<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;}
h1
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 1 Char";
margin-top:24.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
page-break-after:avoid;
font-size:14.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria",serif;
color:#365F91;}
p.MsoSubtitle, li.MsoSubtitle, div.MsoSubtitle
{mso-style-priority:11;
mso-style-link:"Subtitle Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria",serif;
color:#4F81BD;
letter-spacing:.75pt;
font-style:italic;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.Heading1Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 1 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 1";
font-family:"Cambria",serif;
color:#365F91;
font-weight:bold;}
span.SubtitleChar
{mso-style-name:"Subtitle Char";
mso-style-priority:11;
mso-style-link:Subtitle;
font-family:"Cambria",serif;
color:#4F81BD;
letter-spacing:.75pt;
font-style:italic;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>This is great news worth celebrating! See below!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'>Jeannie M. Massay, President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'>National Federation of the Blind <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'>Of Oklahoma<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'>405-600-0695<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:president@nfbok.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>president@nfbok.org</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.nfbok.org/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.nfbok.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'>Follow us on Twitter @NFBOK<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'>Follow us on Facebook @nationalfederationoftheblindok<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'>Live the life you want!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'>The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><h1 align=center style='margin-top:0in;text-align:center'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext'>The National Federation of the Blind Applauds the Introduction of Legislation Implementing the Marrakesh Treaty</span><o:p></o:p></h1><p class=MsoSubtitle align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:windowtext'>Treaty will Expand Availability of Accessible Books for Blind and Print Disabled Americans</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Washington, DC (March 15, 2018):</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> Senator Charles E. “Chuck” Grassley (R-IA) and Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Bob Corker (R-TN), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) have introduced the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act, S. 2559.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>“The National Federation of the Blind was a principal leader in the development and negotiation of the Marrakesh Treaty,” said Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “By allowing the worldwide production and exchange of accessible books, the treaty will dramatically increase the availability of knowledge to blind people everywhere. We urge both houses of Congress to swiftly pass this legislation, and in doing so, unlock the doors to expanded literacy for millions of blind Americans.”</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The legislation will make modifications to United States copyright law to ensure that it fully complies with the terms of the treaty. These modifications are supported by publishing, library, and disability organizations.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>###</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>About the National Federation of the Blind </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",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 </span><a href="http://www.nfb.org"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>www.nfb.org</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>CONTACT:</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Chris Danielsen</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Director of Public Relations</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>National Federation of the Blind</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>(410) 659-9314, extension 2330</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>cdanielsen@nfb.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>