[Nfb-hi] NFBH Legislative Alert

Thu Nov 16 03:36:54 UTC 2017

Fellow Federationists:

The iron is hot, and we must strike it!

It’s time to try to add both Hawaii Senators to the list of cosponsors to the Access Technology Affordability Act in the Senate (S. 732). If we can get both of them to cosponsor this bill, then we have a much better chance of getting it passed as part of a larger package that is hot on the move.

So, let’s call and email our two Senators and urge them to cosponsor S. 732, the Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017!

The best way to contact our senators is to call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for the office you want, either Brian Schatz or Mazie Hirono. They both work for all of us, so I will call and email both offices. I hope you will, too.

Here are the email addresses for the key staff members for each Senator:
In Senator Schatz’s office, contact  Legislative Director Arun Revana arun_revana at schatz.senate.gov<mailto:arun_revana at schatz.senate.gov>
In Senator Hirono’s office, contact Legislative Director Jeremy Horan jeremy_horan at hirono.senate.gov<mailto:jeremy_horan at hirono.senate.gov>

***If you send emails, please copy the following people so that we can help follow up and keep track of how many people reach out:
John Pare, Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy jpare at nfb.org<mailto:jpare at nfb.org>
Virgil Stinnett, NFBH Legislative Director 808virgil at gmail.com<mailto:808virgil at gmail.com>
Justin Salisbury, Legislative Committee Chair president at alumni.ecu.edu<mailto:president at alumni.ecu.edu>

I am about to send my emails to these offices. I don’t usually do this, but I will Cc the entire chapter on each one. If you want to use that email to reach out to the office yourself, by all means, do it.

If there is anything more I can do to help you take action, please let me know.

Mahalo and aloha,

Justin

Justin M. Salisbury, MA, NOMC, NCRTB, NCUEB
Legislative Committee Chair
Honolulu Chapter
National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii
Email: President at Alumni.ECU.edu<mailto:President at Alumni.ECU.edu>
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury

“Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot un-educate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.”

Cesar Chavez

From: Virgil Stinnett [mailto:808virgil at gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2017 1:17 PM
To: Anastacia Fong <Anastacia808 at yahoo.com>; mserika_2006 at yahoo.com; Amy Kaaha <akaaha at hawaii.edu>; Dyllon Asami <dakasami at gmail.com>; Ann Lemke <lemke at hawaii.edu>; Doug and Charmaine Moises <moifeva at aol.com>; Jove Abuhle <jabuhle at gmail.com>; Brandon Young <young.brandon4 at gmail.com>; rachel.s.brandt at gmail.com; Cassandra Certeza <cmcerteza at gmail.com>; Shellford Cantan <jrcantan at yahoo.com>; Virgil Stinnett <808virgil at gmail.com>; Katie Keim (I.C.E.) <808keim at gmail.com>; Brenda Lucas <bluca72 at gmail.com>; Tammy Rober <snoopytdr at aol.com>; Mellisa Scroggins <mgerber at hawaii.edu>; Stan Young <SKYCOMHAWAII at msn.com>; shannoncantan.nfb at gmail.com; Justin Salisbury <PRESIDENT at alumni.ecu.edu>; shannon.cantan at gmail.com; Sally Hammond <hammond.kona at yahoo.com>; Jonah Sniffen <jksniffen at gmail.com>; Nani Fife <nanifife at aol.com>; Michael Norton <michael at tkprivee.com>; 247mjgerber at gmail.com; David Maurer <dmaurer68 at gmail.com>; Dean Georgeves <dean.patriot at gmail.com>
Subject: Fwd: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert - November 10, 2017

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:
From: "Pare, John via NFBNet-Members-List" <nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>>
Date: November 10, 2017 at 11:38:24 AM HST
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org<mailto:nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert - November 10, 2017
Reply-To: "Pare, John" <JPare at nfb.org<mailto:JPare at nfb.org>>

Dear Fellow Federationists:
The House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means, favorably reported the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act out of committee on Thursday, November 9. The bill now goes to the House floor. Please continue to call your representative and urge him or her to demand that the additional standard deduction for blind people be restored.
A summary of the Senate companion bill, also called the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, was released on Thursday, November 9. The Senate bill does not eliminate the additional standard deduction for the blind. This is extremely good news!
Please call your two senators and urge them to continue to maintain the additional standard deduction for the blind. Please also ask them to vote for any amendment which incorporates the Access Technology Affordability Act (S. 732) into the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
As a quick reminder, beginning in the 1940s, as a result of NFB’s advocacy, the IRS has included an additional standard deduction for blind people compared to non-blind people. This deduction reduces one’s taxable income and the corresponding amount of taxes a blind person has to pay. In 2017, the standard deduction for a non-blind person filing as single is $6,350 and the standard deduction for a blind person filing as single is $7,900, an increase of $1,550. As far as the effect this deduction has on how much in taxes one would have to pay, that depends on one’s individual tax situation.

The deduction is not intended to pay for a specific item, but all of the extra items that blind people have to pay for to live the lives we want. Examples include transportation, access technology, readers, Braille transcription, white canes, supplies for a guide dog, etc.

Your calls and emails are making a big difference so please keep them up! 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 me at JPare at nfb.org<mailto:JPare at nfb.org>.
Warm regards,

John

John G. ParÃ© Jr.
Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 659-9314, extension 2218 | Jpare at nfb.org<mailto:Jpare at nfb.org>

[National Federation of the Blind]<https://nfb.org/>

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The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.

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