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

[trishs]

I've heard a recent  radeo interview with him.  He's moving 
further up the political ladder, and "as far as I can see" 
further away from us!

> ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Marie Johnson" <jomar2000 at comcast.net
>To: "NFB of New Hampshire Student List" 
<new-hampshire-students at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 14:35:43 -0500
>Subject: Re: [New-hampshire-students] See if this surprises 
you!Fw:SchedulingRequest

>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