) at http://www.ofr.gov and the rule will be published tomorrow. Significantly, the EEOC considered the interests of both employees with disabilities and employers in carefully crafting regulations that will work for all stakeholders. Now, millions of Americans with disabilities, including veterans with disabilities, will be able to take one step closer to that level playing field we all seek and have the full opportunity to contribute to one of America’s greatest traditions: hard work.
Sunshine Week at the Department of Veterans Affairs
Posted byon March 17, 2011 at 2:04 PM EDTEd. Note: This post is part of our Sunshine Week series on the blog. Sunshine Week is a national initiative to celebrate and focus on government transparency and open government.
The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs – enshrined in our building – is “to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan.” For our men and women in uniform who have fought for our country – serving them is a privilege and responsibility we take very seriously. At the VA, we are committed to continuing to meet and surpass our highest standards of care for each and every veteran, each and every day. Open government helps us do this: the publication of key health-related data to increase transparency, the creation of technological tools helping veterans to participate, and the harnessing of new ideas for innovation and collaboration, all fuel our mission.
During Sunshine Week we are reflecting on our accomplishments – not so we can rest, but so we can take inspiration to build on our successes. We’re on a deliberate and thoughtful path to become an even more people-centric, results-driven, and forward-looking organization. I invite you to visit http://www.va.gov/open/ to see for yourself. Here is a sample of important steps we have taken:
The White House Celebrates Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities
Posted byon March 11, 2011 at 7:20 PM EDTMany of you may remember us marking the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act this past July in a wonderful and moving event at the White House. On that day, we reflected on how far this historic law brought us in living up to our civil rights promises for all Americans – and how far we still have to go to make sure that every person in this country – regardless of their race, background, income and whether or not they have a disability – has equal access to all of the opportunities our great nation has to offer.
As the President put it better than anyone: “To move America forward. That’s what we did with the ADA. That is what we do today. And that’s what we’re going to do tomorrow -- together.” And today marked another historic day in this effort as FEMA and the National Disability Rights Network came together, along with other leaders and advocates from across the disability community, to sign a memorandum of agreement – an agreement that solidifies a partnership in working together to make sure we are planning for and meeting the needs of people with disabilities before, during, and after disasters strike.
It sounds like common sense, but the unfortunate truth is that for years the needs of people with disabilities were more of an afterthought during disasters. Not enough was done to make sure that shelters planned for the access and functional needs of individuals who might require wheelchairs to be replaced or beds at a certain height if it was necessary to evacuate during a disaster. Residents who were blind or deaf, and those with intellectual disabilities didn’t have access to critical information about evacuation routes or other warnings. And in some cases, accessible transportation for people with disabilities just wasn’t factored into planning at all. This was largely due to a simple lack of coordination and upfront planning for the whole of community.
Learn more about DisabilitiesAutomotive Accessibility and Efficiency Meet in the Innovative MV-1
Posted byon March 11, 2011 at 6:36 PM EDTEditor's note: This was originally posted on the Department of Energy blog.
Yesterday, the Department of Energy announced that we’ve now finalized a loan for nearly $50 million to the Vehicle Production Group – or VPG. The project will support the development and manufacturing of a new wheelchair accessible, fuel-efficient car, the MV-1, that will run on compressed natural gas instead of gasoline, produce low emissions, and create 900 jobs across the country.
This new American car company focuses on helping those with mobility issues by developing vehicles that allow them to travel comfortably and safely. The MV-1 vehicle was designed from the ground-up for wheelchair accessibility. It will provide new opportunities and more independence for Americans who use wheelchairs, while also reducing carbon pollution and supporting America’s automotive industry. This project supports the Administration’s commitment to supporting innovation and American ingenuity while improving the quality of life for Americans who use wheelchairs.
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