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<P class=MsoNormal><B>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Chris
Danielsen<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Director of Public
Relations<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">National Federation of the
Blind<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">(410) 659-9314, extension
2330<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">(410) 262-1281
(Cell)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A
href="mailto:Cdanielsen@nfb.rg">Cdanielsen@nfb.rg</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" class=MsoNormal align=center><B>National
Federation of the Blind Commends President Obama<BR>for Executive Order on
Wages<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" class=MsoNormal align=center><B><I><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Order Ensures Economic Mobility for Federal Contract
Employees with Disabilities<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Baltimore, Maryland
(February 12, 2014):</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <A
href="http://www.nfb.org/">The National Federation of the Blind (NFB)</A>
commented today on President Obama’s executive order requiring a wage floor of
$10.10 for individuals employed under all new federal contracts, including
workers with disabilities who are currently excluded from minimum wage
protections under special certificate programs. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Dr. Marc Maurer, President of
<A href="http://www.facebook.com/NationalFederationoftheBlind">the National
Federation of the Blind</A>, said: “President Obama’s courageous action today is
a tremendous victory for federal contract workers with disabilities, and we
wholeheartedly applaud the spectacular step forward that this new executive
order represents. The National Federation of the Blind commends President
Obama for recognizing the value of workers with disabilities and ensuring that
these workers can take advantage of the same opportunity for economic mobility
as their nondisabled co-workers. We urge Congress to finish the work that
President Obama has begun by passing <A href="https://nfb.org/fair-wages">the
Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act (H.R. 831)</A> to ensure that all
workers with disabilities, not just those working under federal contracts, will
no longer be subjected to the antiquated and discriminatory practice of being
paid less than the federal minimum wage.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" class=MsoNormal align=center><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">###<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">About the National
Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=s4><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><BR><SPAN class=bumpedfont15>The
National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest, largest, and most
influential nationwide membership organization of blind people in the United
States. Founded in 1940, the NFB advocates for the civil rights and
equality of blind Americans, and develops innovative education, technology, and
training programs to provide the blind and those who are losing vision with the
tools they need to become independent and successful.
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