[vendtalk] Fw: Pls resend Web link to Pres. Obama's letter - RE: Fw: Randolph Sheppard Vending Facility Program Continues to Make a Difference!

[Colleen McFadden]

 January 20, 2012

Presidential Memorandum -- Federal Support for the Randolph-Sheppard Vending
Facility Program
| MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

 SUBJECT: Federal Support for the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facility Program

 Thousands of Americans who are blind have embraced the entrepreneurial
| spirit that helps define our Nation as a land of opportunity. Through the
| Federal Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facility Program administered by the
| Department of Education, talented and creative individuals who are blind
| have acquired the management training and business skills necessary to
| realize the American dream -- a lifetime of economic opportunity,
| independence, and self-sufficiency for themselves and their families.
|
| For 75 years, blind business managers have successfully operated food
 services and commercial ventures at Federal, State, and private buildings
 and locations nationwide. We honor and celebrate this program's historic
 achievements. We also trust that the Randolph-Sheppard Program will 
continue
to be a leading model for providing high-quality entrepreneurial
| opportunities for blind individuals. From a simple snack shop, to tourist
| services at the Hoover Dam, to full food-services operations at military
| installations, blind entrepreneurs have provided exceptional customer
| service to Federal and State employees, the Armed Forces, and the general
| public. With proven ability, they have challenged preconceived notions 
about
| disability.
|
| The Randolph-Sheppard Act (20 U.S.C. 107 et seq.) created the Vending
Facility Program requiring qualified blind individuals be given a priority
to operate vending facilities on Federal properties. This program is 
responsible today for providing entrepreneurial opportunities for over 2,500
individuals who are blind. In turn, these business managers have hired 
thousands of workers, many of whom are individuals with disabilities. Every
| American, including persons with disabilities, deserves the opportunity to 
succeed without limits, earn equal pay for equal jobs, and aspire to
full-time, career-oriented employment.

Continued support and cooperation are needed from executive departments, 
agencies, and offices (agencies) to extend the Randolph-Sheppard priority to
 qualified blind managers through the State licensing agencies that 
implement the program. Therefore, I direct all agencies that have property 
management
 responsibilities to ensure that agency officials, when pursuing the 
establishment and operation of vending facilities (including cafeterias and
military dining facilities) as defined in 20 U.S.C. 107e, issue permits 
andcontracts in compliance with
the Randolph-Sheppard Program and consistent with existing regulations and 
law. I further direct the Secretary of Education, through the Commissioner 
of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, to submit a report to the 
President on agencies' implementation of the Randolph-Sheppard Program not 
later than 1 year from the date of this memorandum.

 This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or
benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any
| party against theUnited States, its departments, agencies, or entities, 
its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

  The Secretary of Education is hereby authorized and directed to publish 
this
memorandum in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

| From: "Vandervoort's" <vandervoorts at sbcglobal.net>
| To: <mcfadden87 at cableone.net>
| Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 6:12 PM
| Subject: Pls resend Web link to Pres. Obama's letter - RE: [vendtalk] Fw:
| Randolph Sheppard Vending Facility Program Continues to Make a Difference!
|
|
||I received the following message.  However, it came as pure text and the
| web
|| link you indicated was not included.  Could you please send the url link
| or
|| a copy of the letter out to all?
||
|| Thank you,
||
|| Mike Vandervoort
|| Vandervoort's Vending
|| Abilene, TX
|| 325-513-9552
||
|| -----Original Message-----

||
|| Alexa Posny, Ph.D.
||
||
|| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|| ----
||
||
|