[New-York-News] Update on Washington

[chrisminkler at gmail.com]

I am writing to everyone on an update for the issues in Washington DC.  It
has been over 2 months since the Washington Seminar.  The 2024 Washington
Seminar was held January 29-February 1.  On March 26, John Pare and his team
gave updates on the bills we are supporting in Washington DC.  John Pare is
the executive director of Advocacy and Policy for the National Federation of
the Blind.  John and his team discussed the 3 issues from the Washington
Seminar and 3 other issues that the team is working on.  I looked up the
names of the current cosponsors on congress.gov.  

The issues in the 2024 Washington Seminar were the Website and Software
Accessibility Act, the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act and the
Blind Americans Return to Work Act. 

The medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act in the Senate is S3621,
sponsored by Senator Maggie Hassan from New Hampshire.  It has 1 cosponsor.
The cosponsor is not from New York.  The Medical Device Nonvisual
Accessibility Act in the House of Representatives is HR1328, sponsored by
Representative Jan Schakowsky from Illinois.  It has 82 cosponsors.  Three
of the cosponsors are from New York.  They are Paul Tonko, Jerry Nadler and
Joseph Morelle.  

The Website and Software Accessibility Act in the senate is S2984, sponsored
by Senator Tammy Duckworth from Illinois.  It has 5 cosponsors.  None from
New York.  The Website and Software Accessibility Act in the House of
Representatives is HR5813, sponsored by Representative John Sarbanes from
Maryland.  It has 30 cosponsors.  The only cosponsor from New York is Joseph
Morelle.  

The Blind Americans return to work Act has not been introduced in the House
of Representatives or the senate.  This bill, if introduced and passed,
would phase out what is often referred to as the earnings cliff with SSDI
(Social Security Disability Insurance).  .  Our team in Baltimore has been
having discussions with Representative Pete Sessions from Texas about
sponsoring this bill in the house, but there is nothing definite to report. 

The 3 other issues discussed during the March 26 zoom meeting were the
Access Technology Affordability Act, the Transformation to Integrated and
Competitive Employment Act and the Autonomous Vehicle Accessibility Act

The Access Technology Affordability Act in the senate is S1467, sponsored by
Senator Ben Cardin from Maryland.  It has 18 cosponsors.  None from New
York.  The Access Technology Affordability Act in the House of
Representatives is HR3702, sponsored by Representative Mike Kelly from
Pennsylvania.  It has 86 cosponsors.  Joseph Morelle is the only cosponsor
from New York.  If passed, it would give a tax refund to blind Americans for
the purchase of access technology.  .  

The Transformation to Integrated and Competitive  Employment Act in the
senate is S533, sponsored by Senator Bob Casey from Pennsylvania.  It has 3
cosponsors.  None from New York.  The Transformation to Integrated and
Competitive Employment Act in the House of Representatives is HR1263,
sponsored by Representative Bobby Scott from Virginia.  It has 31
cosponsors.  None from New York.  If passed, it would phase out subminimum
wages for people with disabilities.  Justin Young reported that Kansas
recently voted to phase out subminimum wages for people with disabilities.
Justin said there are now 18 states which have phased out subminimum wages.


The Autonomous Vehicles Accessibility Act in the House of Representatives is
HR7126, sponsored by Representative Greg Stanton from Arizona.  It has 2
cosponsors.  None from New York.  If passed, it would eliminate the
requirement of a drivers license and create a 5 million dollar fund for the
study of autonomous vehicles in particular situations.  There is no
equivalent bill in the senate.  Chris Minkler, co-legislative director.  

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