September 17,2026
Washington, D.C. — The Alliance for Expanding America's Workforce(AEAW), a national coalition of organizations committed to expanding employmentopportunities for people with disabilities, applauds Representatives StenyHoyer (D-Md.) and Pete Sessions (R-Tex.) today for introducing the AmericanProcurement Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation to modernize theAbilityOne Program and strengthen one of the nation's most effective pathwaysto employment for Americans who are blind or have significant disabilities.
Thelegislation has garnered widespread support from 50 leading organizations infederal procurement, disability advocacy, and workforce representation,including the Alliance for Expanding America’s Workforce.
“For decades the AbilityOne Program has demonstrated how the government can leverage its purchasing power to create jobs for Americans with disabilities,” said Bartholomew Devon, Executive Director of the Alliance for Expanding America’s Workforce. “This legislation will help create new opportunities for career growth, enhance professional development, and promote economic independence for employees with disabilities. The members of the Alliance are grateful to Representatives Hoyer and Sessions for their bipartisan leadership and for recognizing the extraordinary contributions disabled Americans make to our nation’s economy and our communities.”
The American Procurement Improvement Act advances a series of reforms aimed atstrengthening the AbilityOne Program and positioning it for long-term successand sustainability. Among its key provisions, the legislation:
· Expands opportunities for career growth byremoving statutory barriers that can limit employee retention, advancement andworkforce mobility;
· Aligns the AbilityOne Program with currentfederal procurement practices and streamlines procurement processes; and
· Enhances accountability and program integrityby reinforcing oversight, transparency, worker protections, and ensures responsiblestewardship of taxpayer dollars.
By modernizing theprocurement framework of the Program, while preserving its core mission, thelegislation seeks to ensure that Americans who are blind or have significantdisabilities continue to have access to meaningful employment opportunities andpathways to economic self-sufficiency.
“This legislation reflects a shared commitment to ensuring the AbilityOne Program continues to open doors and change lives,” said Ken Crum, Chair of the Governing Board of the Alliance for Expanding America's Workforce. “We appreciate the bipartisan leadership of Representatives Hoyer and Sessions and look forward to working collaboratively to advance this legislation and build on the Program’s success.”