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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>Hello everyone:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>The four fact sheets shown below contain important information about the issues we are raising with Colorado’s Congressional Delegation. I thought it would be convenient for us to have these in one place. Here goes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>Best wishes,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>Curtis Chong<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>******************************<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><h1 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span class=field><span style='font-size:39.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 431/S. 212)</span></span><span style='font-size:39.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></span></h1><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Issue—The cost of critically needed access technology is out of reach for most blind Americans.<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>The high cost of access technology creates a difficult economic reality.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> Most access technology ranges from $1,000 to $6,000. For example, a leading screen reader is $900, a popular Braille notetaker is $5,495, one model of a refreshable Braille display is $2,795, and a moderately priced Braille embosser is $3,695. According to the United States Census Bureau 69.1 percent of blind Americans are either unemployed or underemployed.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/access-technology#a1"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>1</span></sup></a> Consequently, most blind Americans do not have sufficient financial resources needed to purchase these items.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/access-technology#a2"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>2</span></sup></a> These financial barriers can ultimately lead to a loss of employment, insufficient education, or even isolation from community activities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Medical insurance will not cover the cost of access technology. </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Current definitions of "medical care," "medical necessity," and "durable medical equipment" within common insurance policies do not include access technology. These definitions were adopted in the 1960s “when medical care was viewed primarily as curative and palliative, with little or no consideration given to increasing an individual's functional status.”<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/access-technology#a3"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>3</span></sup></a> Many states’ Medicaid programs and individual health insurance plans have adopted similar definitions and likewise will not cover the cost of access technology.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/access-technology#a4"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>4</span></sup></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Access technology enables blind Americans to participate in today’s workforce.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> Blindness is well-defined and measurable,<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/access-technology#a5"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>5</span></sup></a> but affects each person differently and at different ages. Since individuals’ needs differ, manufacturers have designed various tools that enable each blind American to perform tasks that they were once unable to accomplish themselves due to their blindness. Braille notetakers are frequently used in schools, screen-reading software allows workers to check their email at home, and screen-magnification software can help seniors losing vision learn about community activities. Access technology equips blind Americans to seek employment and stay employed. For the 69.1 percent of blind Americans who are either unemployed or underemployed, it is a vehicle that facilitates the job seeking process. Despite this critical need, public and private entities struggle to meet consumer demand.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/access-technology#a6"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>6</span></sup></a> This leads to untimely delays in the delivery of necessary technology and ultimately harms the blind consumer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Solution—Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 431/S. 212):<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Makes access technology more affordable so that blind Americans can procure these items for themselves.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> It establishes a refundable tax credit for blind Americans in the amount of $2,000 to be used over a three-year period to offset the cost of access technology. The credit created by the Access Technology Affordability Act will sunset after five years and will be indexed for inflation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Provides flexibility for individuals to obtain access technology based upon their specific needs.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> Accessibility requires an individualized assessment of one’s own skills and needs. Therefore, blind Americans should be given the opportunity to procure access technology on their own to ensure that they are receiving the tools that are most useful for them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Will increase federal income tax revenue.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> More blind Americans working means more people paying taxes. It also means that those blind Americans who obtain gainful employment through this tax credit will no longer need to draw from federal programs such as Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance and will instead be paying into the Social Security Program.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:25.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:green;font-weight:normal'>GOAL—IMPROVE AFFORDABILITY OF CRITICALLY NEEDED ACCESS TECHNOLOGY NECESSARY FOR EMPLOYMENT AND INDEPENDENT LIVING.<o:p></o:p></span></h3><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA)<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>To cosponsor the ATAA in the House of Representatives (H.R. 431), contact:</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'><br>Crozer Connor, Senior Legislative Assistant for Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA)<br>Phone: 202-225-3311, Email: <a href="mailto:crozer.connor@mail.house.gov"><span style='color:#005AA3'>crozer.connor@mail.house.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>To cosponsor the ATAA in the Senate (S. 212), contact:</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'><br>Ron Storhaug, Legislative Aide for Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD)<br>Phone: 202-224-4524, Email: <a href="mailto:Ron_Storhaug@sbc.senate.gov"><span style='color:#005AA3'>Ron_Storhaug@sbc.senate.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>For more information, contact:</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'><br>Jeff Kaloc, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind<br>Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2206, Email: <a href="mailto:jkaloc@nfb.org"><span style='color:#005AA3'>jkaloc@nfb.org</span></a>, or visit <a href="https://www.nfb.org/"><span style='color:#005AA3'>www.nfb.