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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-ligatures:none'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-ligatures:none'> NFB-Legislative-Directors [mailto:nfb-legislative-directors-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Walls, Kyle via NFB-Legislative-Directors<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 13, 2025 2:27 PM<br><b>To:</b> nfb-legislative-directors@nfbnet.org; State Presidents<br><b>Cc:</b> Walls, Kyle<br><b>Subject:</b> [NFB-Legislative-Directors] FW: Announcing Blind Americans Return to Work Act of 2025<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Good afternoon Affiliate Presidents and Legislative Directors:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jesse sent out the below email earlier this morning, but an internal issue prevented it from being distributed. I am forwarding it to you now to share the good news. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Kyle<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dear affiliate presidents and legislative directors, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We are all feeling the swell of positive energy coming out of Washington Seminar. Once again, it was great to hear all those white canes tapping and guide dogs on the move. Our hard work, diligent practice, and long days of walking up and down Capitol Hill have paid off! I am thrilled to announce that our first major priority has been introduced. The Blind Americans Return to Work Act of 2025, sponsored by Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX-17) and co-led by Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-7), has been introduced in the 119th Congress as H.R. 1175.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We expect to put out some social media publicity around this topic later today and we are hoping you will share the communications with your networks far and wide. We are planning to get some press attention in the coming week. Please watch for future announcements and get ready for a call to action with a legislative alert. For now, sit back and smile, and celebrate our collective accomplishment.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Warm regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Jesse Shirek</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Governmental Affairs Specialist</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>410-659-9314, extension 2348 | <a href="mailto:jshirek@nfb.org">jshirek@nfb.org</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=210 height=76 id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/nfblogo.png" alt="National Federation of the Blind"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=24 height=24 id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/facebook.png" alt=Facebook></span></a><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=24 height=24 id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/twitter.png" alt=Twitter></span></a><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=24 height=24 id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/youtube.png" alt=Youtube></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'>The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>