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

Sat Jan 31 06:39:41 UTC 2009

Thanks Marie. I think we should see the intern anyway .. and complain
gently to her about the 3rd refusal. Wayne.

-----Original Message-----
From: new-hampshire-students-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:new-hampshire-students-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marie
Johnson
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 7:26 PM
To: New Hampshire NFB State Affiliate Board
Cc: Student List
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)

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