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><ol start=1 type=1><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><a name=a1></a><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>United States Census Bureau, American Community Survey. “The percentage of non-institutionalized persons aged 21-64 years with a visual disability in the United States who were employed full-time/full-year in 2018.” Compiled by Cornell University. <a href="https://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=4" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=4</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><a name=a2></a><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>Erickson, W., Lee, C., von Schrader, S. (2016). "Disability Statistics from the 2014 American Community Survey (ACS)." Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Employment and Disability Institute (EDI). Retrieved November 11, 2016, from <a href="http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>www.disabilitystatistics.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><a name=a3></a><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>National Council on Disability, “Federal Policy Barriers to Assistive Technology,” (May 31, 2000) 8, <a href="http://www.ncd.gov/rawmedia_repository/c9e48e89_261b_4dda_bc74_203d5915519f.pdf" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>http://www.ncd.gov/rawmedia_repository/c9e48e89_261b_4dda_bc74_203d5915519f.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><a name=a4></a><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>Assistive Technology Industry Associates, “AT Resources Funding Guide,” <a href="https://www.atia.org/at-resources/what-is-at/resources-funding-guide/" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://www.atia.org/at-resources/what-is-at/resources-funding-guide/</span></a> (last accessed December 10, 2018).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><a name=a5></a><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>See 26 U.S.C § 63(f)(4).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo1;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><a name=a6></a><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>See e.g. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services and Disability Research, “Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Request,” <a href="https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget20/justifications/i-rehab.pdf" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget20/justifications/i-rehab.pdf</span></a>, p. I-50.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>****************************************<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><h1 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span class=field><span style='font-size:39.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act (H.R. 4853)</span></span><span style='font-size:39.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></span></h1><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Issue—Inaccessible digital interfaces prevent blind individuals from independently and safely operating medical devices that are essential to their daily healthcare needs. <o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Medical devices with a digital interface are becoming more prevalent and less accessible for blind Americans. </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>The rapid proliferation of advanced technology is undeniable. Most new models of medical devices, such as glucose and blood pressure monitors, along with the emergence of in-home devices that offer medical care options, such as chemotherapy treatments and dialysis, require consumers to interact with a digital display or other interfaces. This new technology has been and continues to be developed and deployed without nonvisual accessibility as an integral part of the design phase, which creates a modern-day barrier. The inaccessibility of these medical devices is not a mere inconvenience; if accessibility for blind consumers is omitted from the medical technology landscape, the health, safety, and independence of blind Americans will be in imminent danger.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Telehealth currently makes up 20 percent of all medical visits, and more healthcare providers are looking to expand telemedicine services.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'><a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/medical-device#a1"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>1</span></sup></a> Unfortunately, these visits assume that a person has easy access to accessible medical devices in order to take their own vitals. As a result of inaccessibility, blind and low-vision Americans are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to receiving the same virtual healthcare as their sighted counterparts.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Nonvisual access is achievable, as demonstrated by a number of mainstream products. </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Apple has incorporated VoiceOver (a text-to-speech function) into all of their products, making iPhones, Macbooks and Mac desktops, and iPads fully accessible to blind people right out of the box. Virtually all ATMs manufactured in the United States are accessible, and every polling place is required to have a nonvisually accessible voting machine. Frequently, a simple audio output or vibrotactile feature can make a product accessible at little to no additional cost for manufacturers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Current disability laws are not able to keep up with advancements due to the expeditious evolution of medical technology and its incorporation into medical devices.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> Although the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws require physical accessibility for people with disabilities (e.g., wheelchair ramps, Braille in public buildings), no laws protect the blind consumer’s right to access medical devices. The National Council on Disability concluded that accessibility standards lag behind the rapid pace of technology, which can interfere with technology access.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/medical-device#a2"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>2</span></sup></a> This trend of inaccessibility will continue if accessibility solutions are ignored. Only a fraction of medical device manufacturers has incorporated nonvisual access standards into their product design, while others continue to resist these solutions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Solution—Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act (H.R. 4853):<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Calls on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to promulgate nonvisual accessibility standards for Class II and Class III medical devices.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> The FDA will consult with stakeholders with disabilities and manufacturers and issue a notice of proposed rulemaking no later than twelve months after the date of enactment of the act. No later than 24 months after the date of enactment of the act, the FDA will publish the final rule including the nonvisual accessibility standards.