[nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
Kenneth Chrane
kenneth.chrane at verizon.net
Wed Jan 26 16:41:09 UTC 2011
Your point is well taken.
Thanks.
Ken Chrane
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 10:36 AM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
> Ken,
>
> I really don't think I would keep pursuing this with them. Anyone can
> claim to be a restored republic but that doesn't make it a fact. The fact
> is I don't see
> any point giving our information to people who would likely oppose us.
> From what I remember of your previous correspondence with this guy, they
> are not a
> blindness organization but believe they represent the independent Republic
> of Illinois, and he is the self-appointed embasador. We just don't have
> the
> resources to try to convince everyone of our cause, and there are frankly
> those who would care less if we remained in our rocking chairs in the back
> rooms
> of relatives houses if it meant they could pay less taxes. In saying
> that, I want to be clear that I'm not blasting all who want to cut taxes,
> but am just saying
> there are fringe groups who really don't care about anyone but themselves,
> and who won't consider that a little help can result in a blind person
> becoming a
> tax payer. Even some pretty conservative Republicans understand the
> benefit of getting people on their feet, so that part of our message has
> pretty broad
> appeal.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Steve Jacobson
>
> On Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:09:48 -0500, Kenneth Chrane wrote:
>
>>Hi Ray, I just wanted to get the point of view of some of the people in
>>the
>>newly restored Constitutional Republic.
>
>>Ken Chrane
>
>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Ray Foret Jr" <rforetjr at att.net>
>>To: <blinddog3 at charter.net>; "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 8:40 PM
>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>
>
>>> Sort of makes me wonder why this so-called ambasador was written to in
>>> the
>>> first place. "Do not spam this address again"? I wonder why you
>>> bothered
>>> in the first place, knowing that was how they felt about our cause.
>>> Sincerely,
>>> The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!
>>>
>>> Now A Very Proud and very happy Mac user!!!
>>>
>>> Skype Name:
>>> barefootedray
>>>
>>> On Jan 25, 2011, at 7:13 PM, Steven Johnson wrote:
>>>
>>>> Kenneth, what are they an ambassador of? I am guessing another blind
>>>> organization that also has an agenda, but probably not one that works
>>>> toward
>>>> systemic change.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Steve
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>>> On
>>>> Behalf Of Kenneth Chrane
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 11:01 AM
>>>> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
>>>> Subject: [nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>>>>
>>>> This ambassador sure hates the NFB.
>>>> Ken Chrane
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: Carol
>>>> To: kenneth.chrane at verizon.net
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 11:55 AM
>>>> Subject: Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: Illinois Ambassador
>>>> To: Carol
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 9:33 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Do not spam this address again. We do not and will not work with
>>>> anything
>>>> that is defacto related
>>>> I used to work with EEOC and the American Disabilities Act is filled
>>>> with
>>>> Constitutional violations.
>>>> If you think it is ok to hinder the growth of one group to cater to
>>>> another,
>>>> you are mis-guided.
>>>> All you people want is more legislation to enslave the masses with your
>>>> agendas, whether honorable or not.
>>>> There are other ways to help the blind and it sure isn't through more
>>>> legislation and taxation or tax credits.
>>>> YOU do more harm thank good.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 1/24/2011 9:13 PM, Carol wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>>>>
>>>> Priorities for the 112th Congress, FIRST Session
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the oldest and largest
>>>> organization of blind people in the United States. As the Voice of the
>>>> Nation's Blind, we represent the collective views of blind people
>>>> throughout
>>>> society. All of our leaders and the vast majority of our members are
>>>> blind,
>>>> but anyone can participate in our movement. There are an estimated 1.3
>>>> million blind people in the United States, and every year approximately
>>>> 75,000 Americans become blind. The social and economic consequences of
>>>> blindness affect not only blind people, but also our families, our
>>>> friends,
>>>> and our coworkers.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Three legislative initiatives demand the immediate attention of the
>>>> 112th
>>>> Congress in its first session.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Initiative 1
>>>>
>>>> We urge Congress to work with blind Americans to create a Technology
>>>> Bill
>>>> of Rights for the Blind which mandates that consumer electronics, home
>>>> appliances, kiosks, and electronic office technology and software
>>>> provide
>>>> user interfaces that are accessible through nonvisual means.
