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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><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>As we announced during the national convention, the Blind Americans Return to Work Act has been introduced in the House of Representatives. The bill number is H.R. 8878. As a quick reminder, the Blind Americans Return to Work Act will eliminate the SSDI earnings cliff by instituting a two-for-one phase out of benefits for any income earned above the substantial gainful activity threshold. The bill was introduced by Congressman Pete Sessions of Texas and has Congressman Kweisi Mfume of Maryland as the lead cosponsor. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It is essential that we reach out to every member of the House of Representatives to build cosponsor support for this legislation before the session ends later this year. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>When you call or email, you might say the following:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>"Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of [REPRESENTATIVE NAME]. I live in [CITY, STATE]. I would like to urge [REPRESENTATIVE NAME] to cosponsor the Blind Americans Return to Work Act, H.R. 8878. This legislation will eliminate the SSDI earnings cliff by instituting a two-for-one phase out of benefits for any income earned above the substantial gainful activity threshold for blind Americans. This will create a true work incentive for all blind Americans currently on SSDI.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks."<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You can contact your member of Congress by calling the Capitol Switchboard and asking for the office in question. The number is 202-224-3121. We have also attached a contact list House offices, sorted by state, to this email, but if you have any questions on office contacts, please contact Lindsey Walsh at <a href="mailto:lwalsh@nfb.org">lwalsh@nfb.org</a>. If you contact your representative via email, please copy me at <a href="mailto:jshirek@nfb.org">jshirek@nfb.org</a>. Your calls and emails do make a difference.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you for your work in pushing this priority forward,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'>Jesse Shirek</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'>Governmental Affairs Specialist</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'>200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'>410-659-9314, extension 2348 | <a href="mailto:jshirek@nfb.org">jshirek@nfb.org</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/"><span style='mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=210 height=76 style='width:2.1875in;height:.7916in' id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/nfblogo.png" alt="National Federation of the Blind"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind"><span style='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></span></a><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice"><span style='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></span></a><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind"><span style='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></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;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’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>