[NFB_of_Georgia] CLARIFICATION! FW: NFB_of_Georgia Digest, Vol 119, Issue 2

Mon May 4 04:11:04 UTC 2020

Sorry for the confusion if I  did not use the U.S. 

The letters only need to go out to both these U.S. Senators and whomever is
your U.S. House of Representative for your district listed below.  

Thanks, 

Jo Ann

-----Original Message-----
From: Send NFB_of_Georgia mailing list submissions to
	nfb_of_georgia at nfbnet.org

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
	http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb_of_georgia_nfbnet.org
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
	nfb_of_georgia-request at nfbnet.org

You can reach the person managing the list at
	nfb_of_georgia-owner at nfbnet.org

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
"Re: Contents of NFB_of_Georgia digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. ACTION! Georgia NFB Legislative Alert Letter Instructions
      (Jo Ann Collins-Johnson )

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Sat, 2 May 2020 00:48:00 -0400
From: "Jo Ann Collins-Johnson " <joann369 at bellsouth.net>
To: <nfb_of_georgia at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [NFB_of_Georgia] ACTION! Georgia NFB Legislative Alert Letter
	Instructions
Message-ID: <000401d6203c$dc269150$9473b3f0$@bellsouth.net>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="UTF-8"

On Thu, Apr 30, 2020 at 11:27 PM Jo Ann Collins-Johnson
<joann369 at bellsouth.net <mailto:joann369 at bellsouth.net> > wrote:

Dear Dorothy Griffin, President-NFB of Georgia

In the earlier NFB Legislative Alert on April 28, 2020, I was sad to see
that Georgia was not represented among the long list of states.

Since I had to look up the info for the NFB of Georgia Gwinnett Family
Chapter, I thought why not provide assistance to my NFB of Georgia
Federationist and provide the following information to those who may not
have the information.

I hope that it will make it easier for all of us to get our phone calls and
e-mails out to the office staff of our Georgia Senators and Georgia
Representatives ASAP.

I have made some small changes to Mr. Pare's legislative alert to reflect
Georgia and please read below.

Sincerely,

Jo Ann Johnson, President
Gwinnett Family Chapter
National Federation of the Blind of Georgia
Phone:  (678) 451-3975
E-mail:  joann369 at bellsouth.net <mailto:joann369 at bellsouth.net> 

Please read below:

Hello NFB of Georgia Members, Family & Friends,

Legislative Alert - April 28, 2020

We need all Georgia residents help with this immediate legislative matter,
requesting our state representatives support in this important legislation.

Please read the information below and complete the following action as
requested:

-       Copy the example letter below that you will be e-mailing to the
relevant tax staffer for each of the Georgia State senators and your House
Representative.
-       Create a word document and paste the letter into your new document
-or- you can paste the letter into the body of a new e-mail.
-       Fill in your appropriate information where needed in the letter,
such as your name in the Greeting and your name, address and your other
contact information in the Closing of your letter.
-       Find the relevant tax staffer e-mail address that you will be
e-mailing your letter to and send your e-mail to this staff person.
-       Please make sure that you copy (cc) John Pare at jpare at nfb.org
<mailto:jpare at nfb.org> 
-       Throughout the letter it will ask for the name of your state
representative, cut and paste this information from the list included in
this e-mail. (Please see a list of both Georgia Senators and the Georgia
House Representatives for your district)

NOTE:  Please create 3 separate letters (1 for each Senator and 1 for your
district House Representative) and e-mail each to their relevant tax staffer
for their office.  

The Legislative Alert - April 28, 2020

As President Riccobono mentioned in his Notebook announcement, the Senate
will be returning to Washington on May 4 with the House of Representatives
possibly returning later in the month.

When they return, one of the first items on their agenda will most likely be
a fourth coronavirus relief package. Our goal is to have Congress include
the text of the Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA) and a provision
to eliminate the waiting periods for SSDI and Medicare in the next bill. 

There are two parts to this plan. For ATAA, the most effective way to have
it included in the bill is for you to call or email your representative and
two senators and ask them to cosponsor the ATAA (HR. 2086/S. 815). More
cosponsors means more general support for the legislation, which gives it a
greater chance of being written into the bigger bill. We currently have 83
cosponsors in the House (H.R. 2086) and 22 cosponsors in the Senate (S.
815). These cosponsor counts are impressive, but we need even more
cosponsors to ensure it is included in the next coronavirus relief bill. 

Jo Ann Comment: I did not include the list of current state cosponsors
because I am sad to say that Georgia has no representation and that is why
we need YOU!

Because we don't have any standalone legislation for the elimination of the
SSDI and Medicare waiting periods, we will have to let them know how
important this is, and how much it would benefit all blind Americans if it
were included in the bill. 

When you e-mail, you may use the below as your letter or if you call, you
might say the following:

Hello (relevant tax staffer's name), 

My name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of [REPRESENTATIVE/SENATOR
NAME]. I live in [CITY, STATE]. I would like to urge [REPRESENTATIVE/SENATOR
NAME] to cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act [H.R. 2086 in the
House/S. 815 in the Senate]. This legislation removes an employment barrier
commonly experienced by blind Americans who cannot afford the high cost of
access technology by creating a refundable tax credit in the amount of
$2,000 to offset the cost of these technologies. In the wake of the
coronavirus an employment bill for blind Americans is needed more than ever

I am also calling to urge [REPRESENTATIVE/SENATOR NAME] to support language
that would waive waiting periods for SSDI payments and Medicare benefits
during this national crisis. It's no secret many Americans are losing their
jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including those with
disabilities. As it currently stands, persons with disabilities wait five
months before their SSDI benefits begin and 24 months before they are
Medicare-eligible. Please include language to temporarily waive these
waiting periods in the next coronavirus relief legislation. 

