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<DIV>HiFederation Family ,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Per the instructions, I emailed the letter to the designated
representatives at The White House and The Department of Labor. See below.
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Barb Blejewski </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">President Barack Obama </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">The
White House</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">1600Pennsylvania Avenue, NW </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Washington, DC 20500 </FONT></P>
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face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
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face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">February 10, 2014<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></P>
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face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Dear
Mr. President: </FONT></P>
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face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">In
your January 28<SUP>th</SUP> State of the Union address in conjunction with a
Conference Call Vice President Biden, and the Secretary of Labor, The Thomas E.
Perez, onJanuary 29<SUP>th</SUP>, you announced that all Federal contractors
would be required by executive order to pay<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>their Federally funded workers at
least $10.10 per hour under any new contracts.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The National Federation of the Blind,
the oldest and the largest organization of Blind Americans encourage you too
include workers with disabilities in this Executive Order; affirmatively and
explicitly.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We further encourage
you to announce that you will sign The Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities
Act, (H.R.831.)Sponsorship by one republican and substantial Democratic
co-sponsorship demonstrates that this piece of nonpartisan legislation will
responsibily phase out the discriminatory practice of paying workers with
disabilities less than the minimum wage.</FONT></P>
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face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Our
respect and prayers to Americans like First Class Sergeant Cory Remsburg, who
are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom and equality we seek
to enjoy as American<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>citizens.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We are thankful that Sergeant Remsburg
is recovering from the wounds he suffered in service to this great nation.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>However, we must point out that his
value to our society is not a function of the restoration of his eyesight and/or
his ability to walk but concerns the simple fact that he is a human being with
determination, belief in himself, love of the United States, and asperations for
his future.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There are millions of
people who actively seek to serve this nation we love by utilizing our unique
talents and strengths, whether or not we can benefit from technology or medical
intervention that will mitigate or eliminate our disabilities.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Some
of us may be blind in both eyes; others may not be able to hear; some of us may
be unable to walk; some may have developmental disabilities which require
innovative interventions; and still others have disabilities that require them
to perform everyday tasks by using different WAYS of accomplishing them.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>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, <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>we are no less capable, and we are no
less American than any other citizen. </FONT></P>
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face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">We
wholeheartedly agree with you when you say, “The America we want for our
kids-<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>a rising America where honest
work is plentiful and communities are strong;<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>where prosperity is widely shared and
opportunity exists for all.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Let us
go where our dreams and toil will take us- none of it is easy. However,if we go
together; if we summon what is best in us, the way Cory Remsburg summoned what
is best in him, with our feet planted firmly in today, but our eyes cast toward
tomorrow I know it’s within our reach.” <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We believe that this America includes
people with disabilities, and we ask you to believe in it as well!”</FONT></P>
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face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Sincerely: </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Barbara Blejewski</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Cc:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Vice
President Joseph R. Biden </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Cc:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The
Honorable Thomas E. Perez<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>