[NFBAZ-EastValleyChapter] Fwd: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert - April 14, 2025

Mon Apr 14 21:08:43 UTC 2025

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Shirek, Jesse via NFBNet-Members-List <nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>
Date: Mon, Apr 14, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert - April 14, 2025
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org <nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>

Dear Federation Family:

Last week, the United States House of Representatives passed the FY25
Concurrent Budget Resolution. Now that both chambers of Congress have
passed this resolution, the work begins on the comprehensive tax bill, part
of the reconciliation process that is frequently mentioned in the news.
This comprehensive tax bill is the perfect vehicle to include our tax bill,
the Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA). In order to get the Access
Technology Affordability Act, bill number H.R. 1529, included in the
overall tax bill, we need substantial bipartisan cosponsor support. We are
well on our way to that goal. Currently we have eighteen cosponsors. Of
those, eight are Republican and ten are Democratic.

We need to make a substantial and intensive effort to get a lot more
cosponsors, especially Republican cosponsors since the Republicans hold the
majority in both the House and Senate. We are currently in a fantastic
position to get the Access Technology Affordability Act enacted into law.
One recent development in our favor is the dynamic score done by
Mathematica. This score estimates that the ATAA would save the Federal
government $315 million over a five-year period.

This is the ideal opportunity that members of the National Federation of
the Blind have been waiting for. We have a tax vehicle, we have a solid
estimate that the bill will save the Federal government $315 million, and
we have a bill sponsor who is dedicated to the bill, but we do not have a
lot of time. Congress will pass the comprehensive tax bill as soon as they
come to an agreement. If we are going to get the ATAA included, we need to
demonstrate overwhelming support in the next few weeks. It is vitally
important that we reach out to every member of Congress, if they have not
already cosponsored ATAA. We need your help in this endeavor.

When you call or email, you might say the following:

"Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of [REPRESENTATIVE
NAME]. I live in [CITY, STATE]. I would like to urge [REPRESENTATIVE NAME]
to cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 1529. This bill
will create a refundable tax credit for the purchase of qualified access
technology for the blind. In addition, a recent report created by
Mathematica estimates that the passage of the Access Technology
Affordability Act will actually save the government money, approximately
$315 million over five years, by increasing employment for blind Americans,
thereby decreasing the need for us to receive government benefits while
contributing more in taxes.

Thanks."

A current list of cosponsors, organized alphabetically by state, is below.
If your representative is already on this list, you have helped a
tremendous amount. Great job! If your representative does not yet appear on
this list, 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. We have also attached a contact list of House offices, sorted
by state, to this email, but if you have any questions on office contacts,
please contact Lindsey Walsh at lwalsh at nfb.org. If you contact your
representative via email, please copy Jesse Shirek at jshirek at nfb.org. Your
calls and emails are important feedback for our members of Congress to
receive and truly do make a difference.

Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16] (Sponsor)

Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4] (Lead Cosponsor)

Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21]

Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]

Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]

Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]

Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43]

Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6]

Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]

Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]

Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25]

Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12]

Rep. LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16]

Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3]

Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]

Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17]

Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33]

Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]

Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1]

Thank you for all of your hard work,

Jesse

Jesse Shirek

Governmental Affairs Specialist

200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

410-659-9314, extension 2348 | jshirek at nfb.org

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work together to help blind people live the lives they want.

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