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<DIV dir=ltr class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Freeh, Jessica
[mailto:JFreeh@nfb.org]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, December 10, 2010 9:43
AM<BR><B>To:</B> Alpidio Rolon; Amy Buresh; Angela Wolf; Art Schreiber; Beth
Rival; Bill Packee; Bob Kresmer; Carl Jacobsen; Cassandra McNabb; Cathy Jackson;
Charlene Smyth; Christine G. Hall; Dan Hicks; Daniel Burke; Don Galloway; Donna
Wood; Elsie Dickerson; Frank Lee; Franklin Shiner; Fred Schroeder; Garrick
Scott; Gary Ray; Gary Wunder; Grace Pires; J.W. Smith; James Antonacci; Jennelle
Bichler; Jennifer Dunnam; Joe Ruffalo; John Batron; John Fritz; Joyce Scanlan;
Ken Rollman; Kim Williams; Larry Posont; Lynn Majewski; Mary Willows; Melissa
Riccobono; Michael Barber; Michael Freeman; Mika Pyyhkala; Nani Fife; Pam Allen;
Parnell Diggs; Patti Chang; Rena Smith; Ron Brown; Ron Gardner; Sam Gleese;
Scott LaBarre; Selena Sundling-Crawford; Terry Sheeler<BR><B>Subject:</B>
National Federation of the Blind Commends Senate for Passage of Safety
Legislation<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Garamond>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT face=Helvetica><FONT size=4>FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=5
face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
face=Helvetica>CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>Chris
Danielsen<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>Director of Public
Relations<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>National Federation of the
Blind<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>(410) 659-9314, extension
2330<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>(410) 262-1281
(Cell)<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
face=Helvetica>cdanielsen@nfb.org<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=5
face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></P>
<H1 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 12pt 0in 3pt" align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=4>National Federation of the
Blind Commends</FONT></FONT></SPAN><BR><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Senate for Passage of Safety
Legislation<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></H1>
<H2 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 12pt 0in 3pt" align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><EM><FONT face=Arial>Urges Swift Passage by House of
Representatives</FONT></EM></SPAN></H2>
<P><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Washington, D.C. (December 10, 2010):</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> The National Federation of the Blind today commended
the United States Senate for passing the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act (S.
841), which will protect the blind and other pedestrians from injury as a result
of silent vehicle technology. <BR><BR>Because blind pedestrians cannot
locate and evaluate traffic using their vision, they must listen to traffic to
discern its speed, direction, and other attributes in order to travel safely and
independently. Other people, including pedestrians who are not blind,
bicyclists, runners, and small children, also benefit from hearing the sound of
vehicle engines. New vehicles that employ hybrid or electric engine
technology can be silent, rendering them extremely dangerous in situations where
vehicles and pedestrians come into proximity with each other.<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR>“The National Federation of the Blind commends
the United States Senate for the wise and decisive action taken today to
preserve the right to safe and independent travel for the blind,” said Dr. Marc
Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “The blind,
like all pedestrians, must be able to travel to work, to school, to church, and
to other places in our communities, and we must be able to hear vehicles in
order to do so. This bill, which is the result of collaboration among
blind Americans, automobile manufacturers, and legislators, will benefit all
pedestrians for generations to come as new vehicle technologies become more
prevalent.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We now call upon the
House of </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Representatives to pass this
legislation as quickly as possible so that it can be sent to the President’s
desk for his signature before the close of the year.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">“I’m a major advocate of hybrids—I own one,
I drive one, and I’ve seen firsthand their environmental and economic benefits,”
said Senator John Kerry, the sponsor of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement
Act.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“This legislation will allow
us to continue to promote our energy independence and technological innovation
while safeguarding those who use senses other than sight to navigate the roads.”
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>“The Alliance of Automobile
Manufacturers is proud of this legislation, which is the result of our
cooperative relationship with advocates for blind pedestrians,” said Dave
McCurdy, President and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“We believe that this legislation
represents a common-sense approach to ensure that the blind and other
pedestrians remain safe as new vehicle technologies
emerge.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">###<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">About the National Federation of the
Blind<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><BR>With more than 50,000 members,
the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential
membership organization of blind people in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United
States</st1:country-region></st1:place>. The NFB improves blind people’s
lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs
encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in
the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January
2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the
first research and training center in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United
States</st1:country-region></st1:place> for the blind led by the blind.
Please visit our Web site: <A href="http://www.nfb.org/"><SPAN
style="COLOR: windowtext">www.nfb.org</SPAN></A>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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face=Arial> </FONT></o:p></P>
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style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV>
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