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Tweak Federal Bill to Protect Workers with Disabilities
Evelyne Villines Writes an Op-Ed for the Des Moines Register
24 April 2008
The U.S. Congress wants to help small businesses, an admirable goal. Legislation passed last year by the House of Representatives, which would encourage federal agencies to contract with small businesses, is surely well-intentioned. But when you look at the measure more closely, the costs would outweigh the benefits.
First some history: Authorized by Congress in 1938, AbilityOne (formerly known as the Javits-Wagner-O'Day program) provides employment to more than 40,000 people who are blind or have severe disabilities. Operating through a network of more than 600 participating nonprofit organizations across the country, employees with severe disabilities provide quality goods and services to the federal government at a fair market price. It is, by far, the largest source of employment for Americans with severe disabilities, who endure the abysmally low employment rate of 38 percent.
Recent studies in targeted business lines show that there is a positive net impact of $46.75 million to federal and state governments in the reduction of entitlements and in the increases in payments employees make through income and payroll taxes. Further, these jobs are a cost-effective way to help people with severe disabilities to achieve greater independence.
So what does this have to do with small business legislation? Last year, the House of Representatives decided to address a long-standing frustration. Federal agencies had not been meeting their goals for contracting with small businesses. In an effort to get those agencies in compliance, the House passed HR 1873, which increased the goals it imposed on federal agencies, requiring that more contracts be awarded to small businesses, as well as ones that are women-owned, disadvantaged and "green."
Since federal agencies are struggling to meet the existing goals, the new goals are unrealistic. The Small Business Administration opposes the increase. And to meet these new goals, AbilityOne would surely get squeezed out. AbilityOne nonprofit agencies - such as Goodwill Industries in Des Moines and Iowa City and Hope Haven in Rock Valley - stand to lose their contracts. Tens of thousands of Americans with severe disabilities could lose their jobs, with little hope of finding alternative employment.
This year, the U.S. Senate is expected to pass its own small-business legislation. Obviously, members of the House of Representatives did not set out to harm Americans with severe disabilities. But if this goal is increased or if enforcement of the current goal is enhanced - without specific language to protect people with disabilities who are currently employed through the AbilityOne Program - that is exactly what will happen.
The Senate needs to make sure that it protects AbilityOne in its version of legislation. And it's not hard to do. Under current regulations, AbilityOne nonprofits are not considered small businesses for the purposes of meeting the federal small-business program goals. But the Senate could easily include language in the bill that would allow purchasing agents to apply AbilityOne contracts toward their small-business goals.
It's a win-win for everyone. It would help federal agencies comply with current and future small-business goals. And it makes sense in that the vast majority of AbilityOne nonprofits qualify as small-business enterprises - entrepreneurial in nature, with a small number of employees, and vital to the prosperity of their communities.
Serious problems in the government usually require more complicated solutions. This one seems pretty simple. For the tens of thousands of AbilityOne employees and their families, let's hope our leaders in Congress take the time to do this right. Everybody deserves the opportunity of employment.
Evelyne Villines of Des Moines is a national spokeswoman for people with disabilities. She served as executive secretary of the Iowa Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped from 1965 to 1975 and was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, serving until 2004. |
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President Bush Issues Memorandum in Support of AbilityOne Program
February 11, 2008
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
SUBJECT: Federal Support for the AbilityOne Program
Americans with disabilities make valuable contributions to our country's workforce that help keep our Nation the world's economic leader. Expanding employment opportunities for these individuals will help ensure that our economy is drawing on the talents and creativity of all its citizens and that America remains a place of opportunity for all. Supporting the AbilityOne Program is one good way to achieve this goal.
The AbilityOne Program (formerly the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Program) is a Federal initiative that works with public and private organizations to generate employment opportunities for Americans who are blind or have other disabilities. Nearly 43,000 individuals work in more than 600 community-based nonprofit agencies that serve people with a wide range of disabilities and sell products and services to the Federal Government through the AbilityOne Program.
The AbilityOne Program has taken steps to embrace successful business practices, including e-commerce and performance-based contracting. Strong support from Federal customers is critical to fulfilling this important program's employment mission. Therefore, I encourage you to ensure that your agency's procurement officials acquire products and services provided by the AbilityOne Program, consistent with existing law.
