[MD-AtLarge] Urgent Actions on National and State Legislation Needed

[nfbmd]

Hello all,
 
On Wednesday and Thursday, March 22 and 23, everyone must email or call
their congressional representatives in Washington and email and call the
House Appropriations Committee in Maryland.  The information for Washington
is below.  The information for Maryland will be in the next email - be
watching for it.  Here is President Riccobono is asking us to do.  
 
President Riccobono issued the following call to action today: Opposition to
H.R. 620, the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017.
As you know, we ask members from time to time to contact their
representatives in Congress in support of legislation that would benefit the
blind community. But today I am calling upon all Federationists to contact
their representatives in opposition to H.R. 620. The phone number for the
Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-3121. From there, simply ask to be
connected with your representative. In addition, please call the chairman of
the House Judiciary Committee, Robert Goodlatte, at (202) 225-5431.
 
Here are some brief talking points to share with the offices of your
representative and Chairman Goodlatte: (1) the ADA was enacted in 1990, so
covered entities have had ample time to learn about and comply with the law;
(2) the ADA already contains an "undue burden" provision to protect covered
entities when the costs of making facilities accessible are too high; and
(3) Title III of the ADA (which applies to public accommodations) does not
allow monetary damages for noncompliance.
 
The National Federation of the Blind has joined with 216 other allied civil
rights organizations in opposing this bill. You can read our joint letter at
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/pdf/sign-on-letters/comments_on_hr620_0
3162017.pdf. If you want to know how this bill would affect us, consider
internet access guaranteed under the ADA and our comments filed with DOJ
last October
<https://nfb.org/ada-title-ii-internet-regulations-joint-sanprm-comments>
as just one example.  
 
Please reach out to our federation friends without email access and ask them
to make these important calls as well.
 
 
 
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.
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