<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000">Read below! Thanks for all of your help.<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000"><br clear="all"></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><br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">National Federation of the Blind</b> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:webmaster@nfb.org">webmaster@nfb.org</a>></span><br>Date: Fri, May 17, 2024 at 4:08 PM<br>Subject: Advocacy Victory: FAA Signed into Law<br>To: Keitha Bell <<a href="mailto:nfbmdsm@gmail.com">nfbmdsm@gmail.com</a>><br></div><br><br>
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<h1><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:24pt;color:black">FAA Reauthorization Act Signed into Law</span></h1>
<p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">Dear Federation Family,</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">Congratulations to us all on our hard work regarding the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act! Because of our tremendous work, the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate passed H.R. 3935 with overwhelming bipartisan support keeping all the accessibility provisions intact. On May 16, 2024, <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=34137&qid=9901014" rel="nofollow" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">President Biden signed into law H.R. 3935, the “FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.”</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">Specific accessibility provisions in H.R. 3935 that would benefit blind and disabled air travelers include:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">Training requirements for assisting passengers with disabilities.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">Better access standards for the accessibility of in-flight entertainment.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">Improved access to airline websites.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">Initiates a pilot program for air passengers to register their service animal, eliminating the need to complete the service animal forms for each flight.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black"><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=34138&qid=9901014" rel="nofollow" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Statement from President Biden After Signing FAA Reauthorization Act.</a></span></p>
<h2><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:20pt;color:black">Message from President Riccobono</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-family:calibri,sans-serif;font-size:14pt;color:black">“While blind people use air travel like everyone else, it is often not an accessible or pleasant experience for us,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “>From booking our trip on an airline website to ensuring that the airline will accommodate our guide dog or cane to receiving appropriate assistance from airport and airline personnel, any trip can present a series of challenges, sometimes even resulting in delayed or denied travel. We cannot even always relax after jumping through all those hoops to enjoy the in-flight entertainment because the systems and content may not be accessible. Provisions
in this version of the FAA Reauthorization Act will help to address all of these issues. We therefore commend Congress for its passage and President Biden for signing it into law."</span></p>
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