Beatty Bipartisan Bill Supports Heart Attack and Stroke Survivors

Press Release

Coinciding with American Heart Month, U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03), who serves as co-chair of the Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition, recently reintroduced the Return to Work Awareness Act of 2017, H.R. 1128, a bill to improve the employability of individuals affected by heart attack, stroke or other serious health issues. More specifically, the Return to Work Awareness Act encourages the U.S. Department of Labor's Job Accommodation Network (JAN) to promote awareness among individuals and potential employers of the resources and accommodations available to help get more Americans who have experienced a debilitating health condition get back into the workplace.

"As a stroke survivor, I know all too well the trials of the long road to recovery. To me, that journey does not end at physical therapy, but rather continues into the return to work," Beatty said. "However, still today many Americans find it extremely difficult to return to the workforce. My bill will help fill that void by making the transition to employment a greater success for the tens of millions of Americans who have had a stroke, heart attack or other debilitating medical conditions."

First introduced in the 113th Congress, the Return to Work Awareness Act has the support of a bipartisan group of Members of Congress, including lead Republican cosponsor and fellow Coalition Co-Chair Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04).

"As co-chair of the Heart and Stroke Caucus, I'm pleased to co-sponsor legislation empowering stroke survivors and ensuring they are able to bring their talents and unique backgrounds back to the workforce as quickly as possible," Smith said.

In addition to broad, bipartisan support in Congress, the Return to Work Awareness Act is supported by the American Heart Association and the National Stroke Association, the only national nonprofit devoted entirely to stroke. Robyn Moore, CEO of National Stroke Association, said of the bill, "The reality is that over half of all stroke survivors are able to return to work within six months of having a stroke. The biggest obstacle is not even the stroke but that stroke survivors simply do not always have access to the support and resources they need to return to work. We applaud Rep. Beatty's commitment to ensuring that all Americans have access to the tools they need to return to living meaningful and impactful lives after stroke."

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