>>>>
>>>> This legislation should:
>>>>
>>>> a.. Mandate that all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks,
>>>> and
>>>> electronic office technology and software be designed so that blind
>>>> people
>>>> are able to access the same functions as sighted people by nonvisual
>>>> means
>>>> and with substantially equivalent ease of use.
>>>> b.. Create a commission within the Department of Commerce to
>>>> establish
>>>> standards for nonvisual accessibility of electronic devices intended
>>>> for
>>>> use
>>>> in the home or office. Such a commission should represent all
>>>> stakeholders,
>>>> including:
>>>> - organizations of the blind;
>>>>
>>>> - manufacturers of consumer electronics, home appliances,
>>>> kiosks,
>>>> and electronic office technology and software, or associations
>>>> representing
>>>> such manufacturers; and
>>>>
>>>> - experts on universal design, electronic engineering, and
>>>> related
>>>> fields.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> . Establish within the Department of Justice the authority to
>>>> enforce the regulations promulgated by the commission established by
>>>> this
>>>> legislation.
>>>>
>>>> a.. Authorize the commission to reexamine and rewrite standards
>>>> periodically as consumer electronic technology continues to evolve.
>>>>
>>>> Initiative 2
>>>>
>>>> We urge Congress to work with blind Americans to establish a
>>>> commission
>>>> within the Department of Education to set uniform national standards
>>>> for
>>>> the
>>>> education of blind students in grades K-12. The Individuals with
>>>> Disabilities Education Act and other existing laws and regulations do
>>>> not
>>>> currently provide objective standards to measure the educational
>>>> progress
>>>> of
>>>> blind students.
>>>>
>>>> This legislation should:
>>>>
>>>> . Create a commission within the Department of Education,
>>>> comprised
>>>> to ensure representation of all stakeholders, to set educational
>>>> standards
>>>> for blind children, and to promulgate regulations.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Initiative 3
>>>>
>>>> We urge Congress to increase business opportunities for disabled
>>>> Americans
>>>> by enacting the Americans with Disabilities Business Opportunity Act.
>>>>
>>>> This legislation should:
>>>>
>>>> . Authorize tax credits to for-profit businesses that purchase
>>>> goods or services from businesses owned by individuals with
>>>> disabilities
>>>> (including from businesses operated under the federal Randolph-Sheppard
>>>> program),
>>>>
>>>> . Amend Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act to include
>>>> people
>>>> with disabilities as presumptively socially disadvantaged,
>>>>
>>>> . Change federal procurement law to provide that businesses
>>>> owned
>>>> by individuals with disabilities (including businesses operated under
>>>> the
>>>> federal Randolph-Sheppard program) are included on the list of
>>>> preferred
>>>> small businesses to which subcontracts must be awarded, and
>>>>
>>>> . Create training and technical assistance programs to prepare
>>>> individuals with disabilities to operate businesses capable of securing
>>>> federal and private contracts.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> For more information about these priorities, please consult the
>>>> attached
>>>> fact sheets.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Blind Americans need your help to achieve our goals of economic
>>>> security,
>>>> increased opportunity, and full integration into American society on a
>>>> basis
>>>> of equality. Enactment of these legislative proposals will represent
>>>> important steps toward reaching these goals. We need the help and
>>>> support
>>>> of each member of Congress. Our success benefits not only us, but the
>>>> whole
>>>> of America as well. In this time of national economic insecurity,
>>>> these
>>>> measures will contribute to increasing the tax base and encouraging the
>>>> purchase of consumer goods.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> A TECHNOLOGY BILL OF RIGHTS FOR THE BLIND
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Purpose:
>>>>
>>>> To mandate that consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and
>>>> electronic office technology provide user interfaces and software that
>>>> are
>>>> accessible through nonvisual means.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Background:
>>>>
>>>> In recent years rapid advances in microchip and digital technology
>>>> have
>>>> led to increasingly complex user interfaces for everyday products such
>>>> as
>>>> consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, and electronic office
>>>> technology. Many new devices in these categories require interaction
>>>> with
>>>> visual displays, on-screen menus, touch screens, software, and other
>>>> user
>>>> interfaces that are inaccessible to people who are blind or have low
>>>> vision.