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Requires manufacturers of Class II and Class III medical devices to make their products nonvisually accessible. </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Manufacturers will have twelve months following the publication of the final rule to ensure that all of the Class II and Class III medical devices they produce are nonvisually accessible.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Authorizes the FDA to enforce the nonvisual access standards for Class II and Class III medical devices. </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Any manufactured device found to be out of compliance, whether by a public complaint to the FDA or by an independent FDA investigation, will be considered an adulterated product under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:25.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:green;font-weight:normal'>GOAL—END UNEQUAL ACCESS TO MEDICAL DEVICES FOR BLIND AMERICANS.<o:p></o:p></span></h3><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Cosponsor the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act (H.R. 4853)<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>To cosponsor H.R. 4853 contact:<br>Gidget Benitez, Health Policy Counsel, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09)<br>Phone: 202-225-2111, Email: <a href="mailto:gidget.benitez@mail.house.gov"><span style='color:#005AA3'>gidget.benitez@mail.house.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>For more information, contact:<br>Jesa Medders, National Federation of the Blind<br>Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2207, Email: <a href="mailto:jmedders@nfb.org"><span style='color:#005AA3'>jmedders@nfb.org</span></a><br><a href="https://www.nfb.org/"><span style='color:#005AA3'>www.nfb.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><ol start=1 type=1><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>See Center for Connected Medicine, Telehealth utilization settles in at 20% or less of medical appointments, available at <a href="https://connectedmed.com/resources/post-pandemic-telehealth-utilization-settles-in-at-20-or-less-of-medical-appointments/" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://connectedmed.com/resources/post-pandemic-telehealth-utilization-settles-in-at-20-or-less-of-medical-appointments/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>See NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITIES, National Disability Policy Progress Report: Technology that enables access to the full opportunities of citizenship under the Constitution is a right at 19 (October 7, 2016), available at <a href="https://ncd.gov/progressreport/2016/progress-report-october-2016" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://ncd.gov/progressreport/2016/progress-report-october-2016</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>****************************************<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><h1 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span class=field><span style='font-size:39.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Twenty-First Century Websites & Applications Accessibility Act</span></span><span style='font-size:39.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></span></h1><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Issue—Websites are required by law to be accessible, but without implementing regulations, most businesses and retailers have little understanding of what accessible means.<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Websites and mobile applications are an essential part of modern living.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> More than 313 million Americans use the internet,<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/twenty-first-century#a1"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>1</span></sup></a> and 81 percent of Americans say that they access the internet at least once each day.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/twenty-first-century#a2"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>2</span></sup></a> The need to access websites and mobile applications doesn’t stop when it reaches Americans with disabilities. According to the American Community Survey, conducted by the United States Census Bureau, there are approximately forty million Americans who currently have a disability.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/twenty-first-century#a3"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>3</span></sup></a> Based on the numbers above, it is more than reasonable to assume that the vast majority of them are trying to use websites and mobile applications.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>The Department of Justice announced its intention to publish accessible website regulations more than a decade ago.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> On July 26, 2010, the twentieth anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the government published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to address website accessibility.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/twenty-first-century#a4"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>4</span></sup></a> After that initial announcement, no further action was taken to substantially advance website accessibility. Without regulations in place, blind and disabled Americans are not reliably able to electronically access businesses, apply for jobs, and work at places due to the barriers created by inaccessible websites and mobile applications.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>The past few years have seen a significant increase in the prevalence of so-called “click-by” lawsuits.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> Accessibility is readily achievable, but many businesses that are required by law to make their websites accessible claim to have no clear-cut definition of what “accessible” actually means. Meanwhile, people with disabilities must cope with inaccessible websites. ADA Title III lawsuits, which include website accessibility suits, hit record numbers in 2019, topping 11,000 for the first time.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/twenty-first-century#a5"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>5</span></sup></a> The number of lawsuits has been increasing steadily since 2013, when the figure was first tracked.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/twenty-first-century#a6"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>6</span></sup></a> Businesses yearn for a clear definition of accessibility standards and to be able to expand their potential customer pool to consumers they were not reaching before.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Solution—Twenty-First Century Websites & Applications Accessibility Act will:<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Direct the US Access Board to promulgate accessibility guidelines.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> The US Access Board will have six months following the enactment of the legislation to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding website and mobile application accessibility, then an additional six months to issue the final rule.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Promulgate guidelines that strive to harmonize with Section 508 standards. </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>The Section 508 standards promulgated by the US Access Board on January 18, 2017, are established regulations for website and technology accessibility. Therefore, the guidelines promulgated by the Access Board should harmonize with these standards.