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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Sigman, Brian [mailto:Brian.Sigman@ct.gov] <br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, March 08, 2012 8:21 AM<br><b>To:</b> Sylvestre, Alan; 'erival@comcast.net'; 'joenerney@charter.net'; 'c.rafala@snet.net'<br><b>Subject:</b> FW: Urgent Alert: Portman 1742 Headed for a Vote on the Senate Floor Today, March 8<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Sean Whalen [mailto:swhalen@linchpinstrategies.com] <br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 07, 2012 10:54 PM<br><b>To:</b> 'Terry Smith C'; 'Nicky Gacos'; 'Kevan Worley'; 'Hartle, Jesse'; jpare@nfb.org; 'Roy Harmon'; icbv@sbcglobal.net; kwh7047661@aol.com; 'sippl'; mbrunson@acb.org; 'Eric Bridges'<br><b>Subject:</b> Urgent Alert: Portman 1742 Headed for a Vote on the Senate Floor Today, March 8</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hello,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Majority Leader Reid just came to the Senate floor and indicated that Portman 1742 will be among the amendments given votes. Consideration of S. 1813 will begin at 10:30 on Thursday March 8. The Portman amendment will need 50 votes to pass. Here below is the update I just sent to NCSAB.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sean<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>NCSAB Members:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As we suspected it would, the Senate leadership agreement on amendments includes a vote on Portman amendment 1742 to commercialize federal highway rest areas. The Senate will begin consideration of S. 1813 today, March 8, at 10:30am eastern. Majority Leader Reid indicated that he intends to hold votes on as many amendments as possible today, with an eye toward finishing the entire bill.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you have already contacted your Senators, thank you so much for helping to have the voice of Randolph-Sheppard heard. If you have not yet called your Senators to inform them of the devastating impact of amendment 1742 on small Randolph-Sheppard businesses and the blind entrepreneurs who own and manage them, now is your final chance to do so. Please contact your Senators, and urge vendors in your state to do the same. You can reach the Capitol switchboard and be connected to your Senators’ offices by calling (202) 225-3121.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A final note, please do not contact Senators from states other than your own. We have received several messages from slightly irritated Senate offices that they are being inundated with calls from people who are not constituents. Such contacts may, at this point, be counterproductive rather than helpful.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to be in touch.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As always, thank you for all your work to protect Randolph-Sheppard and business opportunities for the blind.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Take care,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sean.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sean Whalen<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Policy Associate<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Linchpin Strategies, LLC<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>639 Massachusetts Ave NE<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Washington, DC 20002<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Phone: (866) 443-0998<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Fax: (202) 318-8113<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>