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Hi everyone, <br>
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I hope you all are doing well. Please see the email below regarding the very important issue that this proposed bill could have on PA students with disabilities.
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Please take a moment to call or email our senators' offices and oppose the passage of this bill.
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Thanks,</div>
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Harriet<br>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font style="font-size:11pt" face="Calibri, sans-serif" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> Nfbp-board <nfbp-board-bounces@lists.nfbp.org> on behalf of Drenth, Joe via Nfbp-board <nfbp-board@lists.nfbp.org><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, March 19, 2020 8:17 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'nfbp-talk@nfbnet.org' <nfbp-talk@nfbnet.org>; 'nfbp-board@lists.nfbp.org' <nfbp-board@lists.nfbp.org><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Drenth, Joe <Joe.Drenth@JBTC.COM><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Nfbp-board] Legislative Alert: Preserving IDEA for our children</font>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Hello everyone,</span></p>
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It is very important that we all contact our U.S. Senators to express our opposition to any amendment to the pending stimulus bill that delays or in any way decreases the effectiveness of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, also known as IDEA.
You can read more about the issue in the email copied below.</p>
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As soon as possible, please contact the individuals listed here in the offices of Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators:</p>
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In Senator Toomey’s office: </p>
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Staff member Ariel Gordon. </p>
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Ariel_gordon@toomey.senate.gov</p>
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In Senator Casey’s office: </p>
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Staff member Julia Sferlazzo,</p>
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<a href="mailto:Julia_sferlazzo@casey.senate.gov">Julia_sferlazzo@casey.senate.gov</a></p>
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Here is more information about what to say when you contact them. Remember, the Senate is trying to pass the stimulus bill as soon as possible, so do not wait to contact our senators:</p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">It has come to our attention that IDEA Rights May Be Waived by Congress! As part of the Senate’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) has proposed to include a provision in the pending stimulus bill
that would give the Secretary of Education authority to approve state waiver requests for any statutory and/or regulatory requirement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for one year and extensions may also apply. The stimulus package
is expected to drop as early as this weekend. This provision would be detrimental for children with disabilities. Covered entities such as Child Find, a free appropriate public education (FAPE), Individualized Education Program (IEP), all procedural safeguards,
re-evaluations, related services and accommodations and more are at great risk.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">We cannot allow this provision to pass. </span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Take Action NOW!</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Currently offices are swamped with phone calls, so it may be better to email your two senators and urge them to oppose the Alexander IDEA Waiver provision.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">When you call or email, you might say something like the following:</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">"Hello, my name is [your name] and I am a constituent of Senator Casey/Toomey. I live in [city], Pennsylvania. I am calling to urge Senator Toomey/Casey to oppose Senator Lamar Alexander’s provision to waive all IDEA requirements.
While the COVID-19 outbreak has placed a tremendous and unprecedented strain on schools and districts, it is imperative that we work together to find solutions that allow children to receive equal access to an education and the services that support them without
undoing all of their civil and educational rights. I am writing as a concerned (parent, teacher, blind person, etc.) to urge you to reject any provision that would provide waiver authority to the Secretary of Education regarding the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA). Over seven million children rely on IDEA to receive special education supports and services. I hope you will help schools by providing states with additional funding that can be used to provide teachers, school leaders, and families with
the tools they need to connect to teach and support students. Please support the students with disabilities and their families that rely upon the IDEA to have equal access to education.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Sincerely,</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">(Your Name)”</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Please note that due to the rapidly evolving legislation concerning the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we find ourselves needing to focus on multiple issues simultaneously. Therefore, this legislative alert is in addition
to yesterday’s alert on the ATAA. Please be sure to speak with or write to your senators and representative on both of these critical priorities. </span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">You can contact your senators by calling the Capitol Switchboard and asking for the office in question. The number is 202-224-3121. If you email your senators, please copy Stephanie Flynt at <a href="mailto:sflynt@nfb.org">sflynt@nfb.org</a>.
Your calls and emails do make a difference.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">It is best to call or email the relevant education staffer in your member of Congress's office. If you need the name and email of the appropriate staff person for any Senate office, please email Jesa Medders at <a href="mailto:jmedders@nfb.org">jmedders@nfb.org</a>.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span style="">n<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span>End of forwarded message ---</p>
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<span style="font-size:12.0pt">Thank you,</span></p>
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Joe Drenth</p>
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First Vice President, NFB of Pennsylvania</p>
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