[New-hampshire-students] See if this surprises you! Fw:SchedulingRequest

Thu Feb 5 19:35:43 UTC 2009

Hi Trish, nice to see you in my in box. Thanks for the vote. Maybe I'm just 
being too harsh, but I believe he should be more aware of how the blind 
community feels about its own concerns. After all, we pay his salary and 
keep him where he is, so shouldn't he be held to some kind of standard?
My 2 cents!

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "trishs" <slosser at metrocast.net>
To: "NFB of New Hampshire Student List" <new-hampshire-students at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 5:19 AM
Subject: Re: [New-hampshire-students] See if this surprises you! 
Fw:SchedulingRequest

Absolutely send the letter!

> ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Marie Johnson" <jomar2000 at comcast.net
>To: "New Hampshire NFB State Affiliate Board"
<nh-board at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 19:25:57 -0500
>Subject: [New-hampshire-students] See if this surprises you! Fw:
SchedulingRequest

>Scheduling RequestBelow is a reply that I just received and
thought I would share it with all of you for your feedback.
>As usual,  it comes as no shock to me to hear that he doesn't
have the time nor the desire to meet with any of us for the 3rd
>year in a row.  He hasn't supported the quiet car legislation
either, so can someone, anyone, tell me who voted Hoad back into
Congress and why they did so?
>Is it worth the trouble to meet with his aid and wonder if she
even addresses our concerns with him?
>Should we chalk him up as a lost cause?
>Should the affiliate compose a letter of concern in regards to
his indifference?

>----- Original Message -----
>From: Mayer, Jesse
>To: jomar2000 at comcast.net
>Cc: Levin, Sarah
>Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 3:45 PM
>Subject: Scheduling Request

>Hi Marie-

>Thank you for your request to meet with Congressman Paul Hodes.
Unfortunately, due to the Congressman's hectic schedule, he will
be unavailable for a meeting.  However, I am cc'ing the
appropriate staff member, Sarah Levin, who can set up a meeting
with you, and brief the Congressman at a later time.  Again,
thank you for your request.

>Sincerely,

>Jesse

>    Hello Luke,

>    My name is Marie Johnson and I am the current President of
the New Hampshire Affiliate of the National Federation of the
Blind.  We actually made connections last year for the purpose of
scheduling our annual trip to Washington.

>    A group of us will be traveling to Washington again this year
in hopes of  meeting with Congressman Hoad to present our
concerns and seek his support.  I would like to schedule an
appointment for Tuesday February 10.  I have pasted below a
summary of the concerns we would like to discuss with the
Congressman, for his convenience and reference.

>    I can be reached at either my home phone; 603 225-7917 or my
cell phone number; 603 524-1945, or by email at
jomar2000 at comcast.net.

>    Thanks for your prompt attention to this request  I look
forward to hearing from you in the near future and greatly
appreciate your time.

>    Marie Johnson, President

>    NFB NH State Affiliate

>    1.      We urge Congress to ensure the safety of blind and
other pedestrians by passing the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement
Act.  This legislation would require the U.S.  Secretary of
Transportation to:

>      ·        Begin a study within ninety days of its enactment
to determine the most practical means of assuring that blind and
other pedestrians receive essentially similar information to what
they now receive from sound emitted by internal combustion
engines;

>      ·        Determine the minimum amount of sound necessary to
offer sufficient information for blind pedestrians to make safe
travel judgments based on appropriate scientific research and
consultation with blind Americans and other affected groups;

>      ·        Within two years of beginning the study,
promulgate a motor vehicle safety standard to address the needs
of blind and other pedestrians by requiring either a minimum
level of sound or an equally effective means of providing the
same information as is available from hearing internal combustion
engines; and

>      ·        Apply the standard to all motor vehicles
manufactured or sold in the United States beginning no later than
two years after the date it is promulgated.

>    2.      We urge Congress to work with blind Americans to
create a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that mandates
consumer electronics, home appliances, and office equipment to
provide user interfaces that are accessible through nonvisual
means.  This legislation should:

>      ·        Mandate that all consumer electronics, home
appliances, and office equipment be designed so that blind people
can access the same functions as sighted people through nonvisual
means and with substantially equivalent ease of use;

>      ·        Create a commission comprised of essential
stakeholders to establish standards for nonvisual accessibility
of electronic devices intended for use in the home or office;

>        ·        Endow the commission with enforcement powers or
locate it within a government agency having such powers; and

>        ·        Authorize it to reexamine and rewrite standards
to keep pace with the evolution of consumer electronic
technology.

>    3.      We urge Congress to promote and facilitate the
transition by blind Americans from recipients of Social Security
Disability Insurance benefits to income-earning, taxpaying,
productive members of the American workforce by enacting
legislation to:

>      ·        Replace the monthly earnings penalty with a
graduated 3-for-1 phase-out (i.e., a $1 reduction in benefits for
each $3 earned above the limit);

>      ·        Replace the monthly earnings test with an
annualized earnings test with an amount equal to twelve times.
Substantial Gainful Activity amount; and

>      ·        Establish an impairment-related work expense
deduction for blind Social Security Disability Insurance
beneficiaries equal to the amount applicable for this deduction
when determining an appropriate income subsidy under Medicare
Part D or 16.3 percent of earnings, whichever is greater.

>###

>Jesse Mayer

>Congressman Paul W.  Hodes

>1317 Longworth House Office Building

>Washington, DC  20515

>202-225-5206 (p)

>202-225-2946 (f)

>Sign up for e-mail updates from Congressman Paul Hodes!

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