[Blindvet-talk] Urgent Legislative Alert on the Silent CarLegislation

Sat Mar 14 17:59:59 UTC 2009

Dear David,

Thank you.

Here's a copy of the email I sent to Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey on her
webmail site.

Dear Congresswoman Woolsey,

I urge your sponsorship and support for the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement
Act, H.R. 734.  

I am a recently visually impaired attorney.  

After considerable orientation and mobility training at Earle Baum Center
for the Blind and Visually Impaired on Occidental Road under the auspices of
the CA Deparament of Rehabilitation, I have regained my independence relying
on a white cane to navigate Santa Rosa.  

We are trained to analyze traffic using our ears.

Northern California's environmentally conscious citizens own many Prius
vehicles.  Even at the Collaborative Practice Center where many of my
colleagues own Priuses, I take my life into my hands just walking out the
door as a Prius when idling makes no sounds. I also understand from Saul
Chait, a salesman at Freeman Toyota, that there are even safety issues for
their employees on the lot arising from the car's quiet operating mode. 

I heard on KQED there is a grad student who has developed viable appropriate
technology to make these cars audible even when their engines are at rest.
This might be an economic development opportunity for California.  

I ask for your support in helping to get this bill through Congress.  It
will make it possible for blind and visually impaired people to maintain
their independence.  

With appreciation for all that you do for our district and our country,  

Claire G. Spector, JD

Claire Spector, JD
Collaborative Attorney & Mediator
NY Atty. Reg. # 1883024
Collaborative Practice Center
829 Sonoma Avenue, Suite 8
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
707.523.0570 x 135
c.spector at sbcglobal.net

This message is strictly private and contains confidential information
intended only for the use of the person(s) named above. If you have received
this e-mail in error and are not the intended recipient you must not
disclose, copy or distribute it to anyone else. Please immediately advise
the sender and delete this email and all attachments.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindvet-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:blindvet-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of David Andrews
Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2009 7:02 AM
To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Blindvet-talk] Urgent Legislative Alert on the Silent
CarLegislation

----- Original Message -----

From:
Hartle, Jesse

To:
undisclosed-recipients:

Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 3:38 PM

Subject: Urgent Legislative Alert on The Silent Car Legislation

Fellow Federationists:

We continue to move forward in ensuring the success of the Pedestrian 
Safety Enhancement Act, H.R. 734.  Currently 89 members of the House 
of Representatives
are listed as cosponsors of this legislation (please see below for 
the current list of cosponsors).  Earlier this week Congress passed 
the Omnibus Appropriations
Act.  Included in that legislation was funds for the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to study the problem addressed 
by H.R. 734
and report to Congress.  If Congress feels it is important enough to 
appropriate funds for this study, Congress should also direct NHTSA 
on how the study
should be carried out.  I encourage you all to call your member of 
the House of Representatives and urge them to cosponsor H.R. 734 
which would do just
that.  Democrats will want to contact Congressman Towns's office, 
while Republicans will want to contact Congressman Stearns's 
office.  The contact in
Congressman Towns's office is Emily Khoury, and James Thomas is the 
contact for Congressman Stearns's office.  The number to the Capitol 
switchboard is
(202) 225-3121.  Please let me know if you have any questions, and I 
will do my best to answer them.  I have listed my contact information 
below.  Thank
you all for your continued hard work on this important issue.

Sincerely,

Jesse M. Hartle

Government Programs Specialist

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

Phone:  (410) 659-9314, ext. 2233

E-mail:
jhartle at nfb.org

Cosponsors of HR 734

Congressman Towns, Lead Sponsor

Alaska

Congressman Young

Arizona

Congressman Grijalva

Congressman Pastor

Arkansas

Congressman Boozman

California

Congressman Berman

Congressman Filner

Congresswoman Harman

Congresswoman Lee

Congresswoman Matsui

Congressman Rohrabacher

Congresswoman Linda Sanchez

Congressman Stark

Congresswoman Tauscher

District of Columbia

Congresswoman Norton

Florida

Congressman Bilirakis

Congresswoman Brown

Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen

Congressman Stearns

Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz

Georgia

Congressman Bishop

Congressman Lewis

Guam

Congresswoman Bordallo

Hawaii

Congressman Abercrombie

Congresswoman Hirono

Idaho

Congressman Minnick

Illinois

Congressman Davis

Congressman Gutierrez

Congressman Hare

Congressman Jackson

Congressman Roskam

Congresswoman Schakowsky

Indiana

Congressman Carson

Iowa

Congressman Boswell

Congressman Braley

Congressman King

Congressman Latham

Congressman Loebsack

Louisiana

Congressman Alexander

Congressman Melancon

Maryland

Congressman Ruppersberger

Congressman Van Hollen

Massachusetts

Congressman Capuano

Congressman McGovern

Congressman Neal

Congressman Tierney

Minnesota

Congressman Ellison

Congressman Oberstar

Congressman Peterson

Congressman Walz

Mississippi

Congressman Taylor

Missouri

Congressman Carnahan

Congresswoman Emerson

Nebraska

Congressman Terry

Nevada

Congresswoman Berkley

New Hampshire

Congresswoman Shea-Porter

New Jersey

Congressman Sires

Congressman Rothman

New York

Congressman Hinchey

Congresswoman Lowey

Congresswoman Maloney

Congressman Nadler

Congressman Rangel

Congressman Serrano

North Carolina

Congressman Jones

Congressman McIntyre

Congressman Price

Ohio

Congressman Driehaus

Congressman LaTourette

Congressman Ryan

Oregon

Congressman Blumenauer

Congressman DeFazio

Pennsylvania

Congressman Brady

Congressman Carney

Congressman Doyle

Congressman Fattah

Congressman Holden

Congressman Kanjorski

Puerto Rico

Congressman Pierluisi

Tennessee

Congressman Cohen

Texas

Congressman Neugebauer

Congressman Sessions

Vermont

Congressman Welch

Virginia

Congressman Moran

Congressman Wittman

Washington

Congressman McDermott

West Virginia

Congressman Mollohan

Congressman Rahall

Wisconsin

Congresswoman Moore

Congressman Petri  

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