[IABS-Talk] Urgent Legislative Alert Regarding The Access Technology Affordability Act.

[Dustin Cather]

Greetings everyone,

Below is an update from our National office regarding the status of the
Access Technology Affordability Act. John Pare the  Executive Director for
Advocacy and Policy at our National office has put out a call to membership
to contact Speaker Pelosi and Majority Lead Schumer to maintain the ATAA
Provision in the Build Back Better Act.

Please take the time to read the message from John below.

Dear Federation Family:



On September 27, the Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA) was
incorporated into the House version of the Build Back Better Act. For a
month we advocated for Congress to maintain the provisions of the ATAA in
the larger bill. On October 20, President Riccobono wrote letters to
both Speaker
Pelosi
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/letter-speaker-pelosi-regarding-ataa-build-back-better>
 and Majority Leader Schumer
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/letter-majority-leader-schumer-regarding-ataa-build>
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.



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:



“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.”



We suggest a subject like: “Please Maintain the ATAA Provision in the Build
Back Better Act”



To contact Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer please use the
following email addresses, or call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.



Speaker Pelosi:

Terri McCullough, Chief of Staff

terri.mccullough at mail.house.gov



Majority Leader Schumer:

Mike Lynch, Chief of Staff

mike_lynch at schumer.senate.gov



If you email, please copy Jeff Kaloc at jkaloc at nfb.org.



Thank you for all that you do,



John



John G. Paré Jr.

Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy

200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

(410) 659-9314, extension 2218 | Jpare at nfb.org