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                                                                                                                        <td style="background-color:transparent; border-bottom:medium none; border-left:medium none; border-right:medium none; border-top:medium none"><a href="nfb.org"><img alt="National Federation of the Blind logo and tagline live the life you want" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/nfb-logo-for-email-template.jpg" style="background-color:transparent; border-color:currentcolor; border-style:solid; border-width:0px; display:block; height:220px; margin:0px; width:200px" /></a></td>
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                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></strong></span></p>

                                                                        <h1><span style="font-size:24pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,serif"><strong>National Federation of the Blind Applauds Report of United States Commission on Civil Rights</strong></span></span></h1>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Baltimore, Maryland (September 17, 2020):</strong> The National Federation of the Blind, America’s civil rights organization of the blind, issued the below statement regarding a report from the United States Commission on Civil Rights entitled <a href='https://www.nfb.org/libraries/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=18456&qid=4148184' rel='nofollow' style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline"><em>Subminimum Wages: Impacts on the Civil Rights of People with Disabilities</em></a>:</span></span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">“Ever since our founding eighty years ago, the National Federation of the Blind has opposed the payment of subminimum wages to blind and disabled Americans under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind.  “We commend the report of the United States Commission on Civil Rights issued today and applaud the Commission’s call for the end of the antiquated and discriminatory 14(c) program. While we will further review the report to assess its details and recommendations, the Commission’s work is a giant step toward eliminating the historic injustice
of subminimum wages and creating true equality of opportunity for workers with disabilities. We urge the general public to actively join us in standing against this injustice and to work meaningfully toward its elimination from our local communities.”</span></span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>###</strong></span></span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>About the National Federation of the Blind</strong></span></span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at <a
href='https://www.nfb.org/libraries/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=18457&qid=4148184' rel='nofollow' style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">www.nfb.org</a>.</span></span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>CONTACT:</strong></span></span></p>

                                                                        <p><span style="font-size:14pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chris Danielsen<br />
                                                                        Director of Public Relations<br />
                                                                        National Federation of the Blind<br />
                                                                        (410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br />
                                                                        (410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br />
                                                                        <a href='https://www.nfb.org/libraries/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=18458&qid=4148184' rel='nofollow' style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a></span></span></p>
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