[Nfbc-info] Legislative Action Needed

[Darian Smith]

Dear Federation Family,
 in case you didn’t get the below message last week, here’s  another opportunity to  move important legislation  that will ensure opportunities  for the  blind.
 
  This Starts tomorrow, so there’s still time to get on this!
 
 Take Care,
  Darian  
As you know, next week is our week of action to gain more support for HR 831.  As a reminder:
 
Tuesday is Twitter Tuesday
Wednesday is Call Wednesday and
Thursday is Email Thursday. 
 
The idea is, by tweeting on Tuesday, we will raise awareness about HR 831 to not only our Members of Congress, but also all of our followers on Twitter.  By calling on Wednesday, we will be putting HR 831 on our Members of Congress’s radar.  Finally, by emailing on Thursday, we will be sealing the deal by making the formal written request to the labor staffers.  I know that if we work together, we will be able to gain even more co-sponsors.  I will be sending each of you a list of twitter handles, phone numbers, and email addresses for the labor staffers.  My goal is to send these out by the end of today, but some may not go out until Monday. 
 
Below please find some sample tweets, a sample call script and a sample email.  Of course, creating your own tweets is encouraged.  Personalizing the emails is also encouraged. 
 
Reminders:
 
When tweeting, please use the hashtag #FairWages, and don’t forget to tag your Member of Congress.
When emailing, please cc me (rsloan at nfb.org). 
 
Thank you all in advance for all of your work.  As always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions. 
 
Yours in the fight for fair wages,
 
Rose
 
 
Sample Tweets for Twitter Tuesday: You’re your Representative or other Representatives from your state)
 
Do you support paying people with disabilities pennies per hour @RepDuckworth?  I think PWD deserve #fairwages. Please co-sponsor HR 831.
 
Help prevent people with disabilities being paid less than the minimum wage. Support #fairwages by co-sponsoring HR 831 @RepJohnSarbanes
 
It is outrageous that people with disabilities can be paid 3 cents an hour. If you agree, support #fairwages by co-sponsoring HR 831 @WhipHoyer
 
Help people with disabilities earn real wages. Co-sponsor HR 831 @ToddRokita and support #fairwages. 
 
@PeterRoskam, co-sponsor HR 831. Ensure that people with disabilities receive the #fairwages we deserve.
 
 
Sample Call Script for Call Wednesday:
 
Good Morning. My name is ___________, and I support HR 831: the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act.  I urge Representative _________ to please co-sponsor this bill. 
 
Currently, people with disabilities are legally being paid less than the minimum wage.  Some are being paid as little as mere pennies per hour.  I feel that this practice is wrong.   HR 831 will responsibly phase out this antiquated, discriminatory and immoral practice over a three year period. 
 
Can I count on Representative __________ to support people with disabilities by co-sponsoring HR 831? 
 
 
Sample Email for Email Thursday:
 
CC: Rsloan at nfb.org
Subject: Please Co-Sponsor HR 831
 
Dear [name of Labor Legislative Aid]:
 
I write to express my support for HR 831: the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act and to urge Representative [name of Representative] to please co-sponsor this bill. 
 
Currently, people with disabilities are being paid far below the minimum wage.  This practice is legal under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.  HR 831 will responsibly phase out this antiquated practice over a three year period. 
 
If Representative [name of Representative] is ready to join nearly 80 Members of Congress by expressing a commitment to creating real employment opportunities for people with disabilities, please contact Scot Malvaney, Legislative Director for Congressman Harper at Scot.Malvaney at mail.house.gov, and let him know that Representative ___________ would like to co-sponsor HR 831.
  
Thank you,
 
[Your name]
 
 
 
 
Rose Sloan
Government Affairs Specialist
 
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
200 East Wells Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Phone: (410)-659-9314 ext. 2441
E-mail: rsloan at nfb.org
Twitter: @RoseSloan8
 
“Eliminating Subminimum Wages for People with Disabilities”
http://www.nfb.org/fair-wages
 
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.
 
To make a donation to the National Federation of the Blind Imagination Fund, please visit www.nfb.org/ImaginingOurFuture.