Additional information about the AbilityOne Program may be obtained by contacting the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled or by visiting www.AbilityOne.gov.
GEORGE W. BUSH
First Lady Laura Bush Delivers Remarks to AbilityOne Employees of the Year
FEBRUARY 11, 2008
SPEAKERS: FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH
OMB DIRECTOR JIM NUSSLE
[*] NUSSLE: Well, first let me thank you all for coming, and for the team's dedication to AbilityOne. Paul Denett from OMB does the work of leading our team, and I want to thank him for his leadership.
I'm honored to be with all of you here today. You know, AbilityOne is not just a federal initiative that works with public and private organizations to generate employment for individuals who are blind or who have other severe disabilities. It helps create opportunities for people who might otherwise not have them, and that's pretty special.
Congress created this program in 1938 to allow agencies serving the blind to sell products to the federal government. In 1971, the Act was extended to include people who had severe disabilities. Well, currently the AbilityOne program employs nearly 43,000 people and individuals in more than 600 community-based non-profit agencies, providing the federal government with quality services and products.
Well, today we're here to honor the dedicated employees of the Committee for Purchases From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, AbilityOne's federal overseer. We also are here to pay tribute to the outstanding employees of the National Industries for the Blind and NISH, two non-profit agencies under the AbilityOne program that serve people with disabilities. So congratulations to all of the AbilityOne program award recipients. We see you working shoulder to shoulder and side by side with all of us. We thank you for making such a valuable contribution to our nation's work force.
And it is now my very special treat to have the opportunity of introducing the
First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush.
BUSH: Thank you very much, Director Nussle. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome you all to the White House today to congratulate the 16 outstanding individuals who are the ability award winners that are here with us today, but also to inform you that this morning, President Bush signed an AbilityOne memorandum that encourages all federal agencies to adopt AbilityOne programs on their own, to continue to work with AbilityOne. And I'm very proud that President Bush signed that memorandum today.
I also want to thank you for the work that each one of you do and the contributions you make to AbilityOne. It's very important for Americans with disabilities to be afforded the opportunities to lead independent lives, to be able to use their talents and their potential to the fullest. And I know that that's what you all work on every day. And I thank you very, very much for it.
God bless you all.
Committee for Purchase Press Releases
NISH Press Releases
AbilityOne Nonprofit Agency Press Releases
In the News
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Federal Times, Work for People with Disabilities |
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California Fleet News, Best Fleet Practices Award |
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Evelyne Villines Writes Op-Ed for Des Moines Register - Tweak Federal Bill to Protect Workers with Disabilities |
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Fedcap Newsletter |
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Pentagon Awards AbilityOne Contract to Didlake of Manassas |
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Defense Logistics Agency Recognizes Alken Industries Inc. and New York City Industries for the Blind |
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Goodwill Industries - Naval Weapons Station Galley Named Best of the Best |
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Hiring People with Disabilities Makes Business Sense |
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Laundry Today, Creating Employment Opportunities for the Disabled |
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Government Executive Defense Recongnizes Contributions of Disabled Employees |
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International Day of Disabled Persons, Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities with Actress Marlee Matlin |
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Packaging Digest, Spice-bottling Line Packs Pride, Patriotism, Personal Growth |
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Voice America Interviews Bob Chamberlin, CEO and President of NISH |
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WFED Radio Interview with Bob Chamberlin, CEO and President of NISH and Jim Gibbons, CEO of National Industries for the Blind |
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The Jason McElwain Story on NBC's Today Show |
Events
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AbilityOne Bus Tour Program, Huntsville, Alabama |
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Grassroots Advocacy Conference, Washington, DC |
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Combined Sales Conference and BSC Vendor Fair, Scottsdale, Arizona |
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18th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act |
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AbilityOne Bus Tour Program, Huntsville, Alabama |
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National Disability Employment Awareness Month |
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Disability Mentoring Day |
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NIB/NAEPB Annual Training Conference, Houston |
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AbilityOne employee Nathan Short speaking at NIH Acquisition Management Symposium, Gettysburg, PA |
