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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:#0075C9;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><img id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/top-blue-bar.jpg"><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:12.0pt 12.0pt 12.0pt 12.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=34136&qid=9901014" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/nfb-logo-for-email-template.jpg" alt="National Federation of the Blind logo and tagline live the life you want"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;border-color:initial'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt'><h1><span style='color:black'>FAA Reauthorization Act Signed into Law</span><o:p></o:p></h1><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Dear Federation Family,</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Congratulations to us all on our hard work regarding the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act! Because of our tremendous work, the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate passed H.R. 3935 with overwhelming bipartisan support keeping all the accessibility provisions intact. On May 16, 2024, <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=34137&qid=9901014" target="_blank">President Biden signed into law H.R. 3935, the “FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.”</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Specific accessibility provisions in H.R. 3935 that would benefit blind and disabled air travelers include:</span><o:p></o:p></p><ul type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Training requirements for assisting passengers with disabilities.</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Better access standards for the accessibility of in-flight entertainment.</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Improved access to airline websites.</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Initiates a pilot program for air passengers to register their service animal, eliminating the need to complete the service animal forms for each flight.</span><o:p></o:p></li></ul><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=34138&qid=9901014" target="_blank">Statement from President Biden After Signing FAA Reauthorization Act.</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><h2><span style='font-size:20.0pt;color:black'>Message from President Riccobono</span><o:p></o:p></h2><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>“While blind people use air travel like everyone else, it is often not an accessible or pleasant experience for us,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “From booking our trip on an airline website to ensuring that the airline will accommodate our guide dog or cane to receiving appropriate assistance from airport and airline personnel, any trip can present a series of challenges, sometimes even resulting in delayed or denied travel. We cannot even always relax after jumping through all those hoops to enjoy the in-flight entertainment because the systems and content may not be accessible. Provisions in this version of the FAA Reauthorization Act will help to address all of these issues. We therefore commend Congress for its passage and President Biden for signing it into law."</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt'><h1><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></h1></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr style='height:6.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:6.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='display:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in;background:#002F6D'><tr style='height:45.0pt'><td width=135 style='width:101.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=34139&qid=9901014" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-facebook-ms.png" alt="Facebook Logo"></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=34140&qid=9901014" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-twitter-ms.png" alt="Twitter Logo"></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=34141&qid=9901014" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1029" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-instagram-ms.png" alt="Instagram Logo"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=34142&qid=9901014" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1030" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-youtube-ms.png" alt="YouTube Logo"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=34143&qid=9901014" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1031" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-email-ms.png" alt="Email Icon Image"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=34144&qid=9901014" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1032" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-donte-ms.png" alt="Donate to the NFB Icon."></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=135 style='width:101.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Shara Winton<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President, National federation of the Blind of Massachusetts<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfbma.org/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.nfbma.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:sharawinton@gmail.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>sharawinton@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>617-304-0347<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>