[nabs-l] Fwd: Thank You for your Support!

Mon May 2 23:37:07 UTC 2011

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Learning Ally, formerly RFB&D" <advocacy at learningally.org>
Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 10:07:38 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Thank You for your Support!
To: gcazares10 at gmail.com

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Stay Engaged, Spread the Word
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May 2, 2011
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Thank You and an Update on Federal DOE Funding for Accessible
Educational Materials

First, Thank you! Your rapid and clear call for continued support for accessible
 educational materials was heard by Members of Congress and had a
positive impact
on the FY 2011 appropriation to the Department of Education. The
compelling testimonials
many of you have shared with us added a depth and poignancy to the
discussion that
numbers alone could not convey. Your personal stories carried weight
in Washington.
Second, despite many key Members supporting the program, there was no
specific funding
appropriated for Learning Ally. This unfortunate loss of
congressionally dedicated
funding means that our campaign is far from over. Our efforts need to
shift to the
Department of Education and the decisions to be made by Secretary Duncan.
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Fiscal Year 2011's Fight Shifts

Under the budget plan passed by Congress, Secretary Duncan has the discretion to
 hold a competition for the development, production and distribution
of educational
materials in accessible formats to students with visual impairments
and other print
disabilities.
Consequently, we at Learning Ally are working closely with our
supporters on Capitol
Hill to encourage the Secretary to prepare and publish a competition
for a national
program for accessible textbooks. This priority was part of President
Obama's 2011
budget plan, and we are striving to preserve this going forward. We are working
to encourage the Secretary to act quickly so there will be confidence
in this program's
future.
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Next Year's Debate is Close at Hand

While we continue to work on the FY 2011 program, we need to also turn
our attention
to the now emerging FY 2012 (October 1, 2011-September 30, 2012)
budget and appropriations
work. As in FY 2011, there will be no earmarks or dedicated funding for Learning
 Ally or hundreds of other valuable national programs.
Our goal will be to protect the crucial ongoing funding that the
Department of Education
provides for accessible educational materials in the FY 2012 budget plan, and to
 ensure that the hundreds of thousands of students across the United States who
depend on accessible materials for their education can continue to receive these
 tools. This debate will be ongoing throughout this spring, summer and well into
 autumn.
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Stay Engaged, Spread the Word

We expect your voice will play a crucial role in the debate. Members of Congress
 need to be reminded regularly of the real human impact that this
program has. As
we approach key milestones, your engagement will be needed to drive this point.
We need you to be an evangelist; spreading the word to your family, friends and
colleagues about this program and encouraging them to sign the
petition at the link
below and enlist in this endeavor.We need as many advocates to sign as possible,
 so please ask everyone you know to join us and sign the petition.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rfbd/
[http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=dpqs87bab&et=1105336641650&s=23196&e=001U2rP5AzTh0XdpdaaEP0Vf0vfMvWXsp3T6txf1N8nwPs4lAr8YfoaaJDpVfFxjdMVRxeO6XB6_nLFU3o87IpEAHG_xfXxUhwW4f7Osy9KFy6OF4R-wBW1ho6QNMquMRw6FsiIxHjk2Cs=]
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Visit the Policy Advocates Center
As we keep the pressure up on the Department of Education with our
allies in Congress,
we will update our Policy Advocates Center
[http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=dpqs87bab&et=1105336641650&s=23196&e=001U2rP5AzTh0W6E_nXwJgKmg8wVvwM0cng1er2weMwiFuKWGBzJGyrJYC53GSgAiuKlHxU0ZbTB0fXwaP6cFsOVMnnocCkJs1XtAnDs6jOk7_hLXHPpLCoq6QWedyjbpjpNTL3eelqeQbSvT5i84cMcX7cyB_yae1xTzlP8duz130jarRe37l1Cg==]
with developments as they occur. We will also share critical action alerts with
you when key decisions are to be made.
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Thank you
Your support has helped to preserve this program so far, and will be a
key to its
future!
Edward Bray
Director, Government Relations
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-- 
Gabriel M. Cazares,
2nd Vice President
Texas Association of Blind Students - TABS
(A Division of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas)
www.nfb-texas.org/tabs.html
Phone: 713-581-0619
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