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<div>Thank you, Barb! We need people like you, always.<br>
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<div>Sent from the iPhone of:</div>
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<div>Justin M. Salisbury</div>
<div>Graduate Student</div>
<div>Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics</div>
<div>University of Wisconsin – Madison</div>
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<div><br>
On Feb 11, 2014, at 12:37 PM, "Barbara Blejewski" <<a href="mailto:barbara.blejewski@sbcglobal.net">barbara.blejewski@sbcglobal.net</a>> wrote:<br>
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<div>HiFederation Family ,</div>
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<div>Per the instructions, I emailed the letter to the designated representatives at The White House and The Department of Labor. See below.
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<div> </div>
<div>Barb Blejewski </div>
<div> </div>
<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">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>
<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"></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>
<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">Dear Mr. President:
</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">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>
<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">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>
<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">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>
<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">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>
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