<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">My comments have been submitted<br id="lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature"><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Jun 11, 2025, at 4:59\u202fPM, Suzanne Turner via NFBOH-Cleveland <nfboh-cleveland@nfbnet.org> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">\ufeff<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></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"> NFBNet-Members-List <nfbnet-members-list-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Pare, John via NFBNet-Members-List<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, June 11, 2025 3:19 PM<br><b>To:</b> David Andrews via NFBNet-Members-List <nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org><br><b>Subject:</b> [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert Regarding Accessibility Features in Public Buildings<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Dear Federation Family:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">On May 16, 2025, the United States Department of Energy released a direct final rule that \u201crescinds certain new construction requirements related to disability nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs or activities.\u201d A direct final rule is slightly different from the typical rulemaking process, it\u2019s a kind of fast-track effort to put a new rule in place unless there are \u201csignificant adverse comments\u201d which oppose the rule by June 16, 2025. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">As you may expect, we are adamantly opposed to any attempt to roll back any accessibility requirements in the construction of buildings for federally assisted programs or activities. Just last week, President Riccobono submitted the official <a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/letter-united-states-department-energy-regarding">comments of the National Federation of the Blind to the Department of Energy</a> opposing the rescinding of the requirements. These comments are posted on the policy statements page of our website, and we encourage you to read them. But, more important than that, we urge you to submit your own comments to the Department of Energy to ensure they understand just how important accessibility is to us. Tell them how important Braille signage is in buildings, or how vital nonvisually accessible information is in an elevator. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">When writing your comments, you might say something like: <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">\u201cMy name is [NAME], and I live in [CITY, STATE]. I urge you to withdraw the direct final rule. As a blind person myself, I know the importance of accessible public buildings and architecture. Without accessible features such as Braille signage on doors and Braille and audio announcements in elevators, blind people are unable to independently navigate these facilities. Again, I urge you to withdraw the direct final rule.\u201d <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">You can submit your comments online through the Federal Register page at: <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/05/16/2025-08535/rescinding-new-construction-requirements-related-to-nondiscrimination-in-federally-assisted-programs#open-comment">https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/05/16/2025-08535/rescinding-new-construction-requirements-related-to-nondiscrimination-in-federally-assisted-programs#open-comment</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The link will take you directly to the submission page where you will be able to type in your comment, selecting the option to confirm that you are an individual, and verifying that you understand your comments may be publicly viewed on the website. Remember, time is of the essence because the comment submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Monday, June 16, 2025. We apologize that we did not get this information to you sooner, but there is still time to leave your comment. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for all that you do,<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">John<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <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">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><u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#0563C1;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:jpare@nfb.org">jpare@nfb.org</a></span></u><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:2.1875in;height:.7812in" id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/nfblogo.png" alt="National Federation of the Blind" data-unique-identifier=""></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" data-unique-identifier=""></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" data-unique-identifier=""></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" data-unique-identifier=""></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"><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><Untitled attachment 00388.txt></div><span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>NFBOH-Cleveland mailing list</span><br><span>NFBOH-Cleveland@nfbnet.org</span><br><span>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfboh-cleveland_nfbnet.org</span><br><span>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NFBOH-Cleveland:</span><br><span>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfboh-cleveland_nfbnet.org/smartin494%40roadrunner.com</span><br></div></blockquote></body></html>