IV 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1693 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 29, 2010 Mr. Etheridge (for himself, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Platts, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mr. Mollohan, Ms. Fudge, Ms. Linda T. Sánchez of California, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Israel, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Carter, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Giffords, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Conaway, Mr. Shuler, Mrs. Maloney, and Mr. Langevin) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services RESOLUTION Honoring the 15th anniversary of the AbilityOne Base Supply Centers.

Whereas National Industries for the Blind and NISH are the designated central nonprofit agencies performing under the AbilityOne Program to provide employment opportunities for Americans who are blind or have other severe disabilities through the sale of products and services to the Federal Government and our United States military; Whereas AbilityOne Base Supply Centers (referred to in this preamble as BSC) are located on military installations and in Federal office buildings and are operated by AbilityOne-associated nonprofit agencies; Whereas prior to 1995, many bases did not have an on-base supply store; Whereas the first AbilityOne BSC opened 15 years ago at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to fill a mission-support gap by providing much-needed products and services to military personnel in an on-base retail setting; Whereas today there are 140 AbilityOne BSCs providing products and services tailored to the mission of military personnel in 45 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guantanamo Bay, and Cuba; Whereas AbilityOne BSCs provide direct-retail employment opportunities for nearly 300 Americans who are blind or severely disabled and support employment for 45,000 Americans who are blind or severely disabled throughout the country; Whereas the AbilityOne products sold under the SKILCRAFT® brand in BSCs are manufactured at associated agencies by employees who are blind or severely disabled; Whereas military products, such as uniforms, helmets, clocks, shovels, tents, paper, eating utensils, and pens, are manufactured under the AbilityOne Program by people who are blind or severely disabled; and Whereas the sale of AbilityOne products and services provides jobs that help decrease the estimated 70-percent unemployment rate experienced by people who are blind or severely disabled, allowing such individuals to increase their personal and economic independence: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)recognizes the AbilityOne Base Supply Centers for 15 years of service on military installations and in Federal buildings across the United States; (2)commends military installations and Federal buildings across the country for— (A)their commitment to the AbilityOne Program; and (B)their success at eliminating barriers to employment and independence for Americans who are blind or severely disabled; and (3)honors National Industries for the Blind and NISH as nonprofit agencies providing critically important employment opportunities, training, and mission critical support services to the United States Military through the AbilityOne Base Supply Center Program.