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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Dear Barbra,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Thanks for this post I have also sent out my email and hopefully others are following up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><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><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>Richard Payne, President </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>937/829/3368<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><a href="mailto:Rchpay7@gmail.com">Rchpay7@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><a href="http://www.nfbohio.org/">www.nfbohio.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of its members and all blind people in the United States. We know that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Our collective power, determination, and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><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'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Barbara Pierce via Ohio-Talk<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 28, 2025 9:27 AM<br><b>To:</b> NFB of Ohio Announcement List <ohio-talk@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> Barbara Pierce <barbara.pierce9366@gmail.com><br><b>Subject:</b> [Ohio-Talk] I sent my letter<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We all got a request to contact our legislators to urge them to cosponsor H.R.1175 and H.R.1529. In case it will help you to write your letter, Below is what I wrote. You would have to put in your name and city and your member’s name. I used the name of Latta’s legislative director. We got a spread sheep with the names of contact people in each office. This is what I wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Hello, my name is Barbara Pierce, and I am a constituent living in Oberlin. I urge Representative Latta to cosponsor the Blind Americans Return to Work Act, H.R. 1175, introduced by Representative Pete Sessions; and the Access Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 1529, introduced by Representative Mike Kelly. Both of these bills will eliminate barriers for blind people. H.R.1175 will institute a two-for-one phase out of benefits for any income earned above the substantial gainful activity threshold in the SSDI program, and H.R. 1529 will create a refundable tax credit for the purchase of qualified access technology. These two bills will create a true work incentive for all blind Americans currently on SSDI and a method for blind Americans to be able to afford the access technology they need to obtain and maintain employment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> </span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black'>Barbara Pierce (she, her, hers)<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black'>President Emerita<br>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio<br><a href="mailto:Barbara.pierce9366@gmail.com">Barbara.pierce9366@gmail.com</a><br>440-774-8077<br> <br><br>The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise expectations for blind people because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and their dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>