[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E281]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           ABILITYONE, FORMERLY JAVITS-WAGNER-O'DAY, PROGRAM

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                           HON. VIRGINIA FOXX

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 13, 2009

  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, for the past 70 years the AbilityOne formerly 
Javits-Wagner-O'Day (ABILITYONE) Program has empowered Americans who 
are blind or severely disabled by providing them with a diverse set of 
employment opportunities. Today over 40,000 disabled Americans are 
realizing their potential by working in their local communities across 
the country under this program. These Americans are proud to provide 
federal and military customers with a wide array of SKILCRAFT and other 
ABILITYONE products and services. The ABILITYONE Program prides itself 
on delivering high quality products and services at a competitive price 
in the most convenient way possible.
  Some of the product categories offered by the ABILITYONE program 
include office supplies, military specific, safety, maintenance, 
repair, medical-surgical, janitorial-sanitation, and customization. The 
services that are provided to the federal and military customer include 
but aren't limited to call center and switchboard operation, military 
base and federal office building supply centers, CD-Rom duplication-
replication, data entry, document imaging and grounds care. I rise 
today in support of the AbilityOne Program and the opportunities it 
provides for an underemployed population of hard working Americans. 
Furthermore, I urge my colleagues to purchase SKILCRAFT and ABILITYONE 
products from the House-Senate Stationary stores not only because of 
their quality and value, but also because of the socioeconomic benefits 
that can come from supporting the program. By purchasing these products 
and using these services we are enabling more disabled Americans to 
have the opportunity to become taxpayers.
  Today in Winston Salem, North Carolina 156 blind Americans are 
employed under the ABILITYONE Program and are producing high quality 
items or services for us. The ABILITYONE Program is administered by the 
Presidentially-appointed Committee for Purchase From People Who Are 
Blind or Severely Disabled, with much assistance from National 
Industries for the Blind (NIB) and NISH, which serves people with a 
wide range of disabilities. More than 650 local nonprofit agencies 
associated with NIB and NISH employ people who are blind or disabled to 
produce the quality products and offer the services authorized for sale 
to the federal government under the ABILITYONE Program.
  The ABILITYONE Program is a great illustration of a successful 
partnership that has the ability to continuously grow with the changing 
procurement environment within the federal government. This is a 
Program that works for America.

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