[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 63 (Friday, May 19, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E912]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E912]]
COMMENDING THE BOBBY DODD INSTITUTE AND THE JAVITS-WAGNER-O'DAY PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOHN LINDER

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 19, 2006

  Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, today there are roughly 45 million Americans 
with a disability, many of whom are forced to rely on public assistance 
because they cannot find or keep a job. Of people with disabilities, 
approximately 5.2 million receive Social Security Disability Insurance, 
3.5 million receive Supplemental Security Insurance, and 1.3 million 
receive both.
  By tapping into the potential of a person with a disability through a 
job opportunity we can help them to become taxpaying citizens who can 
help to power America's economy and strengthen our communities. I 
recently had the opportunity to visit the Bobby Dodd Institute (BDI) in 
Atlanta, Georgia, and was able to witness first-hand the power of 
employment for disabled individuals. BDI offers a variety of vocational 
services including employee development training, computer and customer 
service training job readiness classes and daily living courses.
  For this reason, I salute the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program. 
JWOD provides employment opportunities to Americans with disabilities 
by using the purchasing power of the Federal Government to buy products 
and services from participating, community-based nonprofit, agencies 
dedicated to training and employing individuals with disabilities.
  The JWOD program serves 40,000 people with disabilities nationwide, 
and last year it generated approximately $280 million in earned wages, 
and nearly $1.5 billion in products sold.
  In Georgia alone, approximately 1,000 people with disabilities earned 
almost $3 million in wages last year as a result of JWOD. These numbers 
vividly demonstrate the difference that can be made in both the economy 
and the lives of Americans with disabilities. This is a program that 
truly makes a difference in lives of people with disabilities, and 
today I am proud to offer my commendation for all of these noble and 
inspiring efforts.

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