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<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br><br>
<br><br>
CONTACT:<br><br>
</b>Chris Danielsen<br><br>
Director of Public Relations<br><br>
National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br><br>
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br><br>
<a href="mailto:Cdanielsen@nfb.org">Cdanielsen@nfb.org</a> <br><br>
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<div align="center"><b>National Federation of the Blind Applauds DOJ
Motion<br>
to Intervene in Sheltered Workshop Case<br><br>
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Baltimore, Maryland (April 2, 2013):</b>
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/">The National Federation of the Blind</a>
today applauded the United States Department of Justice’s motion to
intervene in the pending class action lawsuit
<a href="http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMwMzI5LjE3MjA1OTUxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMDMyOS4xNzIwNTk1MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3NDc5NzgzJmVtYWlsaWQ9Y2hhbnNzZW5zQGhpdmxhd2FuZHBvbGljeS5vcmcmdXNlcmlkPWNoYW5zc2Vuc0BoaXZsYXdhbmRwb2xpY3kub3JnJmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY=&&&100&&&http://www.ada.gov/olmstead/olmstead_cases_list2.htm#lane">
Lane v. Kitzhaber</a>, No. 12-cv-138 (D. Or.). The United States’
complaint in intervention alleges that the state of Oregon has violated
Title II of the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act by
unnecessarily segregating thousands of individuals with intellectual and
developmental disabilities in sheltered workshops, and by placing them at
risk of such segregation, when they could be working in integrated
employment settings with appropriate supports and services, such as
supported employment. <br><br>
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/marc-maurer-bio">Dr. Marc Maurer</a>,
President of <a href="http://www.twitter.com/NFB_voice">the National
Federation of the Blind</a>, said: “The National Federation of the Blind
supports efforts to integrate more Americans with disabilities into
competitive, integrated employment settings and to ensure that youth who
are blind or who have other disabilities are not unnecessarily tracked
into sheltered workshops, many of which pay their workers significantly
less than federal or state minimum wages. We therefore applaud the
United States Department of Justice for moving to intervene in this
potentially groundbreaking litigation.”<br><br>
The National Federation of the Blind needs your support to ensure that
blind children get an equal education, to connect blind veterans with the
training and services they need, and to help seniors who are losing
vision continue to live independent and fulfilling lives. To make a
donation, please go to
<a href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a>.<br><br>
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<b>About the National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
<br>
</b>The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest, largest,
and most influential nationwide membership organization of blind people
in the United States. Founded in 1940, the NFB advocates for the
civil rights and equality of blind Americans, and develops innovative
education, technology, and training programs to provide the blind and
those who are losing vision with the tools they need to become
independent and successful. We need your support. To make a
donation, please go to
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/">www.nfb.org</a>.<br><br>
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