[Ohio-talk] Letters needed

[Barbara Pierce]

We have been asked to send variations of the following letter to the people
listed below. Be sure to send blind copies to Rose Sloan,
<mailto:rsloan at nfb.org> rsloan at nfb.org, and Anil Lewis,
<mailto:alewis at nfb.org> alewis at nfb.org when you send your letter. I think
the letter is self-explanatory. President Maurer sent a version of this
letter last week. This is my variation. Please see what you can do. Contact
me if you have questions. My new email is bpierce at oberlin.net.

If this issue is a concern to you, here are the appropriate email addresses
to send your letters.  

 

Direct your letters to the White House to:

 

Claudia Gordon ( <mailto:Claudia_L_Gordon at who.eop.gov>
Claudia_L_Gordon at who.eop.gov) and  "cc":

*	Valerie Jarrett ( <mailto:vjarrett at who.eop.gov>
vjarrett at who.eop.gov) 
*	Portia Wu ( <mailto:portia.y.wu at who.eop.gov>
portia.y.wu at who.eop.gov)

Direct your letters to the Department of Labor to:

Matthew Colangelo ( <mailto:Colangelo.Matthew at dol.gov>
Colangelo.Matthew at dol.gov)   and "cc"

*	ODEP Assistant Secretary Kathy Martinez (
<mailto:martinez.kathy at dol.gov> martinez.kathy at dol.gov).

 

 

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC 20500

 

Dear Mr. President:

 

In your January 28th State of the Union Address, and in a conference call
with Vice President Biden and Secretary of Labor Perez on January 29th, you
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 explicitly include
workers with disabilities in this executive order. 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
legislation will responsibly phase out the discriminatory practice of paying
workers with disabilities less than the minimum wage. 

Our respect and prayers are with Americans like Sergeant First Class Cory
Remsburg, who make profound sacrifices 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 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. Millions of others 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, capable, or American
than other citizens.

We 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 this America includes people with
disabilities, and we ask you to demonstrate that you believe it as well.

 

Sincerely,
Barbara Pierce, President Emerita

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

cc: Vice President Joseph R. Biden

      The Honorable Thomas E. Perez

 

 

Barbara Pierce

President Emerita

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio