[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 45 (Thursday, March 31, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     COTTONWOOD INC. AND ABILITYONE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. LYNN JENKINS

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 31, 2011

  Ms. JENKINS. Mr. Speaker, the first priority of this Congress must be 
getting the American people back in the work place. I rise to support 
one program that is doing just that.
  Today in Lawrence, Kansas the men and women at Cottonwood Inc., are 
manufacturing tie-down straps that our military uses to secure cargo in 
trucks, humvees, planes, ships and any other means of transportation.
  But what makes Cottonwood particularly noteworthy, isn't just that 
they have been awarded the gold medal for excellence from the Defense 
Logistics Agency for 9 consecutive years, but that through the 
AbilityOne program many of the men and women assembling and packaging 
the tiedown straps have developmental disabilities.
  The AbilityOne program provides employment opportunities to those who 
have severe disabilities by directing the Federal Government to 
purchase products and services from participating community-based 
nonprofit agencies that are dedicated to training and employing 
individuals with disabilities.
  The Kansans employed through this program are making significant 
contributions as citizens to our armed services and are productive 
members of the Lawrence community.
  I proudly support Cottonwood, the AbilityOne Program and its workers 
in Kansas for making a difference in unemployment among people with 
disabilities both in Kansas and throughout the country.

                          ____________________