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To the Honorable Members of the On On their most basic levels the Randolph Sheppard Program is designed to create self employment opportunities for blind people by giving them the priority to operate food service operations, vending operations and retail operations on federal property. JWOD is designed to employee disabled people to manufacture products that are sold to the federal government, mops, brooms, clocks, etc. These two programs have coexisted successfully for decades. They were created separately to achieve separate goals, and that is what they have done. I am a forty year old blind person, who is a husband and a father of three. I have been a member of the Randolph Sheppard Program for over twelve years, and I would like to think that I am a successful example of the Randolph Sheppard Program’s potential. Recently my wife and I have learned that two of our children were born with my eye disease. As you can imagine the future and success of the Randolph Sheppard Program has become an even more important issue to me. Admittedly these programs may have some problems; the military has problems, social security has problems, the economy has problems, I think we both know I could go on, but I won’t. The HELP Committee is questioning whether enough disabled people are being helped by these programs. One of the Committee’s recommendations for a possible solution is to combine these two programs. I have been trying to find the logic in this recommendation, I can’t can you? If two programs have problems will combining them correct the problems? Common sense would tell you no. Despite the HELP Committee’s good intentions, as a blind person it is unnerving to think that they can not have an accurate prospective on the most effective way to strengthen the Randolph Sheppard Program. With all due respect the Committee members don’t know what it is like to be blind, so how can they know how best to help a blind person? Senator Jennings Randolph, coauthor of the Randolph Sheppard Act developed a detached retina, seriously affecting his vision. At that time the treatment for a detached retina was to remain on your back for six months to allow the retina to heal. This gave Senator Randolph a true understanding of what it is like to be blind, and gave him insight in to the most effective way to help blind people. Blind Americans currently have an unemployment rate of over
70%. In addition, doctors are now finding that solar related eye disorders that
once only affected people in their 70’s and 80’s, are now being found
in people as young as 40. An age when people still have families to support and
still can be a viable part of The Randolph Sheppard Program should not be down sized, changed, or combined with any other program; rather it should be strengthened and expanded to prepare for the coming onslaught of newly blinded Americans. With this in mind may I then suggest to you: 1. Don’t let the HELP Committee combine these to programs, which will inevitably create a bureaucratic nightmare for disabled people. 2. Urge the HELP Committee to convene a panel that would include blind vendors, to address any issues in the Randolph Sheppard Program. Who better to help correct any problems in a program for blind vendors, then blind vendors? If you were trying to correct problems within a program for women, would exclude input from women? If you were trying to correct problems within a program for minorities, would you exclude input from minorities? I would hope not. So why then is it acceptable to exclude input from blind vendors. Please help to ensure the future of the Randolph Sheppard Program, not only for me and my children, but for all blind people, today and in the future. Despite the fact that I am not a resident of your state, I would still respectfully request a response stating your thoughts and position on this issue. I may not be from your state but I can assure you that there are blind people residing in your state and your opinion will significantly impact them. |
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