the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Chair of the National Council onDisability, and the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission.The President urged Federal agencies to move swiftly in beginning the workoutlined in theOrder. Several interim reports are called for in the Executive Order, and thefinal report is dueJuly 26, 2002, the 10th anniversary of the initial implementation of theemployment provisions ofthe Americans with Disabilities Act. This second report of the Presidential TaskForce onEmployment of Adults with Disabilities has the unique opportunity to come at atime when weare closing out a century and beginning the next millennium. The opportunity isnow tosubstantively redirect the policies of our nation so that people with disabilitiescan work. Thereis tremendous demonstrated support from President Clinton and Vice President Gore,whoendorsed and acted on every recommendation made by the Task Force in its firstreport,Re-charting the Course. There is investment and support from 14 Cabinet membersand otheragency leaders across the Federal Government, who are developing action plans toaddress policybarriers and creating systemic change government-wide. There is the expressedneed ofemployers across the nation, who are pleading for dedicated workers for theirbusinesses at thistime of record-low unemployment. And there is the demand from people withdisabilities acrossthe nation who want to work, who want the benefits and choices that come witheconomicindependence, and who want to fully participate in their communities. PresidentClinton andVice President Gore, the Task Force recognizes that change of the magnitude we areasking ishard. But if we cannot address needed changes now, with expressed support andcommitmentfrom so many sectors, when will it be possible? If Not Now, When? This secondreport of theTask Force is intended to push forward the message to all stakeholders, includingbut not limitedto the Administration, Congress, Governors, State and local officials, people withdisabilities andother interested parties: The Time For Action Is Now.Staff of the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults With Disabilities:Rebecca L.Ogle, Executive Director; William R. McKinnon, Ph.D., Senior Public HealthAdvisor, SpecialAssistant to the Executive Director, Detailed from the Public Health Services,U.S. Departmentof Health and Human Services; Christopher Button, Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor;Richard L.Horne, Ed.D., Senior Policy Advisor; John R. Davey, Director of Operations,Detailed from the
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