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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> National Federation of the Blind <webmaster@nfb.org> <br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, October 14, 2025 10:17 PM<br><b>To:</b> Donna Posont <dposont@umich.edu><br><b>Subject:</b> Advocacy Alert: Regarding Reduction in Force at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:#0075C9;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><img width=600 height=28 style='width:6.25in;height:.2916in' id="_x0000_i1034" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/top-blue-bar.jpg"><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:12.0pt 12.0pt 12.0pt 12.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40485&qid=11819333"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=240 height=264 style='width:2.5in;height:2.75in' id="_x0000_i1033" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/nfb-logo-for-email-template.jpg" alt="National Federation of the Blind logo and tagline live the life you want"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt;border-color:initial'><h1><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Member Call to Action</span><o:p></o:p></h1><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Dear Federation Family,</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>On Friday, October 10, the Department of Education issued reduction in force notices to almost every employee in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). As a result, we issued the following statement: </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40486&qid=11819333">National Federation of the Blind Denounces Devastating Job Cuts Within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>If not reversed, this action will severely undermine the Department of Education’s ability to carry out its legal responsibilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Randolph-Sheppard Act. <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40486&qid=11819333">Access the full statement and resources</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Even though the federal government is currently shut down, we are asking that you call or email both of your Senators and your Representative and request them to take congressional action. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>When you call or email you might say: "My name is [YOUR NAME] and I want to urge [REPRESENTATIVE/SENATOR NAME] to take congressional action to protect the congressionally mandated disability programs that have been devastated by the reduction in force at the Department of Education issued on October 10. If not reversed, this action will severely undermine the Department of Education’s ability to carry out its legal responsibilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Randolph-Sheppard Act. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>These laws ensure that blind children receive Braille and other essential educational services, that blind adults receive the training necessary for competitive employment, and that blind entrepreneurs have opportunities to operate businesses on federal properties. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>The consequences will be devastating—fewer blind students learning Braille and accessible technology, fewer blind adults receiving mobility and employment training, and fewer business opportunities for blind entrepreneurs. Please demand the Administration rescind the reduction in force immediately to protect the disability-focused programs that Congress previously established to educate and empower Americans with disabilities."</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>We suggest a subject like: "Please Urge the Administration to Rescind the Reduction in Force Order Regarding OSERS"</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>To find the contact information for your specific senators’ or representative’s office, please download <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40487&qid=11819333">the Senate spreadsheet</a> or <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40488&qid=11819333">the House spreadsheet</a>. They are organized alphabetically by state. You can also call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for the office in question. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>If you send an email, please copy Justin Young at <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40489&qid=11819333">jyoung@nfb.org</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>If you are having trouble finding the contact information for your members of Congress, please contact Lindsey Walsh at <a href="mailto:lwalsh@nfb.org">lwalsh@nfb.org</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Thank you for your commitment to advance the lives of our members and all blind people in the United States. </span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr style='height:6.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:6.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;display:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in;background:#002F6D'><tr style='height:45.0pt'><td width=135 style='width:101.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40490&qid=11819333"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=50 height=35 style='width:.525in;height:.3666in' id="_x0000_i1032" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-facebook-ms.png" alt="Facebook Logo"></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'><a 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NFB Icon."></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=135 style='width:101.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'></td></tr><tr style='height:18.75pt'><td colspan=8 style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:18.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'>National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD 21230 | 410-659-9314 <o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td></tr><tr style='height:18.75pt'><td colspan=8 style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:18.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/unsubscribe?reset=1&jid=25460&qid=11819333&h=3b54f4d5cbe92a5a" title=Unsubscribe><span style='color:white'>Unsubscribe from this mailing list</span></a> | <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/optout?reset=1&jid=25460&qid=11819333&h=3b54f4d5cbe92a5a" title="Opt Out"><span style='color:white'>Opt out of all mailing lists</span></a> | <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40496&qid=11819333" title="Sign up for email newsletter"><span style='color:white'>Sign up for our newsletter</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan=8 style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span class=street-address><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'>200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place</span></b></span><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'><br><span class=locality>Baltimore</span><span class=adr>, </span><span class=region>MD</span><span class=adr> </span><span class=postal-code>21230</span><br><span class=country-name>United States</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span 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