[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 141 (Tuesday, November 18, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING E. ROBERT CHAMBERLIN ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM SOURCEAMERICA

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                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 18, 2014

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize E. Robert Chamberlin 
on the occasion of his retirement from SourceAmerica later this month. 
Located in my district, SourceAmerica is a national non-profit that 
creates employment opportunities for people with significant 
disabilities. As Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Chamberlin lead a network 
of more than 500 affiliated non-profit agencies that participate in the 
AbilityOne Program, which currently provides employment to more than 
50,000 people in the United States who are blind or have other 
significant disabilities. I and more than 100 of my colleagues are 
proud to partner in these efforts as AbilityOne Congressional 
Champions.
  Mr. Chamberlin joined SourceAmerica as Vice President of Operations 
in December 1999, following a career with the U.S. armed forces, and he 
was appointed CEO in January 2001. During his Navy career, he achieved 
the rank of Rear Admiral and held key positions afloat, overseas, and 
ashore. Later as the Deputy Director of the Defense Logistics Agency at 
Fort Belvoir, Virginia, he served as the Department of Defense's 
representative on the AbilityOne Commission, the Federal agency which 
oversees the AbilityOne Program.
  Throughout his career, Mr. Chamberlin has been tireless in his 
efforts to improve the employment opportunities for individuals with 
disabilities. In addition to the hundreds of thousands of individuals 
employed through the SourceAmerica netwolic, Mr. Chamberlin has 
provided critical leadership on a number of new employment initiatives, 
including the establishment of the Institute for Economic Empowerment, 
Pathways to Careers Internship Program, and the AbilityOne Design 
Challenge for assistive technology. In addition, he has helped to 
expand SourceAmerica's outreach to the private sector through new 
partnerships with large corporations and franchise organizations. Those 
efforts are particularly important for preserving work opportunities 
given the current constraints on federal agency budgets.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
distinguished military service and career accomplishments of Mr. E. 
Robert Chamberlin, and I want to personally commend him for his comment 
to safeguarding the rights and opportunities for all Americans.

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