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<p class="MsoNormal">Fellow Blind Vermonters:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As we all know, access technology is extremely expensive. It is out of reach for most of us to buy on our own. The NFB has been trying to pass a bill that will help us afford access technology by giving us a refundable tax credit to offset
the cost. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Senator Leahy and Congressman Welch are both cosponsors already. If we can just get Senator Sanders to cosponsor, it will make a world of difference. Senator Sanders is also the chair of a committee that will handle this bill, so he is
extra important. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you could please send an email like this one to Billy Gendell, the Legislative Director for Senator Sanders, asking him to cosponsor, that would increase the chance that Senator Sanders does cosponsor S. 212.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you send an email, please copy Justin Salisbury <a href="mailto:President@Alumni.ECU.edu">
President@Alumni.ECU.edu</a>, Susan Bellimer <a href="mailto:friendunicorn3@gmail.com">
friendunicorn3@gmail.com</a>, and Jeff Kaloc <a href="mailto:jkaloc@nfb.org">jkaloc@nfb.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Feel free to copy and paste what I wrote, but don’t tell them that you live in the Old North End of Burlington unless you actually do. If you do, we need to meet up, neighbor!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you! If you have any questions, please let me know!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Justin<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><b>From:</b> Justin Salisbury
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, March 07, 2022 6:47 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> billy_gendell@sanders.senate.gov<br>
<b>Cc:</b> Susan Bellimer <friendunicorn3@gmail.com>; Kaloc, Jeff <jkaloc@nfb.org><br>
<b>Subject:</b> From 05401: Please Cosponsor S. 212<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Billy,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I write from the Old North End of Burlington to ask Senator Sanders to please cosponsor S. 212, the Access Technology Affordability Act, an important bill to help make assistive technology more affordable for blind people.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The cost of so many things is spiraling out of control, but the special technologies that blind Vermonters need to live our daily lives has been prohibitively expensive for my entire lifetime.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">S. 212 will create a $2,000 refundable tax credit that will help blind Vermonters afford to buy these prohibitively expensive devices that can enable us to work, study, and live full lives.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Since June 2021, my friends and I have been discussing this bill with Ari Rabin-Havt, and a small delegation met with Beth Stern and Michaela Brown about this legislation on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. We are really hopeful.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Could Senator Sanders please cosponsor?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you in advance, and please let me know if you have any questions!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Justin<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Justin MH Salisbury, NOMC, NCRTB</span></b> (he/him)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal">Legislative Director | First Vice President<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal">National Federation of the Blind of Vermont<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal">351 North Avenue, Unit 209<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal">Burlington, Vermont 05401<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal">Phone: 802.585.3787<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal">Email: <a href="mailto:President@Alumni.ECU.edu"><span style="color:blue">President@Alumni.ECU.edu</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal">LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury"><span lang="EN" style="color:blue">https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-salisbury</span></a> <span lang="EN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal">ResearchGate: <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury">
<span style="color:blue">https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Justin_Salisbury</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Console"">“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.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Console""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Console"">Cesar Chavez</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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