October is Disability Employment Awareness Month. In the spirit of raising awareness, I'd like to share with you the story of my friend and Sixth district resident, Yael Kerzan.

Yael is in her late-30s. She has two jobs, one at Northwoods Inc. in Portage and one at her local Walmart. She visited her local vocational rehabilitation center 17 years ago, where she was referred to her job at Northwoods, which is one of many work centers in Wisconsin. Some others include Lakeside Packaging in Oshkosh, Ascend Services in Manitowoc, Green Valley Enterprises in Beaver Dam, RCS Empowers in Sheboygan and Fox River industries in Berlin. It has been invaluable for Yael to have the choice and flexibility to work in a fulfilling job that provides her with work experience, financial compensation, friends and social experience and the dignity she deserves as a vital member of our community. After a few years at Northwoods, Yael was ready for a second job an found employment at Walmart.

When I ask Yael which job she likes better, she tells me she likes her job at Northwoods because "that's where all my friends are". You can read more about Yael by clicking here.

Yael was lucky to have visited her local vocational rehabilitation center when she did. Since then, the Department of Education issued a regulation and guidance that left local agencies confused, which has led many to no longer refer people like Yael to jobs in work centers, which is a disservice to them because of all they can learn there, while collecting a paycheck!

I have introduced a bill that will return things to the way they ought to be. My bill, the Workplace Choice and Flexibility for Individuals with Disabilities Act, will provide much-needed clarity for vocational rehabilitation agencies and ensure individuals with disabilities have choice in their employment options. Under my legislation these individuals can once again go to their local vocational rehabilitation agency to gain workplace skills, and then be referred by the agency to a job that fits their needs.

I hope that my colleagues in Congress will realize that Congressional actions in the past have taken away opportunities for young people with disabilities and that now is the time to restore the full array of options available to these unique, valuable, hardworking individuals who so deserve it.

Click here to read more about the Workplace Choice and Flexibility for Individuals with Disabilities Act.

On Monday, we celebrated National Farmers Day. I want to give a well-deserved thank you to the hard-working farmers, and their families, across our country.

Thanks to Broadwind Towers Inc. in Manitowoc for showing me how they manufacture wind turbines. I even got to try my hand at welding!

Tuesday was the U.S. Navy's 245th birthday. Thank you to all that serve and put their lives on the line so that we may live in peace and with our freedoms.

Wednesday was National Emergency Nurse's Day. This year, sharing our appreciation for frontline emergency workers is even more important throughout the COVID-19 health crisis. Thank you, nurses, for your dedication and service to our country.