[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 88 (Wednesday, June 19, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E919]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING ENTERPRISES OF WASHINGTON STATE AND THE ABILITYONE PROGRAM

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                           HON. DEREK KILMER

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 19, 2013

  Mr. KILMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Skookum Contract 
Services and the AbilityOne Program. AbilityOne partners with over 600 
non-profit agencies across the United States to provide services and 
sell products to the U.S. government. AbilityOne and Skookum empower 
people with disabilities by providing training and job placement 
services that help disabled folks in our region achieve gainful 
employment. Organizations like Skookum employ nearly 40,000 disabled 
Americans.
  I applaud the work of these organizations to offer skills training 
and opportunities for people that are blind or have significant 
disabilities. By directly matching employers with well-qualified 
employees with disabilities, AbilityOne is helping employers address 
their workforce needs and creating opportunities that help people with 
disabilities become more productive and self-reliant.
  In Washington State, Skookum partners with the Naval Bremerton 
Hospital and Jefferson County General Hospital to provide housekeeping 
services and ensure that hospitals are clean and sanitary for patients, 
doctors, and health care workers. In addition, they contract with Joint 
Base Lewis-McChord and Naval Base Kitsap to provide fleet management, 
janitorial, and grounds maintenance. Last year, I had the opportunity 
to see firsthand the important work of Skookum and their employees 
through visiting some of their work sites and can attest to the quality 
of their work. The agency also provides several other services to the 
community including warehouse and distribution, sanitation, and 
recycling services. ``Skookum'' is a Chinook word that means stronger 
or well-made in a better or unique way. The products that come out of 
Skookum demonstrate how effectively their employees are able to craft 
unique, high quality items.
  Mr. Speaker, our community is a better place because of the work of 
Skookum employees. I commend the work of Jeff Dolven, the President and 
CEO of Skookum, and his staff in helping to uplift the disabled 
community and place them in meaningful employment that brings this 
region together. I applaud the work of Skookum employees in providing 
several meaningful services to the people of Washington State. I am 
pleased today to recognize this extraordinary service today in the 
United States Congress.

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