<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000">Hello all, Please contact Senator Cardin and Senator Van hollen and ask them to make sure the disability provisions in HR 3935 remain. Read the below message from our advocacy and policy team. Please make these calls or send these emails by Thursday at the latest Thanks. 

                                                <table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height:145px;width:600px">
                                                        <tbody>
                                                                <tr>
                                                                        <td style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);border-color:initial;border-style:none;border-width:medium;height:20px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;width:100%">
                                                                        <h1><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:24pt;color:black">Contact Your Senators Regarding the FAA and Blind Air Passengers</span></h1>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">Dear Federation Member,</span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">Once
 every five years, Congress must pass legislation to reauthorize the 
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The House and Senate have been 
meeting and have agreed to legislation which will be considered this 
week in the Senate using the bill number H.R. 3935.</span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">The
 National Federation of the Blind strongly advocated for some of the 
provisions related to blind air passengers that are contained within the
 bill. These provisions include training requirements for assisting 
passengers with disabilities, better access standards for the 
accessibility of in-flight entertainment, and improved access to airline
 websites. Additionally, the bill initiates a pilot program for air 
passengers to register their service animal, eliminating the need to 
complete the service animal forms for each flight. Therefore, we are 
asking you to contact your Senators, either by phone or by email, to 
urge them to maintain the disability
related portions of the bill as it moves through the Senate.</span></p>

                                                                        <h2><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:20pt;color:black">Example Message</span></h2>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">When you call or email, you might say the following:</span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">"Hello,
 my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of [SENATOR NAME]. I 
live in [CITY, STATE]. I would like to urge [SENATOR NAME] to maintain 
the disability-related provisions of H.R 3935 as it moves through the 
Senate. These provisions in the legislation will help increase the 
accessibility of air travel for blind and disabled passengers. Thanks."</span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">If applicable, feel free to personalize your message with a recent disability barrier you experienced while traveling.</span></p>

                                                                        <h2><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:20pt;color:black">How to Contact Your Senator</span></h2>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">You
 can contact your Senator by calling the Capitol Switchboard and asking 
for the office in question. The number is 202-224-3121. The contact 
information for all Senate offices is also in the attached spreadsheet. 
If you send an email to your Senator’s office, please copy Justin Young 
at <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=33948&qid=9799975" rel="nofollow" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">jyoung@nfb.org</a> on the email.</span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">Thank you for your commitment to advancing the lives of blind people.</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table>

</div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><b><font size="2">Sharon Maneki, Director of Legislation and Advocacy</font></b></div><div><font size="2">National Federation of the Blind of Maryland</font></div><div><font size="2">410-715-9596</font></div><div><font size="2"><br></font></div><div><font size="2">The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Everyday 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.<br></font></div><div><b><font size="2"></font></b></div><div><b><font size="2"><br></font></b></div></div></div></div></div>