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<DIV>Fellow Federationists:<BR> <BR>I am writing to update you on a
potential threat to the Randolph-Sheppard program. Congressman LaTourette
and Senator Portman of Ohio are planning to offer amendments to the House and
Senate versions of the surface transportation bill. Their amendments would
allow states to commercialize rest areas on federal highways and
interstates. It appears that the Senate is going to take the first action
early next week (March 5-9), considering amendments to the Senate surface
transportation bill, S. 1813. Senator Portman’s amendment is number
1742. <BR> <BR>Currently, many blind vendors operate vending machines
at interstate rest areas throughout the country. If commercialization is
allowed, these blind vendors stand a great chance of losing their
livelihoods. We must educate our members of Congress about the impact of
commercialization on blind vendors. <BR> <BR>I will be updating this
issue as information becomes available; however, we are asking you to take
immediate action to defeat this threat to the Randolph-Sheppard program.
It is essential that we make as many calls as possible on Monday, March 5,
2012. Please see the action items listed below, and contact me with any
questions. I have included my contact information at the end of this
message. Thank you all very much in advance for your work on this
issue! <BR> <BR>Please take the following action items:
<BR> <BR><FONT size=2 face=Wingdings>§</FONT> <FONT size=1
face="Times New Roman, Times">
</FONT>Call your senators and urge them to oppose amendment number 1742 to the
surface transportation bill, S. 1813. You can be connected to your
senators by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-225-3121.<BR> <BR><FONT
size=2 face=Wingdings>§</FONT> <FONT size=1
face="Times New Roman, Times">
</FONT>Call Senator Portman (202-224-3353), and urge him to withdraw his
amendment number 1742 to the Senate transportation bill, S. 1813; we must tell
his office that this would negatively impact vendors in the Randolph-Sheppard
program. <BR> <BR><FONT size=2 face=Wingdings>§</FONT> <FONT size=1
face="Times New Roman, Times">
</FONT>Call Senator Harry Reid (202-224-3542), Senate Majority Leader, and urge
him to refuse to allow Senator Portman’s amendment number 1742 to be considered
during debate on S. 1813 because of the negative impact to blind vendors that
would result from this amendment. <BR> <BR><FONT size=2
face=Wingdings>§</FONT> <FONT size=1
face="Times New Roman, Times">
</FONT>Call Senator Barbara Boxer (202-224-3553), Chairman of the Senate
Committee on the Environment and Public Works, and urge her to oppose any
amendment to S. 1813 that calls for commercialization on federal highways and
interstates because of the negative impact to blind vendors.
<BR> <BR>Jesse<BR> <BR> <BR>Jesse Hartle<BR>Government Programs
Specialist<BR>Phone: (410) 659-9314, Ext. 2233<BR>Email: <A
href="mailto:jhartle@nfb.org">jhartle@nfb.org</A><BR><FONT size=2
face="Book Antiqua, Bookman"><FONT
face=Arial>Representative,</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Kenneth Chrane,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Maryland Free State,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Republic Of The United States</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Telephone:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>(410) 486-1569</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Cell:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>(410) 800-8252</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial><A
href="mailto:kenneth.chrane@verizon.net">kenneth.chrane@verizon.net</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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