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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Thanks hopefully others will follow your lead.<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"><span style='color:#467886'>Rchpay7@gmail.com</span></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/"><span style='color:#467886'>www.nfbohio.org</span></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'> Ali Benmerzouga <ali.benmerzouga@hotmail.com> <br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 12, 2025 4:19 PM<br><b>To:</b> NFB of Ohio Announcement List <ohio-talk@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> Richard Payne <rchpay7@gmail.com><br><b>Subject:</b> RE: [Ohio-Talk] My letter just kept it simple.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Hi Richard,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>I followed your foot steps as soon as I saw your email and I am done with it! I have sent two emails, one to the Secretary and the other one to Idea and I copied Justin Young in the Cc field of my emails.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>FYI.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Have a nice weekend.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Ali<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><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 <<a href="mailto:ohio-talk-bounces@nfbnet.org">ohio-talk-bounces@nfbnet.org</a>> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Richard Payne via Ohio-Talk<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 12, 2025 5:23 AM<br><b>To:</b> 'NFB of Ohio Announcement List' <<a href="mailto:ohio-talk@nfbnet.org">ohio-talk@nfbnet.org</a>><br><b>Cc:</b> Richard Payne <<a href="mailto:rchpay7@gmail.com">rchpay7@gmail.com</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> [Ohio-Talk] My letter just kept it simple.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>My name is</span> <span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Richard</span> <span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Payne,</span> <span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>and I want to urge Secretary McMahon to reinstate the grant funding for IDEA Part D programs as well as the RSA 235E grants. This funding is critical to support increased Braille literacy for teachers of blind students and the blind youth of America.</span> <o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Studies have shown that students who can read Braille go on to have better education outcomes and better employment outcomes later in life. Additionally, I’m also asking that you reinstate funding for the four deafblind technical assistance centers in Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts. Please allow today’s blind and deafblind students to have an opportunity to better themselves for a brighter future for all of us.”</span><o:p></o:p></p><p>Richard Payne, President <span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black'>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black'>937/829/3368</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><a href="mailto:Rchpay7@gmail.com"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#467886'>Rchpay7@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p><a href="http://www.nfbohio.org"><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:#467886'>www.nfbohio.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>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.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p>Richard Payne, President <span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black'>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black'>937/829/3368</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><a href="mailto:Rchpay7@gmail.com"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#467886'>Rchpay7@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p><a href="http://www.nfbohio.org"><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:#467886'>www.nfbohio.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>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.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>