Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 4.djvu/232

 102 STAT. 3202

PUBLIC LAW 100-623—NOV. 5, 1988

Public Law 100-623 100th Congress Nov. 5, 1988 [S.J. Res. 319]

Joint Resolution To designate the period commencing November 6, 1988, and ending November 12, 1988, as "National Disabled Americans Week".

Whereas there are some 36 million Americans who have disabilities and over 25 percent of these disabled Americans have more than one disability; Whereas one out of every twelve Americans copes with some form of a disability; Whereas although nearly three out of every four Americans without a disability have at least a high-school education, just slightly more than one out of every two disabled Americans have a high school education; Whereas a disabled American is two and one-half times as likely to have an income that falls below the poverty line than an American without a disability; Whereas the population of disabled Americans will increase dramatically over the next two decades as the science of medical technology continues to improve upon its ability to prolong human life; Whereas disabilities increasingly affect Americans as they get older; Whereas one working-age black in every seven is disabled; Whereas there are 31 million Americans with some form of activity limitation; Whereas there are some 8.2 million Americans with a visual impairment; Whereas there are some 17 million Americans with a hearing impairment; Whereas there are 18.4 million Americans with an orthopedic disability; Whereas some 4.2 percent of all American children under age twenty-one have a chronic activity limitation; Whereas 3 percent of all American school-aged children have learning disabilities; Whereas there are 50,000 American school-aged children under the age of 18 who have emotional or behavioral disabilities; Whereas 5 percent of American school-aged children have speech and language disabilities; Whereas most disabled Americans recognize that Federal laws enacted since the late 1960's have helped to give better opportunities to disabled Americans; Whereas most disabled Americans strongly endorse efforts by the Federal Government to enhance the lives of persons with disabilities; Whereas disabled Americans are not alone in their belief that they should be protected by law from discrimination; and Whereas the people of the United States can express their concern for all Americans who live with disabilities by recognizing the

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