[nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
Mike Freeman
k7uij at panix.com
Wed Jan 26 19:23:58 UTC 2011
Laura:
I rather doubt such a list would be under NFB's rubric as NFB assiduously tries to preserve its nonpartisan stance. By implication, at least, if NFB pays for a list, it tacitly endorses its premises.
I'd bet there's a Yahoo group that has all the heat you want. (grin)
Mike
[Sent via iPhone]
On Jan 26, 2011, at 9:26, "qubit" <lauraeaves at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Is there a good list that does focus on politics, in the nfb or outside? I
> suppose it would be either conservative or liberal, not attempting to be
> general. Just wondering. I am not usually politically minded, but it seems
> like this list and others don't allow political discussions even when I am
> interested in discussing them.
> Thanx.
> --le
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "T. Joseph Carter" <carter.tjoseph at gmail.com>
> To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 5:45 AM
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans:
>
>
> I find most conservatives need to be educated as to WHY the blind
> need "more entitlements" as an exit from the entitlements. I find
> most Libertarians don’t listen and frankly don’t care.
>
> To the message you sent, you got a response blasting the ADA and
> blind people by extension. I rather suspect you got the latter,
> whether that was your intended target or not.
>
> If you’re going to send these things out, you really need to take the
> time to understand the political landscape a little more. It’s one
> thing to stand around waving Gadsten flags and signs, grumbling about
> irresponsible spending and a tax code that just doesn’t make sense
> anymore.
>
> If you do that, you can call yourself a tea partier, and join all of
> the people looking for a big tent. We gotta have a big tent. Big
> tent, yeah! As one guy famously put it, "What is this, a circus?"
> If that’s your common platform, YES, a circus is exactly what it will
> be when you start trying to accomplish things.
>
> The ideal example of a Libertarian is Ron Paul. Look at his voting
> record. If he wouldn’t vote yes, any Libertarian lobbying group you
> find will likewise oppose it, on principle, in knee-jerk fashion.
>
> Blind people just aren’t going to be on their radar, because there’s
> only one thing that is: Stripping the federal government of any power
> not granted to it in the Constitution, immediately, and without
> regard for consequence, transition, or even consideration of whether
> or not it’s a good idea.
>
> Conservatives who fall outside of Libertarianism will generally
> reject what the NFB wants, because they don’t understand it. They
> see it as federal government involvement, spending increases at a
> time when we desperately need decreases, and a special interest
> seeking more entitlements. But they are not generally fanatical in
> opposing these things to the exclusion of anything else.
>
> You’ve got room with a conservative to talk about how the blind want
> to go to work, pay our taxes, and to live our lives without
> government telling what conditions we must work under or offering us
> strong disincentives to sit at home, collecting a paltry entitlement
> and sponging off of hard-working taxpayers. If they are truly
> committed to personal liberty, tax reform, and ending the public
> entitlement burden, that should get their attention.
>
> If it doesn’t, it’s perhaps almost diagnostic that they’re looking to
> ride the "tea party" bandwagon into political power with empty
> lip-service. Of four politicians and public figures who’ve not been
> interested in discussing the problem with me with a mind toward
> finding the way to eliminate the barriers, three have IMO proven
> themselves to be posers, and the fourth I still have pretty strong
> suspicions about. Guess we’ll see in the new session, won’t we?
>
> I’ve got a whole lot more to say on this issue, but … this really
> isn’t the correct forum, since from here it winds up having very
> little to do with politics.
>
> Joseph
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 25, 2011 at 11:09:48PM -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
>>>> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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