Congresswoman Simon Celebrates House Passage of Bill to Expand Employment Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities and Support Small Businesses

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House unanimously passed Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) and Congressman Pete Stauber’s (R-MN-08) bill, the “ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act.” This bipartisan bill will help individuals with disabilities find jobs and help small businesses become more accessible for current or future employees. 

“As the first congenitally blind person to serve in Congress, I am incredibly honored to lead and excited to celebrate the House passage of the “ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act,” said Congresswoman Simon.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of cities, making them accessible for all will maximize local economic activity and broaden the job market to everyone who is seeking to contribute to their communities. I came to Congress to bring people who are often left out of policy conversations to the table – investments in business and talent in our communities shouldn’t be limited to just those who are not disabled. Full stop, period.”

The bill would create a federal agency partnership between the Small Business Administration and the National Council on Disability to conduct outreach and marketing to small businesses across America, including in CA-12, to hire more workers with disabilities. The federal agency partnership would also connect individuals with disabilities to programs to facilitate successful self-employment and help individuals pursue entrepreneurship opportunities at small businesses. The “ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act” is supported by the CEO Commission for Disability Employment.

Since being sworn into Congress in January, Congresswoman Simon has already introduced six bills and passed two bills through the House of Representatives, including the “ThinkDIFFERENTLY About Disability Employment Act” and the “Assisting Small Businesses, Not Fraudsters Act.” 

Congresswoman Simon is the first congenitally blind member of Congress. She has long advocated for disability rights. From 2016 to 2024, she served on the Board of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) with a specific focus on making public transportation more accessible. In Congress, she is committed to developing and advancing policies that support the disability community. 

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