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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Legislative Alert <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>May 14, 2020<o:p></o:p></p><p style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Please contact the North Dakota members of congress Senator Hoven and Representative Armstrong – FYI these legislators are both men</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>You can contact our members of congress through the Capitol switchboard and ask to be transferred to Senator Hoven office then call back and ask for Representative Armstrong. The number is 202-224-3121. </span><span style='color:#201F1E'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>You do not need to be a member of national Federation of the Blind of North Dakota to support our legislative endeavors and actively involving yourself in our advocacy efforts. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If this is your first time calling the capitol, remember that the person answering the phone receives calls like this one all the time from all sorts of advocacy organizations on many topics. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here is what you might say when you call.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>"Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of Senator Hoven. I live in [CITY, North Dakota. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>I am calling to encourage Senator Hoven to join Senator Kramer in cosponsoring the Access Technology Affordability Act S. 815. This legislation removes an employment barrier commonly experienced by blind Americans who cannot afford the high cost of access technology by creating a refundable tax credit in the amount of $2,000 to offset the cost of these technologies. In the wake of the coronavirus an employment bill for blind Americans is needed more than ever. </span><span style='color:#201F1E'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:#201F1E'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Or <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>you could just say the introduction and then I am calling to encourage Senator Hoven to join Senator Kramer in co-sponsoring the bill S815 the Access Technology Affordability Act <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Then repeat the whole process and advocate by calling Representative Armstrong <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>House Representative Armstrong Bill H.R.<span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;color:black'> 2086 Access Technology Affordability Act <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>"Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of Representative Armstrong. I live in [CITY, North Dakota. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>I am calling to encourage Representative Armstrong to join Senator Kramer in cosponsoring the Access Technology Affordability ActH.R.2086. This legislation removes an employment barrier commonly experienced by blind Americans who cannot afford the high cost of access technology by creating a refundable tax credit in the amount of $2,000 to offset the cost of these technologies. In the wake of the coronavirus an employment bill for blind Americans is needed more than ever. </span><span style='color:#201F1E'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:#201F1E'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Or <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>you could just say the introduction and then I am calling to encourage Representative Armstrong to co-sponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act H.R.2086. Senator Kramer has co-sponsored this bill Access Technology Affordability Act S.815 on the senate side. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Together we will succeed! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please send me a quick email after you make your calls and thank you for your efforts to make improvements so we can Live the Life we want! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;color:black'>Any questions, please feel welcome to contact me or our National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota President Jesse Shirek<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:president@nfbnd.org"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%'>president@nfbnd.org</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;color:black'>call 701-781-2526<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sherry E Shirek<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Secretary and Legislative Director<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Voice/text 701-781-3055<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:whitesmoke'><a href="mailto:Sherrybeth7@gmail.com">Sherrybeth7@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:whitesmoke'>www.nfbnd.org<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:whitesmoke'>The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day 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. </span><a href="http://www.nfb.org/" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#00548A;background:whitesmoke;text-decoration:none'>nfb.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>