>>>> Settings on the stove, dishwasher, or home entertainment system are no
>>>> longer controlled by knobs, switches, and buttons that can be easily
>>>> discerned and readily identified. Inaccessibility of these devices is
>>>> a
>>>> major barrier to a blind person's independence and productivity. If a
>>>> blind
>>>> person cannot operate the interfaces of basic office equipment or
>>>> software
>>>> such as copiers, fax machines, and basic word processing programs, that
>>>> person's opportunity to join the workforce or maintain an existing job
>>>> is
>>>> in
>>>> great jeopardy.
>>>>
>>>> Many popular, cost-effective mechanisms are available for
>>>> manufacturers
>>>> to
>>>> create interfaces usable through nonvisual means. For example,
>>>> text-to-speech technology is inexpensive and more prevalent than it has
>>>> ever
>>>> been-it is used in everything from automated telephone systems to the
>>>> weather forecasting service broadcast by the National Oceanic and
>>>> Atmospheric Administration. Apple has incorporated VoiceOver (a
>>>> text-to-speech function) into the touch-screen iPhone, making it the
>>>> only
>>>> fully accessible wireless handset on the market. The key is to build
>>>> in
>>>> nonvisual access at the design stage. Despite these available
>>>> accessibility
>>>> solutions, the majority of manufacturers have continued to design
>>>> interfaces
>>>> that do not include nonvisual means of use. This trend of
>>>> inaccessibility
>>>> will continue to grow as technology becomes more advanced and
>>>> accessibility
>>>> solutions are ignored.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Need for Legislation:
>>>>
>>>> No enforceable mandates currently exist for manufacturers of consumer
>>>> electronics, home appliances, kiosks, or electronic office technology
>>>> to
>>>> make their products accessible to blind consumers. There are also no
>>>> accessibility standards to provide guidance to manufacturers on how to
>>>> avoid
>>>> creating barriers to access for the blind.
>>>>
>>>> Congress should enact a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that:
>>>>
>>>> a.. Establishes that manufacturers must create accessible user
>>>> interfaces for their products,
>>>> b.. Provides a means for enforcement, and
>>>> c.. Establishes standards that will provide meaningful benchmarks
>>>> that
>>>> manufacturers can use to make their products accessible.
>>>> The legislation should not mandate a single, one-size-fits-all
>>>> solution
>>>> for all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks, or electronic
>>>> office
>>>> technology. Rather it should mandate regulations setting meaningful
>>>> accessibility standards that allow manufacturers to select from a menu
>>>> of
>>>> potential solutions or create new ones. This will not only give
>>>> manufacturers the freedom and flexibility they desire, but will also
>>>> encourage innovations that make consumer technology more usable for
>>>> everyone.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Proposed Legislation:
>>>>
>>>> Congress should enact a Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind that:
>>>>
>>>> a.. Mandates that all consumer electronics, home appliances, kiosks,
>>>> and
>>>> electronic office technology be designed so that blind people are able
>>>> to
>>>> access the same functions as sighted people by nonvisual means and with
>>>> substantially equivalent ease of use.
>>>> b.. Creates a commission within the Department of Commerce to
>>>> establish
>>>> standards for nonvisual accessibility of electronic devices intended
>>>> for
>>>> use
>>>> in the home or office. Such a commission should represent all
>>>> stakeholders,
>>>> including:
>>>> - organizations of the blind;
>>>>
>>>> - manufacturers of consumer electronics, home appliances,
>>>> kiosks,
>>>> and electronic office technology and software, or associations
>>>> representing
>>>> such manufacturers; and
>>>>
>>>> - experts on universal design, electronic engineering, and
>>>> related
>>>> fields.
