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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello All! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>During the next three days please take a minute to call your congressman and Senator Cardin. The main switchboard number is 202-224-3121. Both Senators are already co-sponsoring the Access Technology Affordability Act. Senator Van Hollen is also co-sponsoring the Transformation to Competitive Employment Act. This is an excellent start, however, we have no congressman sponsoring any of our bills. Let’s change this situation this week! We can do it if everyone helps. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Please ask Senator Cardin to co-sponsor S 260 Transformation to Competitive Employment Act, sponsored by Bobby Scott (D-VA-3) Senate. Please ask your congressman to cosponsor the companion bill HR 873, sponsored by Bob Casey (D-PA). These bills would phase out Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act over a six-year period, at which point the provision would officially be sunset.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Please also ask your congressman to co-sponsor HR 2086 Access Technology Affordability Act sponsored by Mike Thompson (D-CA-5). This legislation removes an employment barrier commonly experienced by blind Americans who cannot afford the high cost of access technology by creating a refundable tax credit in the amount of $2,000 to offset the cost of these technologies. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Thanks for your assistance!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><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><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Sharon Maneki, Director of Legislation and Advocacy</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>410-715-9596<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back</span>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>