[NFB-of-Delaware] FW: Two important bills for blind/low vision Delawareans

Tue Apr 1 22:43:14 UTC 2025

Hello all,

Great news!  Representative Sarah McBride has become a sponsor of the Blind Americans Return To Work Act (HR1175)!  She, and her team, are currently reviewing the ATAA.  Keep up the good work!  

Sincerely… Carol King-Ries

From: cmkries at comcast.net <cmkries at comcast.net> 
Sent: Tuesday, April 1, 2025 6:37 PM
To: 'Specter, Hatti' <Hatti.Specter at mail.house.gov>
Cc: cmkries at comcast.net; 'SYLVIA REID' <shevra at verizon.net>
Subject: RE: Two important bills for blind/low vision Delawareans

Hello Hatti Specter,

I hope this email finds you well.  Thank you so much for the great news!  This bill means a lot to me personally, and to many blind Delawareans and Americans.  Please thank the entire team for elevating this request; and please share my thanks and appreciation with Representative McBride.  Let us know if there is anything we can do to help with clarification on the ATAA.  

Best regards… Carol King-Ries

Legislative Director, NFB of Delaware

Live the life you want with love, hope, and determination!

From: Specter, Hatti <Hatti.Specter at mail.house.gov <mailto:Hatti.Specter at mail.house.gov> > 
Sent: Tuesday, April 1, 2025 3:20 PM
To: cmkries at comcast.net <mailto:cmkries at comcast.net> 
Subject: Re: Two important bills for blind/low vision Delawareans

Hi Carol, 

I’m reaching out with some good news – the Congresswoman has agreed to cosponsor the Blind Americans Return to Work Act! You should see this reflected on Congress.gov soon. We’re still running the Access Technology Affordability Act through our process, but I will keep in touch with any updates.

Thank you for your advocacy! 

Hatti Specter | Legislative Aide

Office of Congresswoman Sarah McBride

1306 Longworth House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

O: 202.225.4165

From: "Specter, Hatti" <Hatti.Specter at mail.house.gov <mailto:Hatti.Specter at mail.house.gov> >
Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 6:44 PM
To: "cmkries at comcast.net <mailto:cmkries at comcast.net> " <cmkries at comcast.net <mailto:cmkries at comcast.net> >
Subject: Re: Two important bills for blind/low vision Delawareans

Moving Jacob and Emma to bcc

Hi Carol,

It’s great to hear from you! Thank you for notifying us and bringing these bills to our attention again. I look forward to putting these bills in front of the Congresswoman soon and I will be in touch with any questions and updates. 

Thank you for your advocacy!

Hatti Specter | Legislative Aide

Office of Congresswoman Sarah McBride

1306 Longworth House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

O: 202.225.4165

From: "Glasser, Jacob" <Jacob.Glasser at mail.house.gov <mailto:Jacob.Glasser at mail.house.gov> >
Date: Monday, March 24, 2025 at 7:37 PM
To: "cmkries at comcast.net <mailto:cmkries at comcast.net> " <cmkries at comcast.net <mailto:cmkries at comcast.net> >
Cc: "Specter, Hatti" <Hatti.Specter at mail.house.gov <mailto:Hatti.Specter at mail.house.gov> >, "Wethered, Emma" <Emma.Wethered at mail.house.gov <mailto:Emma.Wethered at mail.house.gov> >
Subject: RE: Two important bills for blind/low vision Delawareans

Hi Carol-

Thanks for reaching out! I’m looping in Hatti Specter, who met with the group and covers health for the Congresswoman. She’d be happy to look into both of these bills! 

From: Wethered, Emma <Emma.Wethered at mail.house.gov <mailto:Emma.Wethered at mail.house.gov> > 
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2025 10:04 PM
To: cmkries at comcast.net <mailto:cmkries at comcast.net> 
Cc: Glasser, Jacob <Jacob.Glasser at mail.house.gov <mailto:Jacob.Glasser at mail.house.gov> >
Subject: RE: Two important bills for blind/low vision Delawareans

Hi Carol,

Thank you so much for sending this information below.  We will pass this message along to Congresswoman McBride.  I’m also looping in Jacob Glasser, the Congresswoman’s Legislative Director, for his awareness. 

Best,

Emma Wethered | Scheduler

Office of Congresswoman Sarah McBride (DE-AL)

1306 Longworth House Office Building | Washington, DC 20515

O: 202.225.4165

From: cmkries at comcast.net <mailto:cmkries at comcast.net>  <cmkries at comcast.net <mailto:cmkries at comcast.net> > 
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2025 1:29 PM
To: Wethered, Emma <Emma.Wethered at mail.house.gov <mailto:Emma.Wethered at mail.house.gov> >
Cc: cmkries at comcast.net <mailto:cmkries at comcast.net> 
Subject: Two important bills for blind/low vision Delawareans

Hello Emma,

I hope this email finds you well.  My name is carol King-Ries, and I am the Legislative director for the National Federation of the Blind of Delaware (NFB DE).  Once again, I would like to thank Representative McBride for her support of people with disabilities in Delaware.  When we spoke with her on February 4th, we told her that we would let her know of any movement on legislation that would impact blind/low vision Delawareans.  Two bills have recently been introduced in the House, and we are requesting Representative McBride’s support as a co-sponsor.

On Monday, February 24, Representative Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania introduced the Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA) in the 119th Congress. The bill number is H.R. 1529. The ATAA will create a $2,000 refundable tax credit for the purchase of qualified access technology for the blind. 

The Blind Americans Return to Work Act (H.R. 1175), was introduced by Representative Pete Sessions of Texas on February 10. This bill will eliminate the SSDI earnings cliff by instituting a two-for-one phase out of benefits for any income earned above the substantial gainful activity threshold.

Both of these pieces of legislation will help blind Delawareans to thrive in the workplace.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns and thank you once again for your support of our efforts to help blind people live the lives they want.

Also, if I should be directing this correspondence to someone else, please let me know.

Best regards… Carol King-Ries

Legislative Director, NFB Delaware

Live the life you want with love, hope, and determination!

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