[NFBMD] We Need Your Help

[Sharon Maneki]

Hello All,
Read Jesse Shirek's message below and please take action by calling or
emailing your congressperson. You should ask one of the following people to
cosponsor this bill based on where you live.
Congressman Mfume (cosponsored before)
Jamie Raskin (cosponsored before)
Sarah Elfreth (predecessor cosponsored)
Johnny Olszewski (predecessor cosponsored)
April Delaney (predecessor cosponsored)
Andy Harris
Steny Hoyer
Glenn F. Ivey


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."

*Sharon Maneki, Director of Legislation and Advocacy*
National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
410-715-9596

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is
not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Everyday 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.
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