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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" 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><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;mso-ligatures:none'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> NFB-Legislative-Directors <nfb-legislative-directors-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Pare, John via NFB-Legislative-Directors<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, October 15, 2025 10:23 AM<br><b>To:</b> State Presidents <StatePresidents@nfb.org>; Sherry Shirek via NFB-Legislative-Directors <nfb-legislative-directors@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> Pare, John <JPare@nfb.org>; President, National Federation of the Blind <OfficeOfThePresident@nfb.org><br><b>Subject:</b> [NFB-Legislative-Directors] Urgent Call Regarding RIF at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Dear Affiliate Presidents and Legislative Directors:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>President Riccobono is convening an urgent Zoom call on Monday, October 20, at 8:00 p.m. ET to discuss the recent Reduction in Force (RIF) at the Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). As discussed in our alert from yesterday evening, nearly all employees within OSERS received a RIF notice on October 10 with an effective date of December 9. These cuts will decimate the Department of Education\u2019s ability to administer the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Randolph-Sheppard Act. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>This call will discuss additional advocacy steps that we will be urging members to take.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The Zoom information is below.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> <a name=zBegin></a>John Pare is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.<br>Join Zoom Meeting<br><a href="https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/95517025632?from=addon">https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/95517025632?from=addon</a><br><br>Meeting ID: 955 1702 5632<br><br>---<br><br>One tap mobile<br>+13017158592,,95517025632# US (Washington DC)<br>+16468769923,,95517025632# US (New York)<br><br>Join instructions<br><a href="https://nfb-org.zoom.us/meetings/95517025632/invitations?signature=iDlqDQSNqJ8XNyFGpCmlIKT4RWA05SmEi4b09l0ZGRE">https://nfb-org.zoom.us/meetings/95517025632/invitations?signature=iDlqDQSNqJ8XNyFGpCmlIKT4RWA05SmEi4b09l0ZGRE</a></span><a name=zEnd></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Warm regards,</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>John</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#242424;mso-ligatures:none'>John Paré</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#242424;mso-ligatures:none'>Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#242424;mso-ligatures:none'>200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#242424;mso-ligatures:none'>410-659-9314, extension 2218 | </span><span style='color:black'><a href="mailto:jpare@nfb.org"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>jpare@nfb.org</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#242424;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'><a href="https://nfb.org/" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=210 height=75 style='width:2.1833in;height:.7833in' id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/nfblogo.png" alt="National Federation of the Blind"></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#242424;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#242424;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><span style='color:black'><a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=24 height=24 style='width:.25in;height:.25in' id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/facebook.png" alt=Facebook></span></a></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#242424;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><span style='color:black'><a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=24 height=24 style='width:.25in;height:.25in' id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/twitter.png" alt=Twitter></span></a></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#242424;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><span style='color:black'><a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=24 height=24 style='width:.25in;height:.25in' id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/youtube.png" alt=Youtube></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#242424;mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#242424;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\u2019s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></body></html>