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Authorize the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate the accessibility of websites and mobile applications.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> Either of its own volition or via a logged complaint pertaining to inaccessibility, the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will have the authority to investigate accessibility concerns and commence civil action if necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:25.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:green;font-weight:normal'>GOAL—END WEBSITE AND MOBILE APPLICATION INACCESSIBILITY FOR BLIND AMERICANS.<o:p></o:p></span></h3><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Cosponsor the Twenty-First Century Websites & Applications Accessibility Act when introduced.<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>For more information, contact:</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'><br>Jeff Kaloc, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind<br>Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2206<br>Email: <a href="mailto:jkaloc@nfb.org"><span style='color:#005AA3'>jkaloc@nfb.org</span></a><br><a href="https://www.nfb.org/"><span style='color:#005AA3'>www.nfb.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><ol start=1 type=1><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>Statista. “Countries with the highest number of internet users as of December 2019.” June 2020. <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/262966/number-of-internet-users-in-selected-countries/" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://www.statista.com/statistics/262966/number-of-internet-users-in-selected-countries/</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>Andrew Perrin & Madhu Kumar. “About three-in-ten U.S. adults say they are ‘almost constantly’ online.” July 25, 2019. <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/25/americans-going-online-almost-constantly/" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/25/americans-going-online-almost-constantly/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>United States Census Bureau, American Community Survey. “The number of non-institutionalized, male or female, all ages, all races, regardless of ethnicity, with all education levels in the United States reported a disability in 2018.” Compiled by Cornell University. <a href="https://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=1" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=1</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>Federal Register. “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities and Public Accommodations.” July 26, 2010. <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2010/07/26/2010-18334/nondiscrimination-on-the-basis-of-disability-accessibility-of-web-information-and-services-of-state" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2010/07/26/2010-18334/nondiscrimination-on-the-basis-of-disability-accessibility-of-web-information-and-services-of-state</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>Minh Vu, Kristina Launey, & Susan Ryan. “2019 Was Another Record-Breaking Year for Federal ADA Title III Lawsuits.” February 20, 2020. <a href="https://www.adatitleiii.com/2020/02/2019-was-another-record-breaking-year-for-federal-ada-title-iii-lawsuits/" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://www.adatitleiii.com/2020/02/2019-was-another-record-breaking-year-for-federal-ada-title-iii-lawsuits/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>Ibid.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>****************************************<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><h1 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span class=field><span style='font-size:39.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (H.R. 2373/S. 3238)</span></span><span style='font-size:39.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></span></h1><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Promote competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities.<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to discriminate against people with disabilities. </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Passed in 1938, Section 14(c)<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/transformation#a1"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>1</span></sup></a> authorizes employers to pay workers with disabilities subminimum wages while they perform mundane tasks that do not transfer into skills necessary to transition to other employment options. This law only reinforces stigmatic misconceptions of people with disabilities and creates an artificial barrier to future employment opportunities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>The misconception that the elimination of 14(c) will displace workers with disabilities is based on speculation and rhetoric. </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>A growing number of employers have already stopped relying on Section 14(c) and have voluntarily withdrawn their certificates. In 2011 420,000 people with disabilities were paid subminimum wages under the 14(c) program.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/transformation#a2"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>2</span></sup></a> Today, only 39,386 people with disabilities continue to receive subminimum wages.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/transformation#a3"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>3</span></sup></a> During that same time period (2011-2017), the employment rate for people with disabilities has steadily increased every year from 33.4 percent to 37.3 percent.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/transformation#a4"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>4</span></sup></a> Additionally, ten states have passed legislation limiting or barring the payment of subminimum wages for people with disabilities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Bipartisan consensus supports the phase out of Section 14(c). </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>The Republican and Democratic parties’ 2016 platforms both called for an end to subminimum wages for people with disabilities.<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/transformation#a5"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>5</span></sup></a> In 2016 a committee tasked by Congress to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities also recommended the phase-out of Section 14(c).<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/transformation#a6"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>6</span></sup></a> In addition, in an October 2018 report, the National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency charged with advising Congress, recommended “the phase out of Section 14(c).”<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/transformation#a7"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>7</span></sup></a> Furthermore, in September 2020, the US Commission on Civil Rights recommended that “Congress should repeal Section 14(c) with a planned phase-out period to allow transition among service providers and people with disabilities to alternative service models prioritizing competitive integrated employment.”