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Subject: [NFBMN-News] We all can make time. Legislative Alert
8-3-2020<br>
From: NFBMN President via NFBMN-News
<nfbmn-news@nfbnet.org><br><br>
Fellow Federationists,<br>
I’m writing this email after making two phone calls to Senators Smith
and Klobuchar. It will probably take me longer to write this email than
it took me to make the two calls.<br>
Sometimes, when we see these alerts, they look overwhelming. I get that.
They are critically important, however. In fact, in both instances, when
I used the language below, the staffers I spoke with wrote down the bill
numbers and sections I gave them. They’ll probably write them down when
you call as well. Bonus, if you call soon, our comments will show up in
the same block, maybe even on the same sheet of paper, and that raises
the stakes.<br>
Please take five minutes, as soon as you read this email, to call your
senators. If you don’t have time as soon as you read this email,
schedule a timewrite it downto make these calls. That’s what I did. I
saw John’s email last night after the switchboard was closed, and I
wrote down that I would call this morning at 9:30.<br>
Now it’s your turn to make a difference. Thank you for your
action.<br>
All the best,<br>
Ryan<br>
<br>
<b>From:</b> NFBNet-Members-List
<nfbnet-members-list-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Pare,
John via NFBNet-Members-List<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, August 3, 2020 4:03 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert 8-3-2020<br>
<br>
Dear Federation Family:<br>
<br>
I wanted to share some truly great news. We are up to 121 cosponsors on
the Access Technology Affordability Act in the House and 24 in the
Senate. This would not be possible without your calls, emails, and social
media. <br>
<br>
While we still need to build cosponsor support for the Access Technology
Affordability Act, there are two new issues which need our immediate
attention. Last week, on Wednesday, July 29, the House passed Sami’s
Law (H.R. 4686) without objection. This legislation will increase the
safety of ridesharing apps and will ensure that these safety measures are
nonvisually accessible. The National Federation of the Blind has worked
closely with the sponsor of the bill, Representative Chris Smith of New
Jersey, to make sure that blind rideshare users will not be excluded from
the bill’s additional safety measures. The bill has now been
transmitted to the Senate for consideration, and we need to call or email
every member of the Senate and urge them to pass H.R. 4686, Sami’s
Law.<br>
<br>
The second urgent matter is one of the newly proposed COVID-19 relief
bills in the Senate. The SAFE TO WORK Act, S. 4317 contains a section
that would eliminate critical protections established in Titles I and III
of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Please contact your
senators and urge them to amend this harmful language out of S.
4317.<br>
<br>
When you call or email your senators you might say something like:<br>
<br>
"Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of [SENATOR
NAME]. I live in [CITY, STATE]. The House recently passed H.R. 4686,
Sami’s Law. This bill will make it safer for all people, including
blind people, to use rideshare companies, and I urge you to vote in favor
of this legislation when it is considered in the Senate. Additionally, I
would strongly urge you to propose an amendment to strike Section
181(a)(1)(G) and Section 181(b) from S. 4317, the SAFE TO WORK Act. The
language currently contained in Section 181 critically weakens the
protections for disabled Americans set forth in the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990. Please ensure that the protections of the ADA
are maintained by amending this legislation. Thank you.”<br>
<br>
It is critical that you contact your two senators on these two pieces of
legislation as soon as possible, as the Senate is scheduled to enter its
traditional August recess starting Friday, August 7. We don’t want to
miss the opportunity to get meaningful legislation passed and to prevent
harmful legislation from becoming law. <br>
<br>
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 Jeff Kaloc at
<a href="mailto:jkaloc@nfb.org">jkaloc@nfb.org</a>. Your calls and emails
do make a difference.<br>
<br>
We recommend you call or email the legislative director in your senator's
office. If you need the name and email of the appropriate staff person
for any Senate or House office, please email Jesa Medders at
<a href="mailto:jmedders@nfb.org">jmedders@nfb.org</a>. <br>
<br>
Thank you.<br>
<br>
John G. Paré Jr. <br>
Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy <br>
National Federation of the Blind<br>
200 East Wells Street<br>
Baltimore, MD 21230<br>
Telephone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2218<br>
Cell phone: (410) 917-1965<br>
Email: <a href="mailto:jpare@nfb.org">jpare@nfb.org</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.</blockquote><div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br />
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