Edolphus "Ed" Towns worked as an orientation and mobility instructor at the Industrial Home for the Blind in Brooklyn, New York, before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982. Once in office, he continued to champion issues affecting people who are blind. In 2009, Towns introduced a bill to protect people who are blind and other pedestrians from injury or death due to silent vehicle technology. On January 4, 2011, President Obama signed the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act into law. In recognition of his efforts, NIB presented Towns with the Spirit of Independence Award.