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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings Fellow Federationist:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Because there was no Presidential Release on Saturday, June 3, 2017 during our monthly meeting I have now linked the June Presidential Release 462 on our homepage at http://nfbnd.org/ You can finde find it under the heading Presidential Releases.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For the month of July we will have a conference call meeting on Monday, July 17 so that I can give you an update as to what happened at the convention. Watch your e-mail inbox for the time.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The following is a Legislative Update from John Pare. If you do contact our congressional deligates by e-mail, please CC: a copy of your note to me for forwarding to our National Office.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It is time for our pre-convention legislative surge. Both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate are back in session beginning Tuesday, June 6 and they need to hear from all of us. We are up to twenty-two cosponsors on AIM HIGH, H.R. 1772, five cosponsors on the Access Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 1734, and eight cosponsors on the TIME Act, H.R. 1377. In the Senate, the Access Technology Affordability Act, S. 732, has one cosponsor. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Congress will be back in session for the next four weeks but please try to make your calls and send your emails by this Friday, June 9. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ask your representative to cosponsor H.R. 1772, H.R. 1734, and H.R. 1377. Please also call your two senators and ask them to cosponsor S. 732.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A short summary of each bill is included below. I have also included a list of all the current cosponsors.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The best way to contact your member of Congress is to call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for the office in question. Emailing your member of Congress is also a good idea. If you do so, please copy JPare@nfb.org. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We are hoping to significantly raise the number of cosponsors on all of our bills before convention but we cannot do it without everyone working together. Your calls and emails make a big difference. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks for all you do!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Warm regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>John<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>John ParĂ©<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(410) 659-9314 x 2218<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bill Summaries <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Accessible Instructional Material in Higher Education Act, H.R. 1772 (AIM HIGH)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This bill will promote instructional technology and content that are accessible to the blind and other students with print disabilities. Read the AIM HIGH fact sheet to learn more.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017, H.R. 1734 and S. 732 (ATAA)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>These bills will facilitate the purchase of access technology for blind people by creating a refundable, per person tax credit. Read the Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017 fact sheet to learn more.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act of 2017, H.R. 1377 (TIME)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This bill will increase employment opportunities by removing stigmas and low expectations propagated by section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Note that the bill now phases out subminimum wages over a six year period corresponding to the recommendation of the National Council on Disability. Read the TIME Act fact sheet to learn more.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Current cosponsors <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Accessible Instructional Material in Higher Education Act, H.R. 1772 (AIM HIGH) Current Cosponsors<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Roe, David P. [R-TN-1] - Sponsor<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-3]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. [D-FL-7]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Ross, Dennis A. [R-FL-15]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]*<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Brooks, Susan W. [R-IN-5]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Visclosky, Peter J. [D-IN-1]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Nolan, Richard M. [D-MN-8]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-5]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Price, David E. [D-NC-4]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-5]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Green, Gene [D-TX-29]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [R-WI-5]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017, H.R. 1734 and S. 732 (ATAA) Current Cosponsors<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Young, David [R-IA-3] - Sponsor<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-16]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act of 2017, H.R. 1377 (TIME) Current Cosponsors<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3] – Sponsor<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-42]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-15]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. [D-FL-7]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Lujan Grisham, Michelle [D-NM-1]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rep. Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-A<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Milton Ota, President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Web: http://nfbnd.org/<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>909 8th St., S.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Fargo, ND 58103-2723<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cell: (701) 731-0511<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>E-mail: mota1252@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>