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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>Hi all,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am passing it along in case you are not on the NFB master mailing list.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please see the below email. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It is extremely important that you take immediate action to get this information included back into the bill.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Graham Mehl<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>blind@trailstone.com<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>NFB Central Maryland Chapter, President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>NFB of Maryland Website and Technology Committee, Member<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>LCB graduate, 2016<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> National Federation of the Blind <webmaster@nfb.org> <br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, November 2, 2021 10:16 AM<br><b>To:</b> Graham Mehl <blind@trailstone.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Urgent Legislative Alert: Access Technology Affordability Act<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:#0075C9;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><img width=600 height=28 style='width:6.25in;height:.2916in' id="_x0000_i1033" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/top-blue-bar.jpg"><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:12.0pt 12.0pt 12.0pt 12.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="nfb.org"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=240 height=264 style='width:2.5in;height:2.75in' id="_x0000_i1032" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/nfb-logo-for-email-template.jpg" alt="National Federation of the Blind logo and tagline live the life you want"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;border-color:initial'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt'><h1><span style='color:black'>Blind Americans Urge Restoration of Access Technology Tax Credit to Build Back Better Legislation</span><o:p></o:p></h1><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The National Federation of the Blind, the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans, today urged House and Senate leaders to restore a critical provision to the Build Back Better legislation scheduled for a vote this week. Originally introduced in <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=23430&qid=6251338">both houses of Congress</a> as the <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=23431&qid=6251338">Access Technology Affordability Act of 2021</a> (H.R. 431/S. 212), the provision would remove a barrier to educational and employment success commonly experienced by blind Americans, who often cannot afford the high cost of access technologies like screen readers and refreshable Braille displays, by creating a refundable tax credit in the amount of $2,000 to be used over a three-year period to offset the cost of these technologies.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>“The Access Technology Affordability Act aligns with the priorities of the Build Back Better legislation, which is intended to create opportunity and relieve economic pressure on American families,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “By alleviating the high cost of technology that is critical to the educational and economic success of blind and deafblind people, this provision will allow more of us to support our families and participate fully in our nation’s progress and prosperity.”</span><o:p></o:p></p><h2><span style='font-size:20.0pt;color:black'>How Members Can Help</span><o:p></o:p></h2><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>On October 20, President Riccobono wrote letters to both Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer urging them to keep this legislation, so critical to the blind of America, in the bill. Unfortunately, we learned late last week, on October 28, that the section of the Build Back Better Act containing the ATAA had been removed.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The Build Back Better Act has not been finalized, so we still have a chance to get the ATAA back into the bill before it goes for a floor vote, but we must act quickly. We need everyone to contact Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer and urge them to restore this provision. When you call or email you might say:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>“My name is [YOUR NAME] and I want to urge [Speaker Pelosi OR Majority Leader Schumer] to restore the Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 431/S. 212) into the Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376). This bill will have a tremendous impact on the lives of blind Americans by improving education, increasing employment opportunities, and increasing overall self-sufficiency. Thank you.”</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>We suggest a subject like: “Please Maintain the ATAA Provision in the Build Back Better Act”</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>To contact Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer please use the following email addresses, or call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Speaker Pelosi:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Terri McCullough, Chief of Staff<br><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=23432&qid=6251338">terri.mccullough@mail.house.gov</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Majority Leader Schumer:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Mike Lynch, Chief of Staff<br><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=23433&qid=6251338">mike_lynch@schumer.senate.gov</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>If you email, please copy Jeff Kaloc at <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=23434&qid=6251338">jkaloc@nfb.org</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></p><h3 style='margin-top:2.25pt'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;color:black'>Share on Twitter</span><o:p></o:p></h3><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>After contacting Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer, please share on social media. You can use the following draft or share (also known as retweeting) posts from the <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=23435&qid=6251338">National Federation of the Blind account</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>I urge @SpeakerPelosi and @LeaderHoyer to restore the provisions of the Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 431/S. 212) to the Build Back Better Act. This provision will help us improve education, obtain employment, and increase self-sufficiency. @nfb_voice</span><o:p></o:p></p><h2 style='margin-top:2.25pt'><span style='font-size:20.0pt;color:black'>About the National Federation of the Blind </span><o:p></o:p></h2><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. Founded in 1940, the NFB is the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans with affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=23436&qid=6251338">nfb.org</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></p><h3 style='margin-top:2.25pt'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;color:black'>Media Contact:</span><o:p></o:p></h3><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Chris Danielsen<br>Director of Public Relations<br>National Federation of the Blind<br>(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=23437&qid=6251338">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><h3 style='margin-top:2.25pt'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;color:black'>Government Affairs Contact:</span><o:p></o:p></h3><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Jeff Kaloc<br>Governmental Affairs Specialist<br>National Federation of the Blind<br>410-659-9314, extension 2206<br><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=23434&qid=6251338">jkaloc@nfb.org</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr 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