[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 47 (Thursday, March 19, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO ABILITYONE AND BOSMA ENTERPRISES

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. TODD ROKITA

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 19, 2015

  Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an exemplary 
partnership between the AbilityOne Program and Indiana's own Bosma 
Enterprises.
  AbilityOne is an extraordinary initiative that helps people with 
disabilities. It is the largest single provider of employment for 
people who are blind or face other significant disabilities. The 
Program puts more than 47,000 Americans to work by providing products 
and services to both federal government and commercial customers.
  For twenty five of the past 100 years that Bosma Enterprises has been 
in business it has partnered with the AbilityOne Program to serve 
hundreds of Hoosiers each year through Community and Center-Based 
Services; services that have helped disabled Hoosiers achieve a greater 
level of independence and self-esteem. Their partnership has also 
enabled many people to gain employment in good paying Indiana jobs. 
Nearly 60 percent of all employees at Bosma Enterprises are blind or 
suffer some degree of visual impairment. But Bosma's partnership with 
AbilityOne is about more than just the number of people. It is about 
the individuals that are being assisted.
  One such man was stay-at-home dad Don Green. Retinitis pigmentosa 
left Don totally blind making it very difficult for him to reenter the 
job market after taking time off to care for his twins. On more than 
one occasion he was asked why potential employers ``should have to make 
accommodations for someone who is blind.'' Almost 200 applications 
later, Don was disenchanted, dismayed and about to give up when a 
friend encouraged him to check into the opportunities provided by Bosma 
Enterprises. That application changed his life as Bosma hired Don as a 
material handler in its warehouse.
  Bosma Enterprises was able to offer Don a job because of its 
contracts through the AbilityOne Program. Through this important 
program, Bosma provides exam and surgical gloves to VA hospitals across 
the country and has created nearly 100 jobs for people who are blind or 
visually impaired in Indiana. Today, just six years later, Don is the 
Production Supervisor managing 40 people working on the exam glove 
lines.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the work Bosma Enterprises is doing in 
partnership with the AbilityOne Program and ask all Hoosiers to join me 
in recognizing the life altering work they do each and every day. They 
open doors of opportunity and help make the state of Indiana a better 
place to live. In the words of Don Green, ``It means everything to be 
able to have a job. I am so glad that I am able to take care of my 
family and give them a better life.''

                          ____________________