>>>>
>>>> a.. Establishes within the Department of Justice the authority to
>>>> enforce the regulations promulgated by the commission established by
>>>> this
>>>> legislation.
>>>> b.. Authorizes the commission to reexamine and rewrite standards
>>>> periodically as consumer electronic technology continues to evolve.
>>>>
>>>> Requested Action:
>>>>
>>>> Please support blind Americans by sponsoring the Technology Bill of
>>>> Rights
>>>> for the Blind to ensure that blind people can fully participate in all
>>>> aspects of society. Increased access leads to increased independence,
>>>> increased employment, and increased tax revenue.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Contact Information:
>>>>
>>>> Lauren McLarney
>>>>
>>>> Government Programs Specialist
>>>>
>>>> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>>>>
>>>> Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2207
>>>>
>>>> E-mail: lmclarney at nfb.org
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ENSURING EQUAL EDUCATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN:
>>>>
>>>> SETTING STANDARDS THAT PROMOTE EXCELLENCE
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Purpose:
>>>>
>>>> To establish a commission within the Department of Education to set
>>>> uniform national standards for the education of blind students in
>>>> grades
>>>> K-12.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Background:
>>>>
>>>> Blind students have been integrated into America's public schools
>>>> since
>>>> the 1960s, but educators have never made an attempt to quantify or
>>>> measure
>>>> the quality of their education consistently and effectively. Although
>>>> school districts are required by law to provide a "free, appropriate
>>>> public
>>>> education" to all students with disabilities, current regulations and
>>>> practices only establish what services and accommodations blind
>>>> students
>>>> will receive individually and do not measure or attempt to measure the
>>>> effectiveness of these services and accommodations. All too often this
>>>> means that blind students are burdened with low expectations and
>>>> inferior
>>>> educational services.
>>>>
>>>> To the extent that a blind child's performance is poor, too many
>>>> educators
>>>> incorrectly believe that this occurs because of the child's incapacity
>>>> due
>>>> to blindness rather than because of the inadequacy of the services and
>>>> accommodations provided. The real problem, however, is what former
>>>> President George W. Bush called "the soft bigotry of low expectations."
>>>> The
>>>> low expectations of educators for blind children become self-fulfilling
>>>> prophecies when blind students receive inadequate Braille instruction;
>>>> are
>>>> not provided textbooks and other educational materials in specialized
>>>> formats on time; or are not given adequate instruction in the skills of
>>>> blindness including the use of access technology. Materials supporting
>>>> the
>>>> Common Core State Standards recently developed by the National
>>>> Governors
>>>> Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State
>>>> School
>>>> Officers state that students with disabilities "must be challenged to
>>>> excel
>>>> within the general curriculum and be prepared for success in their
>>>> post-school lives, including college and/or careers" and must receive
>>>> appropriate accommodations to achieve academic excellence. In order
>>>> for
>>>> this goal to become a reality, however, uniform national standards are
>>>> needed to ensure that blind students have the skills they need to
>>>> perform
>>>> at
>>>> age- and grade-appropriate levels throughout their educations. Such
>>>> standards will finally put an end to the vicious circle of low
>>>> expectations
>>>> and inadequate services that has condemned far too many blind children
>>>> to
>>>> lives of frustration, illiteracy, and ultimately poverty.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Existing Law:
>>>>
>>>> The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides that
>>>> every
>>>> student with a disability must have an Individualized Education Program
>>>> (IEP), agreed upon by a team that includes the student's parents,
>>>> teachers,
>>>> and school administrators. While the IEP sets out what services and
>>>> accommodations a student will receive and sets goals for the individual
>>>> student's progress, the effectiveness of the IEP itself is not measured
>>>> against objective benchmarks in order to determine whether the
>>>> blindness
>>>> skills being taught and services being provided are allowing the
>>>> student
>>>> to
>>>> perform to the same standards as other students of the same age, grade
>>>> level, or level of intellectual functioning. Procedures exist for a
>>>> child's
>>>> parents to object if they believe that the IEP is not being followed or
>>>> needs to be changed, but the process is onerous and puts the burden of
>>>> proof
>>>> on the parents to show that the child is not receiving an adequate
>>>> education, rather than on school administrators to show that the IEP is
>>>> producing good results. Uniform standards outlining the services and
>>>> accommodations that must be made available to all blind children, as
>>>> well
>>>> as
>>>> the specific blindness skills the students need to acquire in order to
>>>> succeed, would solve this problem by establishing benchmarks against
>>>> which
>>>> each child's performance would be measured, providing a clear and
>>>> unbiased
>>>> assessment of whether the child is being educated effectively.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Need for Legislation:
>>>>
>>>> The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and other existing
>>>> laws
>>>> and regulations do not currently provide objective standards to measure
>>>> the
>>>> effectiveness of the education of blind students against accepted
>>>> standards
>>>> like the Common Core State Standards. Such standards must be set by a
>>>> regulatory body that consists of and receives input from all
>>>> stakeholders,
>>>> including educators, blind Americans, and parents of blind children.
