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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> NFBNet-Members-List [mailto:nfbnet-members-list-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Diggs, Parnell via NFBNet-Members-List<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 29, 2017 8:15 PM<br><b>To:</b> nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Update and Post Washington Seminar Call to Action<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'> <br>Dear Federation Family,<br> <br>The purpose of this update is to bring you up-to-speed on legislative developments since we left the Washington Seminar two months ago and to ask you to activate on several crucial issues. Please use this information as a good reason to reach out to your two Senators and your Congressman or Congresswoman and update them on developments since your visit to their offices. The summary of legislative developments will be followed by the call to action on three bills:<br> <br>The Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act, also known as “AIM HIGH”, H.R. 1772<br> <br>Congressman Phil Roe (R-TN) and Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT) introduced this legislation in the House of Representatives earlier today. H.R. 1772 will promote instructional technology and content that are accessible to the blind and other students with print disabilities.<br> <br>The Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017 (ATAA) H.R. 1734 and S. 732<br> <br>These companion bills were introduced by Representatives David Young (R-IA) and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) in the House and by Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) in the Senate on March 28, 2017. Please remind your Senators and Representative that this legislation will establish a per-person individual refundable tax credit to be used over a multi-year period to offset the cost of access technology for blind people. <br> <br>The Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act of 2017 (H.R. 1377)<br> <br>As President Riccobono indicated, the TIME Act is still a priority of the National Federation of the Blind. It just wasn't front and center at the 2017 Washington Seminar. The bill was introduced by Representative Gregg Harper (R-MS) on March 8, 2017, to remove barriers to employment opportunities for people with disabilities by phasing out Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act and facilitating the transitioning of people with disabilities now working in segregated employment settings into competitive employment opportunities in their communities. There is low hanging fruit we can secure from cosponsors of previous iterations of the TIME Act. Please see if your Senators and Representative will cosponsor this bill in the 115th Congress, especially members of the House of Representatives who have done so before.<br> <br>Call to Action<br> <br>Please call both of your Senators and ask them to cosponsor S. 732, the Access Technology Affordability Act. Also, Please call your Congressman or Congresswoman and ask him or her to cosponsor the AIM HIGH Act (H.R. 1772), the Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 1734), and the TIME Act (H.R. 1377).<br> <br>This is an excellent opportunity to circle back with your Senators and Representative to provide them with updates on legislation, which will help blind Americans live the lives we want. The number to the Capitol Switchboard is 202-224-3121. From there, the operator can transfer you to your desired contact. Let me thank you for the groundwork you laid at the Washington Seminar, which has led to the introduction of this legislation. Let’s build on that momentum, as we turn our focus toward Orlando.<br> <br>As always, thanks for all you do.<br> <br>Parnell<br> <br>Parnell Diggs, Esq.<br>Director of Government Affairs<br>200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230<br>(410) 659-9314, extension 2222 | <a href="mailto:pdiggs@nfb.org">pdiggs@nfb.org</a> <br>Twitter: ParnellDiggs<br> <br><a href="https://nfb.org/"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=210 height=76 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20170329211401.04e5a240@visi.com.4" alt="National Federation of the Blind"></span></a><br> <br> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=24 height=24 id="_x0000_i1026" src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20170329211401.04e5a240@visi.com.5" alt=Facebook></span></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=24 height=24 id="_x0000_i1027" src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20170329211401.04e5a240@visi.com.6" alt=Twitter></span></a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=24 height=24 id="_x0000_i1028" src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20170329211401.04e5a240@visi.com.7" alt=Youtube></span></a><br> <br>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. <br> <br> <br><br><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>