December 17, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 204 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H10605]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SUPPORT ABILITYONE PROGRAM

  (Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my 
strong support for the Department of Veterans Affairs Contracting 
Preference Consistency Act and the AbilityOne program.
  This vital bill corrects an error made in previous law to ensure 
thousands of blind and visually impaired Americans, many of whom are 
veterans, are able to keep their jobs.
  Bosma Enterprises in my district, which has served Indiana for over 
100 years, serves blind and visually impaired Hoosiers by giving them 
meaningful work. These Hoosiers want to work. They want to be self-
sufficient. They want to contribute to their community. Many 
contributed to their country through their military service, which 
actually is where they sustained injuries causing their blindness or 
visual impairment.
  But Bosma relies on contracts with the VA through the AbilityOne 
program to be able to provide those good jobs to Hoosiers. Sadly, 
changes in VA policy and a series of court rulings threaten the 
viability of this productive partnership.
  With this important bill, Bosma and many other AbilityOne employers 
like it around the country will continue to provide meaningful work to 
those Americans.
  I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill, and I urge the 
Senate to adopt and take it up.

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