<html>
<body>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><br>
<h1><b>President's Notebook</b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<h1><b>National Federation of the Blind</b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<h1><b>Mark A. Riccobono</b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<h1><b><a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org">
officeofthepresident@nfb.org</a></b></h1><br><br>
<br>
<h1><b>(410) 659-9314</b></h1><br><br>
<br>
Dear Fellow Federationists,<br>
<br>
Meet the Blind Month is quickly headed this way, but we have a lot of
exciting happenings around the Federation in the month of September. You
will find information below about our work with the Baltimore Orioles.
You should know that we will be reaching out to the other major league
teams, with the support of the Orioles, to get them to pursue similar
activities next year. When we open those doors, we will be working with
the state affiliate and local chapter for each team to make sure the
local Federation resources are acknowledged.<br>
<br>
Some of you have asked about the announcement regarding Lyft’s
assistance in getting voters to the polls for Election Day. We do not
have all of the logistics worked out with Lyft yet. Please stand by and
know that we will push it out to our members as soon as we have the
process worked out with Lyft.<br>
<br>
Finally, please keep those in the path of Hurricane Florence in your
thoughts and prayers. It is likely to disrupt the lives of many of our
members in the Carolinas, and we hope that it ends up being nothing more
than an inconvenience. If you learn of members who face trouble because
of the impact of the storm, please let me know.<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>Critical Actions This Week:</b></h2><br><br>
Legislative Alert: <br>
A very important legislative alert was sent yesterday. Please be sure to
share the information with all of your members, as well as others that
would be willing to contact their representatives. The entire alert is at
the bottom of this message, but below are the highlights.<br>
<ul>
<li>The Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act (S. 2559) is sitting idle in
the House Judiciary Committee. We need Chairman Goodlatte to discharge
this bill and put it on the House suspension calendar for a vote.
<li>The Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 1734) has eighty-four
cosponsors in the House and twelve in the Senate. We need everyone to
check the list and, if their elected representatives have not already
signed up as a sponsor of ATAA, to call to urge them to do so.
</ul> <br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>News:</b></h2><br><br>
Presidential Release:<br>
The September Presidential Release is available at
<a href="https://nfb.org/presidential-releases">
https://nfb.org/presidential-releases</a>. Of course, it is also
available on NFB-NEWSLINE, the NFB mobile app, via podcast, and through
the Amazon Echo. <br>
<br>
Orioles:<br>
Next Tuesday, September 18, is National Federation of the Blind Night at
Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The jerseys will have “Orioles” and the
players’ names in Braille, we will be handing out Braille alphabet
cards, and I will be throwing out the first pitch. We have invited many
of our partners to join us at the game. Below are two articles about the
event. <br>
<br>
<i>Baltimore</i> magazine:
<a href="https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/2018/9/7/os-to-honor-national-federation-of-the-blind-with-braille-jerseys">
https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/2018/9/7/os-to-honor-national-federation-of-the-blind-with-braille-jerseys</a>
<br>
<i>Baltimore Sun</i>:
<a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-blind-20180904-story.html">
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-blind-20180904-story.html</a>
<br>
<br>
Also, the jerseys will be auctioned after the game from September 18 at
7:00 p.m. until September 25 at 10:00 p.m., with proceeds benefiting the
National Federation of the Blind. All jerseys will be authenticated by
MLB and autographed. The auction will be taking place at
<a href="http://orioles.com/auctions">orioles.com/auctions</a>.<br>
<br>
<br><br>
<h2><b>Dates to Keep in Mind:</b></h2><br><br>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://nfb.org/state-conventions">Fall conventions</a>
<li>October 11-12, 2018: Tactile Graphics Symposium
</ul><br>
<h2><b><a name="_Hlk523813585"></a>
· November 1, 2018: NFB
scholarship application period begins</b></h2><br><br>
<br>
<h2><b>· November 15,
2018: Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award application period begins</b></h2><br><br>
<ul>
<li>March 28-29, 2019: Jacobus tenBroek Law Symposium
<li>July 7-12, 2019: NFB National Convention, Las Vegas, Nevada
</ul> <br>
<br>
Full Legislative Alert:<br>
Dear Fellow Federationists:<br>
<br>
We are at a critical point with two of our legislative priorities that
need your immediate attention.<br>
<br>
First, the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act (S. 2559) is sitting idle
in the House Judiciary Committee. We need Chairman Goodlatte to discharge
this bill and put it on the House suspension calendar for a vote. The
Department of State will not ratify the treaty until the House of
Representatives passes this bill and the president signs it into law.
This legislation is noncontroversial, supported by all relevant
stakeholders, and was passed unanimously by the Senate on June 28.<br>
<br>
Please call Chairman Goodlatte at 202-225-5431 and urge him to “support
blind Americans by putting the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act, S.
2559, on the House suspension calendar.” Note that Chairman
Goodlatte’s email web form blocks any emails from outside his district,
so please contact his office via phone. <br>
Our second topic is the Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 1734).
