South Bend Times

Congressman Rudy Yakym (IN-02) addressed the need to remove employment barriers for disabled Americans during a Ways and Means Joint Subcommittee Hearing on Untapped Talent in America. He emphasized that government should ensure all citizens, including those with disabilities, have opportunities to work.

“America should always be the land of opportunity,” Rep. Yakym said. “Government has a responsibility to help bring that opportunity closer to every citizen. If someone wants to work, we must make sure they have every chance to do so, especially Americans with disabilities. That means improving the return-to-work process for SSI beneficiaries and ensuring that individuals can save in an ABLE account without the fear of losing their benefits.”

Yakym highlighted two Indiana organizations as examples of support for people with disabilities seeking employment. ADEC in Elkhart County offers programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including customized training and job placement services with local businesses. Bosma Enterprises in Indianapolis provides training and jobs for blind and visually impaired individuals, working in areas such as logistics, IT support, packaging, and health products. Bosma also partners with the Department of Veterans Affairs and participates in the AbilityOne program.

Rudy Yakym has represented Indiana’s 2nd District in Congress since 2022 (https://yakym.house.gov/about). He was born in 1984 and lives in Granger (https://yakym.house.gov/about). Yakym graduated from Indiana University South Bend with associate’s and bachelor’s degrees earned in 2009 and 2011 respectively (https://yakym.house.gov/about).