[Greater-Baltimore] Contact Your Congressman and Senator Van Hollen

[nfbmd]

Hello All,
 
June is almost over, and Maryland still does not have any cosponsors. Please
make a last ditch effort. Read John Pare's message below and take action.
Thank you. 
 
Dear Fellow Federationists:
 
Last week was fantastic in terms of legislative support. Our AIM HIGH bill
(H.R. 1772) gained eight new cosponsors! The new cosponsors are Tim Ryan
(OH), Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX), Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM), Al Lawson,
Jr. (FL), John Yarmuth (KY), Seth Moulton (MA), David Cicilline (RI), and
David Rouzer (NC).  These eight representatives bring the total number of
cosponsors for AIM HIGH to thirty-one, and we couldn't have gotten this far
without your help.
 
We would also like to give you a quick update on the progress of one of our
other legislative priorities, the TIME Act (H.R. 1377). Last Thursday we
held a legislative briefing hosted by Congressman Gregg Harper of
Mississippi, the sponsor of the TIME Act, to discuss why this legislation is
so critical to people with disabilities. The event drew a huge crowd of
Congressional staffers that filled one of the hearing rooms in the Longworth
House Office Building to capacity. We hope to ride this wave of momentum all
the way to the bill's passage. 
 
While we are excited about the new Congressional support for our
legislation, we can't let that progress slow our efforts. This marks the
last week that Congress will be in session before their Independence Day
recess week. We ask that all of you keep calling and emailing your
representative and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 1377, H.R. 1734, and H.R.
1772. And don't forget to call your two senators to get them to cosponsor
our Senate bill, S. 732 so that this surge of support will continue. The
bill summaries and complete list of cosponsors for all of our legislation is
included at the end of this email.
 
Despite our excitement regarding the increased support for our legislation
to improve the lives of people with disabilities, we cannot be content to
rest on our laurels. H.R. 620 is still a very real threat to the rights and
freedoms of Americans with disabilities. If passed, this legislation will
dramatically weaken the ADA, hindering education, independent living, and
community participation for all people with disabilities. The bill prevents
people with disabilities from filing a lawsuit regarding an ADA violation
until the person first notifies the violator. The violator then has 60 days
to respond and then has another 120 days to remedy the problem, for a total
delay of 180 days. While you have your members of Congress on the phone to
urge them to support our legislation, please remind them to oppose H.R. 620,
the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017.
 
The best way to contact your member of Congress is to call the Capitol
Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for the office in question. Emailing
your member of Congress is also a good idea. If you do so, please copy
JPare at nfb.org <mailto:JPare at nfb.org> .
 
Thanks for all you do!
 
Warm regards,
 
John


 
Sharon Maneki, President
National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
410-715-9596
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.