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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> Tuesday, February 14, 2012 11:13
AM<BR><B>To:</B> Alpidio Rolon; Amy Buresh; Art Schreiber; Beth Rival; Bill
Packee; Bob Kresmer; Carl Jacobsen; Cassandra McNabb; Cathy Jackson; Charlene
Smyth; Christine G. Hall; Dan Hicks; Daniel Burke; Donna Wood; Duane Iverson;
Elsie Dickerson; Frank Lee; Franklin Shiner; Fred Schroeder; Garrick Scott; Gary
Ray; Gary Wunder; Grace Pires; J.W. Smith; James Antonacci; Jeannie Massay;
Jennifer Dunnam; Joe Ruffalo; John Batron; John Fritz; Joy Harris; Joyce
Scanlan; Ken Rollman; Kim Williams; Kimberly Flores; Larry Posont; Lynn
Majewski; Mary Willows; Melissa Riccobono; Michael Barber; Michael Freeman; Mika
Pyyhkala; Nani Fife; Pam Allen; Parnell Diggs; Patti Chang; Patty Estes; Rena
Smith; Ron Brown; Gardner, Ron; Sam Gleese; Scott LaBarre; Shawn Callaway; Terry
Sheeler<BR><B>Subject:</B> National Federation of the Blind Urges Congress to
Reject Commercializing Rest Stops<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<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><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT size=5
face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></B></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"><A
href="mailto:Cdanielsen@nfb.org"><FONT
face=Helvetica>Cdanielsen@nfb.org</FONT></A><o:p></o:p></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>National Federation of the
Blind Urges Congress <BR>to Reject Commercializing Rest
Stops<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>Transportation Bill Amendment
Threatens Livelihood of Hundreds of Blind
Entrepreneurs<o:p></o:p></FONT></EM></SPAN></H2>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Helvetica><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Baltimore,
Maryland (February 14, 2012):</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> The <A
href="http://www.nfb.org/">National Federation of the Blind</A>, the oldest and
largest nationwide organization of blind Americans, today urged the United
States Congress to reject an amendment to the proposed American Energy and
Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012 (H.R. 7) that would allow the commercialization
of highway rest stops. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Currently,
the only commercial activity permitted at such rest stops is the operation of
vending machines by blind entrepreneurs under the Randolph-Sheppard
Act.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the
National Federation of the Blind, said: “This amendment would threaten the
livelihoods of hundreds of blind entrepreneurs in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United
States</st1:country-region></st1:place> who depend on revenue from rest stop
vending machines. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>With an
unemployment rate among blind Americans that exceeds 70 percent, such a move is
deeply irresponsible, as these entrepreneurs will lose their businesses and be
forced to rely on public assistance. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We urge Congress to reject this
ill-considered and reckless proposal.”<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>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The amendment</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>, #217, has been put forward by
Congressmen Steve LaTourette (R-OH), Steve Stivers (R-OH), and Dennis Kucinich
(D-OH).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The House Committee on
Rules is expected to vote later today on whether to allow the amendment.
</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">###<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=5> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>About
the National Federation of the Blind </SPAN></STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>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:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
States</st1:place></st1:country-region>. 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:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United
States</st1:place></st1:country-region> for the blind led by the
blind.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>