[MD-Sligo] Fwd: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert Regarding Accessibility Features in Public Buildings

[Sharon Maneki]

Hello All,

Please read John Pare's request below and take action. Can you imagine what
it would be like to go into a building with no signage for doors and no
signage or speech for elevators? We must stop this rule from going into
effect. Thanks.

*Sharon Maneki, Director of Legislation and Advocacy*
National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
410-715-9596

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is
not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Everyday we raise
the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.



---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Pare, John via NFBNet-Members-List <nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>
Date: Wed, Jun 11, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert Regarding Accessibility
Features in Public Buildings
To: David Andrews via NFBNet-Members-List <nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>


Dear Federation Family:



On May 16, 2025, the United States Department of Energy released a direct
final rule that “rescinds certain new construction requirements related to
disability nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs or activities.”
A direct final rule is slightly different from the typical rulemaking
process, it’s a kind of fast-track effort to put a new rule in place unless
there are “significant adverse comments” which oppose the rule by June 16,
2025.



As you may expect, we are adamantly opposed to any attempt to roll back any
accessibility requirements in the construction of buildings for federally
assisted programs or activities. Just last week, President Riccobono
submitted the official comments of the National Federation of the Blind to
the Department of Energy
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/letter-united-states-department-energy-regarding>
opposing the rescinding of the requirements. These comments are posted on
the policy statements page of our website, and we encourage you to read
them. But, more important than that, we urge you to submit your own
comments to the Department of Energy to ensure they understand just how
important accessibility is to us. Tell them how important Braille signage
is in buildings, or how vital nonvisually accessible information is in an
elevator.



When writing your comments, you might say something like:

“My name is [NAME], and I live in [CITY, STATE]. I urge you to withdraw the
direct final rule. As a blind person myself, I know the importance of
accessible public buildings and architecture. Without accessible features
such as Braille signage on doors and Braille and audio announcements in
elevators, blind people are unable to independently navigate these
facilities. Again, I urge you to withdraw the direct final rule.”



You can submit your comments online through the Federal Register page at:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/05/16/2025-08535/rescinding-new-construction-requirements-related-to-nondiscrimination-in-federally-assisted-programs#open-comment



The link will take you directly to the submission page where you will be
able to type in your comment, selecting the option to confirm that you are
an individual, and verifying that you understand your comments may be
publicly viewed on the website. Remember, time is of the essence because
the comment submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Monday, June 16,
2025. We apologize that we did not get this information to you sooner, but
there is still time to leave your comment.



Thank you for all that you do,

John



John Paré

Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy

200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

410-659-9314, extension 2218 | *jpare at nfb.org <jpare at nfb.org>*



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