[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21307]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING CROSSROADS INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, BOSMA INDUSTRIES AND THE 
                           ABILITYONE PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANDRE CARSON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 16, 2011

  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize two 
organizations in Indianapolis, Crossroads Industrial Services and Bosma 
Enterprises. Both of these organizations are a part of the AbilityOne 
Program, which has helped more than 47,000 Americans who are blind or 
who have significant disabilities gain skills and training that 
ultimately led to gainful employment.
  Together, these organizations employ 189 people in Indianapolis, jobs 
made possible by the AbilityOne Program. This critical program 
harnesses 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. It affords Americans with disabilities the opportunity to 
acquire job skills and training, receive good wages and benefits, and 
gain greater independence and quality of life.
  This segment of the population has suffered from significant 
unemployment. Federal opportunities through the AbilityOne Program have 
played an important role in bringing people with disabilities into the 
workforce. For example, one of Bosmas Enterprises' employees Kevin 
Mossberger exemplifies how training and the AbilityOne Program can make 
a real difference in the life of someone. Kevin, who is in his early 
twenties obtained a degree in Business Management, but because of a 
genetic eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa was unable to find work 
in his small, southern Indiana hometown.
  His parents suggested he go to Bosma Enterprises' Rehabilitation 
Center to receive additional training to live independently and to help 
find employment. He did so and is now employed at Bosma Enterprises. 
Kevin says that the instruction he received taught him ``to live on his 
own and to have a whole new outlook.''
  Kevin is not alone, earlier this year I was able to visit Crossroads 
Industrial Services and see firsthand the impact of the AbilityOne 
Program on not only its employees, but also the impact it has on our 
men and women in uniform. Crossroads employees are responsible for 
producing items that our service members rely on, like ballistic helmet 
pad sets, combat identification panels, and rocket launcher spare 
parts. It is with these important contributions that Crossroads, like 
Bosma, exemplifies the quality of work and determination to enhance the 
lives of disabled Americans that make the AbilityOne Program so 
invaluable.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I extend my support to 
the AbilityOne Program. I also want to commend the dedication and 
commitment to Jim Vento of Easter Seals Crossroads, Lou Moneymaker of 
Bosma Industries, and their staffs, for helping individuals who are 
blind or have a significant disability find employment. The impact of 
their work and that of each AbilityOne employee has an undeniably 
positive impact on our community.

                          ____________________