[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8384]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           ABILITYONE PROGRAM

  (Ms. TENNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the AbilityOne 
Program and its countless contributions to our communities and to 
people with disabilities.
  Through this important program, community-based nonprofit agencies 
across the Nation have employed more than 45,000 people who are blind 
or differently abled. The AbilityOne Program harnesses the purchasing 
power of the Federal Government to buy products from these agencies, 
which have made it their mission to employ and train the blind and 
disabled.
  Established in 1983, the program continues to empower those with 
disabilities by providing gainful employment to a segment of our 
population who typically experience one of the highest rates of 
unemployment in the Nation. These critically important employment 
opportunities have led to increased independence and enhanced quality 
of life for scores of disabled Americans.
  Recently, I had the opportunity to tour an AbilityOne participant in 
the 22nd District of New York: Human Technologies Corporation located 
in Utica. This facility employs nearly 600 people on an annual basis.
  As a critical part of our community, I am honored to serve this 
AbilityOne agency and their team of dedicated employees, who continue 
to make a significant economic impact on our region through the 
creation of quality products and services to government agencies across 
all sectors.

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