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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>ATTENTION! ATTENTION! ATTENTION!!
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Did you know that there is an initiative in
Congress to move people with disabilities back 50 years with exploitive,
discriminatory, immoral employment practices? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>February 5 is the second #Fix WIA Wednesday and I
urge each of you to take a moment tomorrow and contact Senators McConnell and
Paul's offices to speak for yourself and on behalf of nearly one million
Kentuckians who have a disability. Let's make our voices heard on this day
regarding this extremely important issue!! Please share with your families
and friends, encourage them to join us in contacting the Senators. Come
on ! Let's send at least one hundred messages from Kentucky to the Senators
tomorrow Wednesday February 5!!! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Find them on twitter, facebook, email or
call;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Senator Rand Paul (202)224-4343</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Senator Mitch McConnell (202)224-2541</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Once you have made your contact, please email me or
text (859)948-3663.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>If I may assist you in any way, please email me at
(<A
href="mailto:pglisson@independenceplaceky.org">pglisson@independenceplaceky.org</A>)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Contact the NFB national office (<A
href="mailto:rsloan@nfb.org">rsloan@nfb.org</A>)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Contact Cathy (<A
href="mailto:cathyj1949@gmail.com">cathyj1949@gmail.com</A>)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Please see more information below-</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Tomorrow is our second
#FixWIA Wednesday. We had a very good campaign a few weeks ago, but
unfortunately our Senators do not understand our concerns with WIA yet.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">During our last campaign,
we had just over 150 tweets with the hash tag #FixWIA. When we set our minds to
something, there is nothing the Federation cannot accomplish. I am setting the
goal of 250 tweets with the hash tag #FixWIA. When tweeting, do not forget to
use your Senators’ handles. You can find them, along with their Facebook pages
here:<SPAN style="COLOR: black"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A
href="http://govsm.com/w/Senate" target=_blank><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'">http://govsm.com/w/Senate</SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">.
</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">For those of you who
prefer to e-mail your Senators, I have attached the letter I plan to send to my
Senators. Please consider using this as a template. For those of you who prefer
to call your Senators, feel free to use this email as a guide for your call.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">If you would like even
more information about our concerns with WIA, please see our blog post at:
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A
href="https://nfb.org/blog/vonb-blog/fix-wia"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'">https://nfb.org/blog/vonb-blog/fix-wia</SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Thank you to
everyone who helped out with our first #FixWIA campaign. We have invited other
disability organizations to help with this effort—together I know we can come up
with 250 tweets that embed the hash tag #FixWIA. Let your concerns about
WIA be heard! Through our efforts, we can ensure that fewer people with
disabilities are subjected to detrimental subminimum wage sheltered employment.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">If you have
any questions, feel free to reach out to me at </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A href="mailto:rsloan@nfb.org"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'">rsloan@nfb.org</SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> or by
calling 410-659-9314 extension 2441. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Thanks
everyone,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Rose<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">February 5,
2014<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Dear
Senator,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I
am writing to express my strong opposition to Section 511 of Title 5 of the
reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (S. 1356). My main concern
is that Section 511 introduces subminimum wage employment into the
Rehabilitation Act for the first time ever. Even more importantly, the
title of Section 511 is not reflected in the text of Section 511. While
the title claims to put limitations on employment of individuals with
disabilities at subminimum wage, Subsection a (4) of the bill text allows anyone
to enter subminimum wage sheltered employment. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Senator, I have done my
homework with respect to the impact of subminimum-wage sheltered employment on
people with disabilities. Studies show that people with disabilities who
enter sheltered workshops rarely transition into competitive,
community-integrated employment. Even though the stated goal of WIA is to
ensure community-integrated employment, subminimum wage employment is not a
viable path to that goal. Less than five percent of people with
disabilities in subminimum wage sheltered employment receive a job in
community-integrated employment. Please strike Section 511 from WIA.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Additionally, I am
concerned about the proposed move of the Rehabilitation Services Administration
(RSA) from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor. Just as
sheltered workshops focus on what people with disabilities cannot do, the
Department of Labor looks at what a person can <I>currently </I>do without
taking into consideration their potential to build further skills. The
role of the Department of Education is to educate, or teach people new
skills. I fear that if RSA is moved to Labor, people with disabilities
will not be able to reach their full potential. Furthermore, there is no
research that shows that moving RSA to the Department of Labor will be more
efficient for people with disabilities. Why not save the money that would
be spent to make the move, and put it towards improving the services that RSA
provides? <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I
hope that I can count on your support. I sincerely feel that if you took
the time to review Section 511 for yourself that you will realize that people
with disabilities will be hindered by the current language in WIA. Please
offer an amendment that will strike Section 511 and will remove the language
that moves RSA from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I
look forward to hearing back from you. I fear that WIA may be coming to
the floor soon. Please contact me at </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A href="mailto:Rsloan@nfb.org"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'">Rsloan@nfb.org</SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Thank
you,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Rose Sloan
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P></DIV>
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