[Ct-nfb] Position on Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act (H.R. 831)

Christine Scrimgeo he scrimgeo at sbcglobal.net
Mon Feb 10 01:49:58 UTC 2014


Rich, What a masterpiece!!!
Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 9, 2014, at 3:10 PM, Richard McGaffin <rmcgaffin at snet.net> wrote:
> 
> February 9, 2014
> 
> President Barack Obama
> The White House
> 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
> Washington, DC 20500
> 
> 
> Dear Mr. President:
> 
> In your January 28th State of the Union Address, and via a conference call
> with Vice President Biden and Secretary of Labor Perez on January 29th, it
> was announced that all contractors would be required by executive order to
> pay their federally funded workers at least $10.10 an hour under any new
> contracts. The National Federation of the Blind, the oldest and largest
> nationwide organization of blind Americans, urges you to include workers
> with disabilities in this executive order, affirmatively and explicitly. We
> further urge you to announce that you will sign the Fair Wages for Workers
> with Disabilities Act (H.R. 831) if and when that legislation reaches your
> desk. With a Republican sponsor and substantial Democratic co-sponsorship,
> this nonpartisan piece of legislation will responsibly phase out the
> discriminatory practice of paying workers with disabilities less than the
> minimum wage. 
> 
> Our respect and prayers go out to Americans like Sergeant First Class Cory
> Remsburg, who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom and
> equality we seek to enjoy as American citizens. We are thankful that
> Sergeant Remsburg is recovering from the wounds he suffered in service to
> this great nation. But we must point out that his value to our society is
> not a function of the restoration of his eyesight and ability to walk, but
> of the simple fact that he is a human being with determination, belief in
> himself, love for the United States, and aspirations for his future. There
> are millions of others who actively seek to serve this nation we love with
> our unique talents and strengths, whether or not we can benefit from
> technology or medical intervention that will mitigate or eliminate our
> disabilities. Some of us may be blind in both eyes; others may not be able
> to hear; some may be unable to walk; some may have developmental
> disabilities that require innovative interventions; and still others may
> have other disabilities that require them to perform everyday tasks a little
> differently. We seek to have our different characteristics embraced as
> respected contributions to our nation's diversity, not as badges of
> inferiority that condemn us to a life of low wages and low expectations. We
> are no less valuable, we are no less capable, and we are no less American
> than any other citizen.
> 
> We wholeheartedly agree with you when you say, "The America we want for our
> kids - a rising America where honest work is plentiful and communities are
> strong; where prosperity is widely shared and opportunity for all lets us go
> as far as our dreams and toil will take us - none of it is easy. But if we
> work together; if we summon what is best in us, the way Cory summoned what
> is best in him, with our feet planted firmly in today but our eyes cast
> towards tomorrow - I know it's within our reach." We believe that this
> America includes people with disabilities, and we ask you to demonstrate
> that you believe it as well.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Richard McGaffin, President of the Southern Connecticut Chapter
> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
> cc: Vice President Joseph R. Biden
>       The Honorable Thomas E. Perez
> 
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