[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 142 (Wednesday, November 19, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1632-E1633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING E. ROBERT CHAMBERLIN ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM SOURCEAMERICA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 19, 2014

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize E. Robert Chamberlin 
on the occasion of his retirement from SourceAmerica at the end of this 
year. 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 leads a 
network of more than 500 affiliated non-profit agencies that 
participate in the AbilityOne Program, which currently provides 
employment to more than 128,000 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 promoting the hundreds of thousands of 
individuals employed through

[[Page E1633]]

the SourceAmerica network, Mr. Chamberlin has provided critical 
leadership on a number of new employment initiatives, including the 
establishment of the Institute for Economic Empowerment, the Pathways 
to Careers Employment Initiative, 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 
commitment to safeguarding the rights and opportunities for all 
Americans, especially those with significant disabilities.

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