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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1693 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1693

  Honoring the 15th anniversary of the AbilityOne Base Supply Centers.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 29, 2010

   Mr. Etheridge (for himself, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Platts, Mr. Moran of 
Virginia, Mr. Mollohan, Ms. Fudge, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California, 
  Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Israel, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. 
  Carter, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Giffords, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. 
  Conaway, Mr. Shuler, Mrs. Maloney, and Mr. Langevin) submitted the 
  following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
                                Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Honoring the 15th anniversary of the AbilityOne Base Supply Centers.

Whereas National Industries for the Blind and NISH are the designated central 
        nonprofit agencies performing under the AbilityOne Program to provide 
        employment opportunities for Americans who are blind or have other 
        severe disabilities through the sale of products and services to the 
        Federal Government and our United States military;
Whereas AbilityOne Base Supply Centers (referred to in this preamble as ``BSC'') 
        are located on military installations and in Federal office buildings 
        and are operated by AbilityOne-associated nonprofit agencies;
Whereas prior to 1995, many bases did not have an on-base supply store;
Whereas the first AbilityOne BSC opened 15 years ago at Fort Bragg, North 
        Carolina, to fill a mission-support gap by providing much-needed 
        products and services to military personnel in an on-base retail 
        setting;
Whereas today there are 140 AbilityOne BSCs providing products and services 
        tailored to the mission of military personnel in 45 States, the District 
        of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guantanamo Bay, and Cuba;
Whereas AbilityOne BSCs provide direct-retail employment opportunities for 
        nearly 300 Americans who are blind or severely disabled and support 
        employment for 45,000 Americans who are blind or severely disabled 
        throughout the country;
Whereas the AbilityOne products sold under the SKILCRAFT brand in BSCs are 
        manufactured at associated agencies by employees who are blind or 
        severely disabled;
Whereas military products, such as uniforms, helmets, clocks, shovels, tents, 
        paper, eating utensils, and pens, are manufactured under the AbilityOne 
        Program by people who are blind or severely disabled; and
Whereas the sale of AbilityOne products and services provides jobs that help 
        decrease the estimated 70-percent unemployment rate experienced by 
        people who are blind or severely disabled, allowing such individuals to 
        increase their personal and economic independence: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the AbilityOne Base Supply Centers for 15 
        years of service on military installations and in Federal 
        buildings across the United States;
            (2) commends military installations and Federal buildings 
        across the country for--
                    (A) their commitment to the AbilityOne Program; and
                    (B) their success at eliminating barriers to 
                employment and independence for Americans who are blind 
                or severely disabled; and
            (3) honors National Industries for the Blind and NISH as 
        nonprofit agencies providing critically important employment 
        opportunities, training, and mission critical support services 
        to the United States Military through the AbilityOne Base 
        Supply Center Program.
                                 <all>
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