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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">National Federation of the Blind
and National Restaurant Association Urge Congress to Reject Commercializing Rest
Stops</P>
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"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">WASHINGTON -- The</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">National Federation of the
Blind,</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">the oldest and largest nationwide
organization of blind Americans, and the National Restaurant Association, the
largest organization of restaurant owners,</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">today urged the United States
Congress to reject legislation that would allow the commercialization of highway
rest stops. Currently, the only commercial</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">activity permitted at such rest
stops is the operation of vending machines by blind entrepreneurs under the
Randolph-Sheppard Act. Commercializing rest</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">stops would also jeopardize the
business of restaurants and convenience stores that operate at highway
exits.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the
National Federation of the Blind, said: “This legislation would threaten the
livelihoods of hundreds of blind entrepreneurs</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">in the United States who depend
on revenue from rest-stop vending machines. With an unemployment rate among
blind Americans that exceeds 70 percent, such</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">a move is deeply irresponsible,
since these entrepreneurs will lose their businesses and be forced to rely on
public assistance. We urge Congress to reject</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">this ill-considered and reckless
proposal.”</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Brendan Flanagan, a spokesperson
for the National Restaurant Association, said: “This legislation threatens
private businesses of all sizes and their employees</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">who rely on drivers exiting the
highway in order to purchase food and conveniences. It is an attempt to take
money away from these businesses to fill state</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">coffers. It is anti-competitive
and will kill jobs.”</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">List of 1 items</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">• </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">list end</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Annette Lutz, who operates a
vending facility at an interstate rest area on I-75 in Auglaize County, Ohio,
said: “I do not know how I will contribute to</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">supporting my family if this
legislation passes, since I rely on the income from the vending machines that
I’m permitted to operate to pay our bills and</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">raise my child. My vending
machines can’t compete with state-financed full-service food operations, so my
business will disappear. My blind daughter is</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">also interested in becoming an
entrepreneur but if this legislation passes that opportunity will not be there
for her. I hope Congress will remember people</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">like us and shut down this effort
to take money away from entrepreneurs and give it to the state government.”</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The legislation, which is part of
a transportation bill being considered in both houses of Congress, has been put
forward by Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">and Congressman Steve LaTourette
(R-OH). The legislation is also opposed by the National Council of State
Agencies for the Blind, the National Association</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">of Convenience Stores (NACS), and
the National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO), among others.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">About the National Federation of
the Blind</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">With more than 50,000 members,
the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential
membership organization of blind people in the United</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">States. The NFB improves blind
people’s lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs
encouraging independence and self-confidence.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">It is the leading force in the
blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the
NFB opened the National Federation of the</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Blind Jernigan Institute, the
first research and training center in the United States for the blind led by the
blind.</P>
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