<a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/transformation#a8"><sup><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#005AA3'>8</span></sup></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>The Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (H.R. 2373/S. 3238):<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Discontinues the issuance of new Special Wage Certificates. </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>The Secretary of Labor will no longer issue Special Wage Certificates to new applicants.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Creates a grant program for states and individual 14(c) certificate holders to assist with their transition to competitive, integrated employment. </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>This grant program will be available to all states and individual 14(c) certificate holders who transition their business models to support competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities. States that receive grants must establish an advisory committee that includes employers, organizations specializing in employment for people with disabilities, Medicaid agencies, AbilityOne contractors, people with disabilities, and vocational rehabilitation agencies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Creates a technical assistance center to support all 14(c) holders in their transition to competitive integrated employment. </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Under the Department of Labor, the technical assistance center will disseminate information about best practices to facilitate transition of entities to competitive, integrated employment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Requires reporting and evaluation of the progress of creating and expanding support for workers with disabilities. </span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>States and 14(c) certificate holders will be required to report on their grant activities, evaluate changes in employment for people with disabilities, report average wage information, and evaluate employer actions taken to comply with the phase out of 14(c).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Sunsets Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act.</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'> Five years after enactment of the TCIEA, employers will no longer be permitted to pay workers with disabilities subminimum wages.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:25.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:green;font-weight:normal'>REMOVE ARTIFICIAL BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.<o:p></o:p></span></h3><h2 style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;color:inherit'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black;font-weight:normal'>Cosponsor the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>To cosponsor H.R. 2373 in the House of Representatives, contact:</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'><br>Phoebe Ball, Disability Counsel, House Committee on Education and Labor<br>Phone: 202-225-3725, Email: <a href="mailto:phoebe.ball@mail.house.gov"><span style='color:#005AA3'>phoebe.ball@mail.house.gov</span></a><br>or<br>Kristin Flukey, Senior Legislative Assistant for Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) <br>Phone: 202-225-2006, Email: <a href="mailto:kristin.flukey@mail.house.gov"><span style='color:#005AA3'>kristin.flukey@mail.house.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>To cosponsor S. 3238 in the Senate, contact:</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'><br>Michael Gamel-McCormick, Disability Policy Director, Senate Special Committee on Aging<br>Phone: 202-224-4193, Email: <a href="mailto:Michael_Gamel-McCormick@aging.senate.gov"><span style='color:#005AA3'>Michael_Gamel-McCormick@aging.senate.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><strong><span style='font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>For more information on the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, contact:</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'><br>Jeff Kaloc, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind<br>Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2206, Email: <a href="mailto:jkaloc@nfb.org"><span style='color:#005AA3'>jkaloc@nfb.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><ol start=1 type=1><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo4;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>29 U.S.C. § 214(c)(1).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo4;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>National Council on Disability, “Report on Subminimum Wage and Supported Employment,” (August 23, 2012), <a href="http://www.ncd.gov/sites/default/files/NCD_Sub%20Wage.pdf" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>http://www.ncd.gov/sites/default/files/NCD_Sub%20Wage.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo4;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Certificate Holders, (October 1, 2021), <a href="https://www.dol.gov/whd/specialemployment/" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://www.dol.gov/whd/specialemployment/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo4;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>United States Census Bureau, “The percentage of non-institutionalized, male or female, with a disability, ages 21-64, all races, regardless of ethnicity, with all education levels in the United States who were employed [2011-2017].” <a href="http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=2" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=2</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo4;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>The 2016 Republican Party platform stated, "Our TIME Act (Transition[ing] to Integrated and Meaningful Employment) will modernize the Fair Labor Standards Act." The 2016 Democratic Party platform stated, "We … support … ending the sub-minimum wage for … people with disabilities."<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo4;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities. “Final Report,” (September 15, 2015), <a href="http://www.dol.gov/odep/pdf/20150808.pdf" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>http://www.dol.gov/odep/pdf/20150808.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo4;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><a name=a7></a><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>National Council on Disability, “National Disability Employment Policy – From the New Deal to the Raw Deal: Joining the Industries of the Future,” (October 11, 2018), <a href="https://ncd.gov/sites/default/files/Documents/NCD_Deal_Report_508.pdf" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://ncd.gov/sites/default/files/Documents/NCD_Deal_Report_508.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo4;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><a name=a8></a><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif'>U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Subminimum Wages: Impacts on the Civil Rights of People with Disabilities, (Washington, DC: 2020), 223. <a href="https://www.usccr.gov/files/2020-09-17-Subminimum-Wages-Report.pdf" target="_blank"><span style='color:#005AA3'>https://www.usccr.gov/files/2020-09-17-Subminimum-Wages-Report.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>****************************************<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>End Of Fact Sheets<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>