Allen visits FI facilities
Senator announces $9 million federal contract with USAF
By Mary Frances Czarsty & Dominic Desmond, news editors
Posted on August 28, 2006

Just one day after braving the chaos of freshman move-in with his wife and daughter, Sen. George Allen (R-Va,) was back in Harrisonburg. Instead of waiting in elevator lines, he worked the assembly lines of the nearby Friendship Industries plant, shaking hands and chatting with many of the employees.

Allen visited the plant to announce a federal contract totaling $9 million for the packaging of U.S. Air Force Escape and Evasion kits. The contract is awarded through the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (JWOD). This act helps entrepreneurial nonprofit Employment Services Organizations use the buying power of the federal government to help those with disabilities find employment.

“The work ethic at facilities such as this is just so inspiring,” Allen said. “The work ethic here charges me up.”

Friendship Industries, located in the North Pointe Corporate Center off of Liberty Street, is a company that employees disabled people in the Valley. The company grew out of concern from special education instructors about how their graduating students would gain employment. After decades of growth, Friendship Industries is now located in a 40,000 square foot facility that opened in 2000.

In a brief press conference after the announcement of the contract, Allen was asked about the inflammatory remark he made at a campaign rally on Aug. 11. He apologized for using the word “macaca” in reference to a 20-year old University of Virginia student of Indian descent volunteering for Allen’s opponent’s campaign.

“I made a mistake,” Allen said. “I apologize to all Virginians. I finally got a hold of Mr. Sidarth yesterday and talked to him personally,” he continued. “It was a mistake and I am sorry for it. I am very sorry for it, and I will try and do better.”

Allen was also asked about immigration and said the United States does not need reward illegal behavior with amnesty.

“We are a nation of immigrants,” Allen said. “My mother is an immigrant,” Allen said. “We are also a nation of laws. I do feel very strongly that we need to secure our borders.”

 The freshman senator said the contract he announced will take several years to fulfill but hopes the War on Terror will not go on for ever.

“We are praying that not a one of the E and E kits will never be used,” Allen said.