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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Chris Danielsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Director of Public Relations<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="mailto:Cdanielsen@nfb.rg">Cdanielsen@nfb.rg</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b>National Federation of the Blind Commends President Obama<br>
for Executive Order on Wages<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Order Ensures Economic Mobility for Federal Contract Employees with Disabilities<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Baltimore, Maryland (February 12, 2014):</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/">The National Federation of the Blind (NFB)</a> commented today on President Obama’s executive order requiring a wage floor of $10.10 for individuals employed under all new federal contracts, including workers with disabilities
who are currently excluded from minimum wage protections under special certificate programs.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Dr. Marc Maurer, President of
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/NationalFederationoftheBlind">the National Federation of the Blind</a>, said: “President Obama’s courageous action today is a tremendous victory for federal contract workers with disabilities, and we wholeheartedly applaud the
spectacular step forward that this new executive order represents. The National Federation of the Blind commends President Obama for recognizing the value of workers with disabilities and ensuring that these workers can take advantage of the same opportunity
for economic mobility as their nondisabled co-workers. We urge Congress to finish the work that President Obama has begun by passing
<a href="https://nfb.org/fair-wages">the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act (H.R. 831)</a> to ensure that all workers with disabilities, not just those working under federal contracts, will no longer be subjected to the antiquated and discriminatory
practice of being paid less than the federal minimum wage.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt">###<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">About the National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="s4" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><br>
<span class="bumpedfont15">The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest, largest, and most influential nationwide membership organization of blind people in the United States. Founded in 1940, the NFB advocates for the civil rights and equality
of blind Americans, and develops innovative education, technology, and training programs to provide the blind and those who are losing vision with the tools they need to become independent and successful.
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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