[NABS-L] Update from the Legislative Advocacy Committee

[Justin Salisbury]

Aloha everyone,

I hope that you are enjoying your summer and that you had a blast at the National Federation of the Blind Convention in Las Vegas!

Since we do not have a committee call in July, I want to be sure to give everyone an update and ask for your support in contacting your Members of Congress to build support for our legislative efforts. We have two bills that we really need to pass to help us achieve greater equality, opportunity, and security for the blind. We need to get every cosponsor we can get, starting with our individual Congressman or Congresswoman, and both Senators from our state. Here, I am listing each bill, with a description, and a link to the full list of cosponsors. If they are on the list of cosponsors, please thank them. If they are not, please ask them to cosponsor. The HR bill numbers apply to Members of the House of Representatives, and the S bill numbers apply to Members of the Senate.

Transformation to Competitive Employment Act
House - H.R. 873 - Sponsored by Bobby Scott (D-VA-3) Senate - S. 260 - Sponsored by Bob Casey (D-PA)
These bills would phase out Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act over a six-year period, at which point the provision would officially be sunset.
S. 260 Cosponsors: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/260/cosponsors?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22s260%22%5D%7D&s=3&r=1&overview=closed#tabs
H. R. 873 Cosponsors: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/873/cosponsors?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22hr873%22%5D%7D&s=1&r=1&overview=closed#tabs

Access Technology Affordability Act
House - H.R. 2086 - Sponsored by Mike Thompson (D-CA-5) Senate - S. 815 - Sponsored by John Boozman (R-AR)
This legislation removes an employment barrier commonly experienced by blind Americans who cannot afford the high cost of access technology by creating a refundable tax credit in the amount of $2,000 to offset the cost of these technologies.
S. 815 Cosponsors: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/815/cosponsors?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22s815%22%5D%7D&s=4&r=1&overview=closed#tabs
H. R. 2086 Cosponsors: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/2086/cosponsors?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22hr2086%22%5D%7D&s=6&r=1&overview=closed#tabs

When you call or email, you might say something like the following:
"Hello, my name is [your name] and I am a constituent of [your senator/representative]. I live in [city, state]. I am calling to urge [your senator/representative] to cosponsor [S. 260 for Senate calls/H.R. 873 for House calls], the Transformation to Competitive Employment Act. This bill would phase out subminimum wages for people with disabilities over a six-year period, at which point Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the provision that allows this practice, would be sunset. I urge [your senator/representative] to cosponsor the bill.

I am also calling to urge [your senator/representative] to cosponsor [S. 815 for Senate calls/H.R. 2086 for House calls], the Access Technology Affordability Act. This legislation removes an employment barrier commonly experienced by blind Americans who cannot afford the high cost of access technology by creating a refundable tax credit in the amount of $2,000 to offset the cost of these technologies. I urge [your senator/representative] to cosponsor the bill.

Thank you."

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 or senators, please copy Gabe Cazares at gcazares at nfb.org<mailto:gcazares at nfb.org>.

Please let me know if you have any questions, and I look forward to catching up with everyone in August if not sooner!

Mahalo,

Justin


Justin M. Hideaki Salisbury
he/him/his

Board Member | National Association of Blind Students
   A proud division of the National Federation of the Blind
(808) 797-8606
president at alumni.ecu.edu | www.nabslink.org<http://www.nabslink.org/>