<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Good morning, Federation family,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I am using a shell of the legislative concerns meeting announcement sent out last week to construct this mornings email, (trying to save time and trying to avoid re-writing the entire announcement)\u2026that\u2019s why some of it will look familiar. Please do take time to read over this announcement<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>October is turning out to be an extremely busy month in terms of legislative advocacy. We met in person during our NFB of Florida Affiliate convention in Altamonte Springs on October 5<sup>th</sup> and had a terrific discussion with one another. Wee had over 30 convention attendees present for the meeting and to all of you who took time out of your busy schedules to attend, I am truly grateful.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Some extremely important issues have developed since convention, and we all need to work together to address them immediately. This email will provide information about an urgent legislative concerns and advocacy meeting that we will hold via Zoom this evening at 8:00 PM, (EST). Please try and make time for this meeting, if you can.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>As many of you are aware, last week President Riccobono convened a meeting of Legislative Directors and Affiliate Presidents. Both Camille Tate and I were in attendance. I noted that nearly 90 Federationists from around the country were also present. To lessen my tendency of being redundant, below I\u2019m going to paste an excerpt from a legislative/news alert released by the National Federation of the Blind on October 14<sup>th</sup>. This alert was sent out via our national email list serve last week and so, perhaps you have seen it recently. The message contained in the alert will highlight the reason why President Riccobono felt compelled to gather with Affiliate Presidents and Legislative Directors last night. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>\u201c</span>News alert affecting blind people: Most federal employees within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services received Reduction in Force notices last Friday.<br><br>If not reversed, this action will severely undermine the Department of Education\u2019s ability to carry out its legal responsibilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Randolph-Sheppard Act. These laws ensure that blind children receive Braille and other essential educational services, that blind adults receive the training necessary for competitive employment, and that blind entrepreneurs have opportunities to operate businesses on federal properties.<br><br>We call upon the Department of Education to immediately rescind this reduction in force.<span style='font-size:11.0pt'>\u201d<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We believe that simply calling on the Department of Education to resend the RIF will not be enough. We believe that our elected officials in the US House of Representatives and in the US senate need to be urged to put pressure on the Department of Education to resend its reduction in force order before harm is done to the critical programs mentioned above. Florida has 28 US House members and 2 Senators, and we will need your help in trying to hold in person meetings with all of them by November 7<sup>th</sup>. Fortunately, at this time, the US House is not in session and so most Representatives are back home in district.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>So now, you are probably getting a good idea of why we are asking you to join us for multiple meetings in October. Some serious work needs to be done, and we know we have make a big, \u201cask\u201d, from all of you. This is a time when we as Federationists come together, develop a plan and tackle an extremely important issue.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Camille and I should have appointments set for next week with our two US Senators in Washington DC soon, (I\u2019m currently corresponding with their schedulers to find suitable appointment times when we will be on The Hill next Tuesday and Wednesday. We are traveling by train from Jacksonville to Baltimore on Sunday and will return early Thursday morning.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Several Affiliate members have told me that they are working towards getting in-person appointments with their US House members here in Florida, while The House is in recess and the Representatives are in district. Many of you have begun calling and emailing your Reps. In order to express your opinions about the Dept. of Education\u2019s reduction in force order. To those of you who have taken action already, we are all extremely grateful. Please email me with information about the actions you have already taken, (keeping track of our actions across the State is an important task for us during this Legislative push).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I am attaching to this email, two files that I hope will help you all a great deal. One is the fact sheet developed by our national office that you can use as a guide when contacting your Reps and when meeting with them. The second attachment is an Excel spreadsheet with contact information for all 28 Florida House members. The spreadsheet provides the names, email addresses and phone numbers for the in-state District Directors for each US House member. I used this information myself to direct my contacts with the Reps. In House Districts 4 and 5. I found the information very helpful and hope you will too.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Looking forward to meeting with you all tonight. If you have any questions, please don\u2019t hesitate to contact either me or President Tate, we are very happy to assist you with this project in anyway that we can. I am in meetings today from 10:00 until 11:30 and then again from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, (so I may not be able to answer my phone, but you are welcome to text or email me at any time).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Please see below the Zoom link for the meetings being held. The link will be the same for both meetings.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>President Tate and I are looking forward to gathering with you all tonight.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Respectfully,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Russ Davis, Legislative Director<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>National Federation of the Blind of Florida<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Ph. 904-993-8433<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Email: <a href="mailto:russell@radiorusty.com">russell@radiorusty.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>NFBFL President Tate is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Date/Time: Tuesday, October 28<sup>th</sup>, 2025 at 8:0 PM Eastern<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Topic: Legislative committee<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Join Zoom Meeting<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/94416346364">https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/94416346364</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Meeting ID: 944 1634 6364<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>---<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>One tap mobile<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>+16468769923,,94416346364#<span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>