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Fellow Federationists:<br>
<br>
Last week, Senator Heller from Nevada introduced an amendment to the
Senate’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to
include the same Space Available language that you already helped pass in
the House NDAA last month. This is the first time we've ever been able to
get an amendment for Space Available introduced in the Senate. This
amendment currently has two cosponsors, Senators Tester from Montana and
Ayotte from New Hampshire, but we need more support. <br>
<br>
Please call your senators and urge them to cosponsor amendment S.A. 4235
to the Senate NDAA so that all veterans with disabilities rated as total
can participate in the Space Available Program, not just those injured on
or after September 23, 1996. We expect the Senate to begin debating the
NDAA next week so time is of the essence for us to build support for our
legislation. If we can get this amendment through the Senate, we will
only need a signature from the President to end the disparate treatment
of our courageous vets in the Space Available Program based on which war
they fought in.<br>
<br>
The US Capitol switchboard number is <a href="tel:(202)%20224-3121">(202)
224-3121</a>. The fact sheet is available
at:<a href="https://nfb.org/equal-access-air-travel-service-disabled-veterans">
https://nfb.org/equal-access-air-travel-service-disabled-veterans</a>. If
you have any questions, feel free to email or call Derek Manners,
Advocacy and Policy Analyst,
at<a href="mailto:DManners@nfb.org">DManners@nfb.org</a> or
<a href="tel:(410)%20659-9314">(410) 659-9314</a>, extension 2210. <br>
<br>
Please share this message widely throughout the Federation.<br>
<br>
Thank you for all that you do.<br>
<br>
<br>
Mark A. Riccobono, President<br>
National Federation of the Blind<br>
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place<br>
Baltimore, Maryland 21230<br>
Phone: (410) 659-9314<br>
Fax: (410) 659-5129<br>
Email:
<a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org">
officeofthepresident@nfb.org</a><br>
Twitter: @Riccobono and @NFB_Voice<br>
Web: <a href="http://www.nfb.org/">www.nfb.org</a><br>
<br>
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day 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>
<br>
<br>
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