[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11900]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         THE ABILITYONE PROGRAM

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                           HON. PAUL C. BROUN

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 9, 2008

  Mr. BROUN of Georgia. Madam Speaker, unemployment among people with 
disabilities is a serious matter and one that is all too often 
overlooked. Many Americans do not know the depth of this crisis--only 
35 percent of people with disabilities are able to find jobs. Those 
people with disabilities who are not as fortunate are left to grapple 
with numerous obstacles to work and are often not provided the 
opportunity to become independent, self-sufficient wage earners.
  For almost all Americans, employment focuses on ability. But for 
people with disabilities, it is often the disability that takes 
precedence. We all have abilities and as responsible citizens, it is 
our imperative to apply them for the greater good. When all Americans 
work, communities will benefit as people with disabilities become self-
sufficient, tax-paying citizens. I commend people with disabilities for 
their tireless efforts to share their abilities in the American 
workplace despite barriers, and hope that someday the high unemployment 
rate will be a thing of the past.
  I am proud to support a program that helps us reach the goal of 
employment for all: the AbilityOne Program. The AbilityOne Program 
provides much-needed employment opportunities by using the purchasing 
power of the Federal Government to buy products and services from 
participating community-based nonprofit agencies that are dedicated to 
training and employing individuals with disabilities. In this program, 
people who are blind or who have other severe disabilities have the 
opportunity to acquire job skills and training, receive good wages and 
benefits and gain greater independence and quality of life.
  In the United States, the program serves nearly 38,000 people with 
disabilities and generated approximately $369 million in wages earned 
and $1.6 billion in products sold. In Georgia alone, over 900 people 
with disabilities earned $8.7 million in wages last year as a result of 
AbilityOne. I am proud that Georgia's 10th congressional district is 
home to brand-new AbilityOne contract at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical 
Center. The Honorable Charlie was an AbilityOne Congressional Champion 
during his years in office and I am proud to carry on his tradition of 
supporting people with disabilities and the fine work they do.
  It is with great pleasure that I extend my support to the AbilityOne 
Program, its supporters, and its workers for making a difference in 
unemployment among people with disabilities in this country.

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