We are up to eighty-four cosponsors in the House and twelve in the
Senate. Special thanks to the National Federation of the Blind of
Illinois. Fourteen House members from Illinois and Senator Tammy
Duckworth have cosponsored this legislation. <br>
You can contact your member of Congress by calling the Capitol
Switchboard and asking for the office in question. The number is
202-224-3121. If you email your representative, please copy me at
<a href="mailto:JPare@nfb.org">JPare@nfb.org</a>. <br>
<br>
When you call or email, you might say something like the following:<br>
“Hello, my name is [your name] and I am a constituent of [your
representative]. I live in [city, state]. I am calling to urge [your
representative] to cosponsor H.R. 1734, the Access Technology
Affordability Act. This bill would increase the availability of access
technology, thereby increasing educational and employment opportunities
for all blind Americans. The bill does this by creating a tax credit for
the purchase of access technology. The National Federation of the Blind
has analyzed the cost impact and the bill is either cost neutral or will
save the government money. I urge [representative] to cosponsor the bill.
Thanks.”<br>
The eighty-four House cosponsors are listed below in alphabetical order
by state. You do not need to contact your representative regarding the
Access Technology Affordability Act if he or she is already on this list.
<br>
<br>
In summary we are asking you to make two calls: one to Chairman Goodlatte
regarding the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act, and a second call to
your representative regarding the Access Technology Affordability Act. If
you have any questions I can be reached at 410-659-9314, extension
2218.<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
John<br>
<br>
Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 1734) Cosponsors<br>
Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7] <br>
Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large] <br>
Rep. Grijalva, Raul M. [D-AZ-3] <br>
Rep. O'Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1] <br>
Rep. Sinema, Kyrsten [D-AZ-9] <br>
Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46] <br>
Rep. Denham, Jeff [R-CA-10] <br>
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17] <br>
Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-19] <br>
Rep. Napolitano, Grace F. [D-CA-32] <br>
Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40]<br>
Rep. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA-28] <br>
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41] <br>
Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35] <br>
Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1] <br>
Rep. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] <br>
Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]<br>
Rep. Curbelo, Carlos [R-FL-26] <br>
Rep. Demings, Val Butler [D-FL-10] <br>
Rep. Gaetz, Matt [R-FL-1] <br>
Rep. Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-20] <br>
Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5] <br>
Rep. Mast, Brian J. [R-FL-18] <br>
Rep. Posey, Bill [R-FL-8] <br>
Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana [R-FL-27] <br>
Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9] <br>
Rep. Gabbard, Tulsi [D-HI-2] <br>
Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1] <br>
Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12] <br>
Rep. Bustos, Cheri [D-IL-17] <br>
Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] <br>
Rep. Davis, Rodney [R-IL-13] <br>
Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11] <br>
Rep. Gutierrez, Luis V. [D-IL-4] <br>
Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2] <br>
Rep. LaHood, Darin [R-IL-18] <br>
Rep. Lipinski, Daniel [D-IL-3] <br>
Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5] <br>
Rep. Roskam, Peter J. [R-IL-6] <br>
Rep. Rush, Bobby L. [D-IL-1] <br>
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] <br>
Rep. Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10] <br>
Rep. Brooks, Susan W. [R-IN-5] <br>
Rep. Messer, Luke [R-IN-6] <br>
Rep. Visclosky, Peter J. [D-IN-1]<br>
Rep. Blum, Rod [R-IA-1]<br>
Rep. Loebsack, David [D-IA-2]<br>
Rep. Young, David [R-IA-3] <br>
Rep. Barr, Andy [R-KY-6] <br>
Rep. Yarmuth, John A. [D-KY-3] <br>
Rep. Poliquin, Bruce [R-ME-2] <br>
Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8] <br>
Rep. Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [D-MD-2] <br>
Rep. Capuano, Michael E. [D-MA-7] <br>
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] <br>
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] <br>
Rep. Tsongas, Niki [D-MA-3] <br>
Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-5] <br>
Rep. Upton, Fred [R-MI-6] <br>
Rep. Ellison, Keith [D-MN-5] <br>
Rep. Nolan, Richard M. [D-MN-8] <br>
Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7] <br>
Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5] <br>
Rep. Kihuen, Ruben J. [D-NV-4] <br>
Rep. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV-3] <br>
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1] <br>
Rep. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM-3] <br>
Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13] <br>
Rep. Faso, John J. [R-NY-19] <br>
Rep. King, Peter T. [R-NY-2] <br>
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6] <br>
Rep. Price, David E. [D-NC-4] <br>
Rep. Joyce, David P. [R-OH-14] <br>
Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13] <br>
Rep. Stivers, Steve [R-OH-15] <br>
Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-2] <br>
Rep. Meehan, Patrick [R-PA-7] <br>
Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-16] <br>
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-5] <br>
Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1] <br>
Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice [D-TX-30] <br>
Rep. O'Rourke, Beto [D-TX-16] <br>
Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-32] <br>
Rep. Garrett, Thomas A., Jr. [R-VA-5] <br>
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]<br>
<br>
Mark A. Riccobono, President<br>
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230<br>
(410) 659-9314 |
<a href="mailto:officeofthepresident@nfb.org">
officeofthepresident@nfb.org</a> <br>
<br>
<br>
<a href="https://nfb.org/">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/nfblogo.png" width=210 height=76 alt="National Federation of the Blind">
</a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/facebook.png" width=24 height=24 alt="Facebook">
</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/twitter.png" width=24 height=24 alt="Twitter">
</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/youtube.png" width=24 height=24 alt="Youtube">
</a><br>
<br>
The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and
friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind.
Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.
<br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote></body>
</html>