; Whereas 50 years after the enactment of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ( 29 U.S.C. 701 et seq. ), individuals with disabilities still experience discrimination and barriers that interfere with their full participation in economic and social life in the United States; and Whereas 50 years after the enactment of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ( 29 U.S.C. 701 et seq. ), the Act remains a critical law in advancing access, opportunity, and equity for individuals with disabilities, especially in historically underserved communities, and in meeting the goals of full participation, equal opportunity, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities: Now, therefore, be it