Thank You,

Your name and contact info

If you would like to make a phone call, you can contact your member of
Congress by calling the Capitol Switchboard and asking for the office in
question. The number is 202-224-3121. 

Remember, it is best to call or email the relevant tax staffer in your
member of Congress's office and do not forget if you email your
representative or senators, please copy (cc) John Pare at jpare at nfb.org
<mailto:jpare at nfb.org> .
Your calls and emails do make a difference.

We need both of these items more than ever. Not only do we need the ATAA to
help facilitate getting more blind Americans into the workforce, we also
need it to help us with independent living at home. Also, Americans with
disabilities who become eligible during the COVID-19 pandemic should not
have to wait 5 and 24 months to receive their SSDI and Medicare benefits.
While we are in favor of removing these waiting periods permanently, there
is no question that they should be eliminated during the pandemic.

If you have written or called on these topics, I urge you to email or call
again.

This is our opportunity to improve employment possibilities for blind
Americans. This is our opportunity to make our voices heard. This is our
opportunity to help Americans with disabilities who have lost their jobs due
to COVID-19.

We must take this opportunity and we will succeed!

John Pare
National Federation of the Blind
410-659-9314, extension 2218
Sincerely,

On Behalf of Dorothy Griffin, President, NFB of Georgia Jo Ann Johnson,
President Gwinnett Family Chapter National Federation of the Blind of
Georgia
Phone:  (678) 451-3975
E-mail:  joann369 at bellsouth.net <mailto:joann369 at bellsouth.net> 

GEORGIA SENATORS: 
Kelly Loeffler (R-Georgia)
Tax contact is Elizabeth McKay. Email: elizabeth_mckay at loeffler.senate.gov
<mailto:elizabeth_mckay at loeffler.senate.gov> 

David Perdue (R-Georgia)
Tax contact is Gerald Huang. Email: gerald_huang at perdue.senate.gov
<mailto:gerald_huang at perdue.senate.gov> 

HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES:

1st District: Southeast Georgia - Savannah, Brunswick) Buddy Carter
(R-Pooler) Tax contact is Tommy Reynolds. Email:
tommy.reynolds at mail.house.gov <mailto:tommy.reynolds at mailhouse.gov> 

2nd District: (Southwest Georgia - Columbus, Albany) Sanford Bishop
(D-Albany) Tax contact is Jon Black. Email: jonathan.black at mail.house.gov
<mailto:jonathan.black at mail.house.gov> 

3rd District: (West Georgia - Peachtree City, Carrollton) Drew Ferguson
(R-West Point) Tax contact is Allie White. Email: allie.white at mail.house.gov
<mailto:allie.white at mail.housegov> 

4th District: (East Metro Atlanta - Stone Mountain, Conyers) Hank Johnson
(D-Lithonia) Tax contact is Jacqui Kappler. Email:
jacqui.kappler at mail.house.gov <mailto:jacqui.kappler at mailhouse.gov> 

5th District: (Atlanta)
John Lewis (D-Atlanta)
Tax contact is Jamila Thompson. Email: jamila.thompson at mail.house.gov
<mailto:jamila.thompson at mail.house.gov> 

6th District: (North Metro Atlanta - Sandy Springs, Alpharetta) Lucy McBath
(D-Marietta) Tax contact is Ian Spears. Email: ian.spears at mail.house.gov
<mailto:ian.spears at mail.house.gov> 

7th District: (Northeast Metro Atlanta - Lawrenceville, Cumming) Rob Woodall
(R-Lawrenceville) Tax contact is Janet Rossi. Email:
janet.rossi at mail.house.gov <mailto:janet.rossi at mail.housegov> 

8th District: (South Central Georgia - Valdosta, Tifton) Austin Scott (R-
Tifton) Tax contact is Craig Anderson. Email: craig.anderson at mail.house.gov
<mailto:craig.anderson at mailhouse.gov> 

9th District: (Northeast Georgia - Gainesville, Dahlonega) Doug Collins
(R-Gainesville) Tax contact is Brendan Belair. Email:
brendan.belair at mail.house.gov <mailto:brendan.belair at mailhouse.gov> 

10th District: (East Georgia - Athens, Milledgeville) Jody Hice
(R-Bethlehem) Tax contact is Kaitlyn Dwyer. Email:
kaitlyn.dwyer at mail.house.gov <mailto:kaitlyn.dwyer at mail.house.gov> 

11th District: (Northwest Metro Atlanta - Marietta, Canton) Barry Loudermilk
(R-Woodstock) Tax contact is Colin Carr. Email: colin.carr at mail.house.gov
<mailto:colin.carr at mail.house.gov>
12th District (East & Central Georgia - Augusta, Statesboro) Rick Allen (R)
Tax staffer is Katie Hunter. Email: katie.hunter at mail.house.gov
<mailto:katie.hunter at mail.house.gov> . 
13th District (Southwest Metro Atlanta - Douglasville, Jonesboro) David
Scott (D) Tax staffer is Catherine Kuerbitz. Email:
catherine.kuerbitz at mail.house.gov <mailto:catherine.kuerbitz at mail.house.gov>

14th District (Northwest Georgia - Rome, Dalton) Tom Graves (R) Tax staffer
is Sam Mahler. Email: sam.mahler at mail.house.gov
<mailto:sam.mahler at mail.house.gov> 

-- 

Dorothy Griffin - President 

National Federation of the Blind of Georgia

dgriffin at nfbga.org <mailto:dgriffin at nfbga.org> 

770-374-4832

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

------------------------------

Subject: Digest Footer

_______________________________________________
NFB_of_Georgia mailing list
NFB_of_Georgia at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb_of_georgia_nfbnet.org

------------------------------

End of NFB_of_Georgia Digest, Vol 119, Issue 2
**********************************************