>>>> Congress should enact legislation that creates a commission within the
>>>> Department of Education, to ensure representation of all stakeholders
>>>> in
>>>> order to set educational standards for blind children and to promulgate
>>>> regulations providing for the enforcement of the standards throughout
>>>> the
>>>> United States. Only through the establishment of objective standards
>>>> by
>>>> such an independent body will blind children in America finally be
>>>> freed
>>>> from the chains of inadequate instruction, lackluster educational
>>>> support,
>>>> and low expectations.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Requested Action:
>>>>
>>>> Please support blind Americans by sponsoring legislation to establish
>>>> a
>>>> commission within the Department of Education to set standards for the
>>>> education of all blind children in America.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Contact Information:
>>>>
>>>> Jesse Hartle
>>>>
>>>> Government Programs Specialist
>>>>
>>>> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>>>>
>>>> Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2233
>>>>
>>>> E-mail: jhartle at nfb.org
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY ACT
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Purpose:
>>>>
>>>> To unleash the entrepreneurial capacity of Americans with disabilities
>>>> in
>>>> order to reduce the staggering unemployment rate among these
>>>> individuals
>>>> and
>>>> welcome them into the mainstream of American business.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Background:
>>>>
>>>> According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than two-thirds of
>>>> Americans with disabilities are unemployed or vastly under-employed.
>>>> Strong
>>>> and innovative initiatives are necessary to remedy this problem and put
>>>> Americans with disabilities to work. To a substantial degree America's
>>>> economic success is tied to the freedom to engage in entrepreneurial
>>>> activity and create one's own wealth. It has long been the policy of
>>>> the
>>>> United States to promote the economic well-being of traditionally
>>>> disadvantaged groups by creating a variety of business incentive
>>>> programs
>>>> that allow these groups to participate in the mainstream of the
>>>> nation's
>>>> economy. These programs have not, however, been extended to Americans
>>>> with
>>>> disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Business Opportunity Act
>>>> (ADBOA) would greatly expand the ability of Americans with disabilities
>>>> to
>>>> secure entrepreneurial opportunities by:
>>>>
>>>> . Authorizing tax credits to for-profit businesses that
>>>> purchase
>>>> goods or services from businesses owned by individuals with
>>>> disabilities
>>>> (including from businesses operated under the federal Randolph-Sheppard
>>>> program);
>>>>
>>>> . Amending Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act to include
>>>> people
>>>> with disabilities as presumptively socially disadvantaged;
>>>>
>>>> . Changing federal procurement law to provide that businesses
>>>> owned
>>>> by individuals with disabilities (including businesses operated under
>>>> the
>>>> federal Randolph-Sheppard program) are included on the list of
>>>> preferred
>>>> small businesses to which subcontracts must be awarded; and
>>>>
>>>> . Creating training and technical assistance programs to
>>>> prepare
>>>> individuals with disabilities to operate businesses capable of securing
>>>> federal and private contracts.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Need for Legislation:
>>>>
>>>> Each of the four components of the ADBOA would enhance the ability of
>>>> businesses operated by Americans with disabilities to be fully
>>>> integrated
>>>> into the mainstream of the American economy. Together these components
>>>> would reduce the unemployment rate among Americans with disabilities
>>>> and
>>>> make them fully productive members of society.
