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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hey NFB Family and Friends,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please read below, exciting updates from Annette Carr and John Par (as forwarded by Deepa Goraya). <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h1 style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#1B1B1B'>U.S. Access Board Releases Summary Report on AV Forum Public Forum on Inclusive Design of AVs<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span class=text-bold><b><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#1B1B1B'><a href="https://www.access-board.gov/news/2021/07/27/u-s-access-board-releases-summary-report-on-av-forum-public-forum-on-inclusive-design-of-avs/#content">https://www.access-board.gov/news/2021/07/27/u-s-access-board-releases-summary-report-on-av-forum-public-forum-on-inclusive-design-of-avs/#content</a></span></b></span><span class=text-bold><b><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span class=text-bold><b><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#1B1B1B'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span class=text-bold><b><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#1B1B1B'>July 27, 2021</span></b></span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='background:white;box-sizing: inherit'><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#1B1B1B'>The U.S. Access Board has released a <a href="https://www.access-board.gov/av/report.html">summary report</a> on its four-part series of virtual meetings on making autonomous vehicles (AVs) accessible to passengers with disabilities. The sessions featured presentations by invited speakers who shared information and research results on design considerations and solutions for making AVs accessible to passengers with mobility, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. They also provided an opportunity for members of the public to pose questions and to share information and ideas during the session or through an online discussion platform. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='box-sizing: inherit'><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#1B1B1B'>The report summarizes each speakers’ presentation in the forum and comments from the public, included those posted on the online platform. In addition to the report, recordings of each session, presentation materials, and other resources are available on the <a href="https://www.access-board.gov/av/">Board’s website</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We have three new cosponsors on the Access Technology Affordability Act:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Dean of Pennsylvania<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Raskin of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Meijer of Michigan<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We now have 105 cosponsors on H.R. 431 and 24 cosponsors on S. 212.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Regarding the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (H.R. 2373) we are up to 21 cosponsors.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Most recent additions are:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Blunt Rochester of Delaware<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Adams of North Carolina<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Welch of Vermont<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Tonko of New York<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Trone of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please continue to push for cosponsors on all three of these bills.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Warm regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>John<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>John G. Paré Jr. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'><br>Peace,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:#222222'>Jacki Bruce<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:#222222'>Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia<br><a href="mailto:jackibruce6@gmail.com" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue'>mailto:jackibruce6@gmail.com</span></a></span><span style='color:black'><br></span><span style='color:#222222'><a href="tel:(757)291-1789" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue'>tel:(757)291-1789</span></a></span><span style='color:black'><br></span><span style='color:#222222'><a href="http://www.nfb.org/" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue'>www.nfb.org</span></a></span><span style='color:black'><br></span><span style='color:#222222'><a href="http://www.nfbv.org/" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue'>www.nfbv.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:#222222'>Follow us on Twitter @NFBVirginia<br>Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:#222222'>Live the life you want.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#222222'>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<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>