>>>>
>>>> 1. Tax Credits: One effective method of encouraging and enticing
>>>> business entities to subcontract with, or purchase goods and services
>>>> from,
>>>> businesses owned or operated by Americans with disabilities is to offer
>>>> such
>>>> entities tax credits. These tax credits would allow traditional
>>>> businesses
>>>> to realize substantial tax savings and also promote the goal of
>>>> integrating
>>>> businesses owned by people with disabilities into the economic
>>>> mainstream.
>>>>
>>>> 2. Amendment of Section 8(a): Section 8(a) of the Small Business
>>>> Act
>>>> is a powerful program allowing businesses owned by racial, cultural,
>>>> and
>>>> ethnic minorities or women to secure federal contracts. Anyone seeking
>>>> Section 8(a) certification must prove that he/she is socially and
>>>> economically disadvantaged. Individuals who are from a racial,
>>>> cultural,
>>>> or
>>>> ethnic minority or women are presumed to be socially disadvantaged. It
>>>> is
>>>> currently possible for individuals with disabilities to secure 8(a)
>>>> certification, but such individuals must prove that they are socially
>>>> disadvantaged. It is onerous to establish such a disadvantage under
>>>> current
>>>> laws and regulations. Placing people with disabilities on the
>>>> presumptive
>>>> list of those who are socially disadvantaged would create a much easier
>>>> path
>>>> to 8(a) certification for such individuals and therefore to the
>>>> opportunity
>>>> to secure federal contracts.
>>>>
>>>> 3. Changes to Federal Procurement Practices: Under current law
>>>> business entities attempting to secure large federal contracts must
>>>> guarantee that they will subcontract a portion of the work to small
>>>> businesses that are owned by traditionally disadvantaged populations.
>>>> Businesses owned by individuals with disabilities are currently not on
>>>> the
>>>> list of disadvantaged populations. ADBOA will permit for-profit
>>>> business
>>>> entities attempting to secure large federal contracts to meet
>>>> procurement
>>>> requirements by subcontracting with businesses owned by individuals
>>>> with
>>>> disabilities.
>>>>
>>>> 4. Establishment of Technical Assistance and Training Programs:
>>>> Through the award of federal grants, ADBOA would establish technical
>>>> assistance and training programs allowing business owners with
>>>> disabilities
>>>> to acquire the technical expertise to secure federal contracts and
>>>> otherwise
>>>> maximize entrepreneurial opportunities. The purpose for these federal
>>>> grants will be to increase substantially the number of individuals with
>>>> disabilities capable of operating successful businesses. The emphasis
>>>> in
>>>> federal disability policy in the past has not been on providing people
>>>> with
>>>> disabilities the tools and training necessary to support themselves.
>>>> Rather
>>>> many governmental programs for the disabled have been based on a
>>>> welfare
>>>> model. ADBOA would emphasize economic independence for individuals
>>>> with
>>>> disabilities by training them to run their own businesses. ADBOA
>>>> grants
>>>> would also allow entities to create tools to assist individuals with
>>>> disabilities in running a successful business.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Requested Action:
>>>>
>>>> Please support blind Americans by sponsoring the Americans with
>>>> Disabilities Business Opportunity Act, legislation to increase business
>>>> opportunities for disabled Americans.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Contact Information:
>>>>
>>>> Jesse Hartle
>>>>
>>>> Government Programs Specialist
>>>>
>>>> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>>>>
>>>> Phone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2233
>>>>
>>>> E-mail: jhartle at nfb.org
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nfb-talk mailing list
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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