[nfbmi-talk] Washington Seminar 2016Report: Truly Memorable

[J.J. Meddaugh]

Wow. This is definitely the most memorable Washington Seminar I've ever 
attended. Thanks to the blizzard and cleanup, there wasn't a lot of 
normal this year. The Great Gathering In was rescheduled, government was 
closed through Tuesday, and just about everyone changed their flights or 
train at least once.

We were able to bring in 4 of the 6 people who were planning to come. I 
was joined by Jeff Crouch, Hayley Balogh, and Amanda Markham who 
attended for the first time. I flew in ahead of the blizzard. Jeff and 
Amanda ended up taking 3 trains and coming in via New York late Monday 
night. Hayley kept having flights canceled but Arrived Monday as well. 
And I know Ozzy and Alexander tried hard to make it as well. One couple 
from Wyoming flew into Pittsburgh and took a Greyhound bus overnight so 
they could come. Overall, about 200 people were able to attend this year.

On Tuesday, government buildings were closed but Congressman Kildee 
still met with us, which we hugely appreciate. We also met with a staff 
member from Senator Stabenow's office. Everything else was rescheduled 
for the next day, so we powered through 14 appointments with our two 
groups on Wednesday. It was a bit eerie walking through Longworth on 
Tuesday, as the halls were completely empty, except for several dozen 
federationists. Many states reported extended meetings with Senators on 
Tuesday since no one else was around to visit.

While most representatives did not come in this week because of the 
storm, we did meet again with Congressman Benishek, who told us he would 
sign on to the Space Available bill. Several other meetings gave us a 
lot of encouragement, and we feel we have a lot of opportunities moving 
forward.

This year, we focused on 4 issues. The Transitioning to Integrated and 
Meaningful Employment Act (H.R. 188) would outlaw the practice of paying 
people with disabilities less than the minimum wage. From the 
Legislative Director's Seminar I attended over the weekend, we were 
armed with a lot of new information we could use, and it seemed to help 
move the needle with a few of the offices. There are now two states, 
Vermont and New Hampshire, which do not have any Special Wage 14C 
certificates. Also, National Industries for the Blind now supports our 
bill in the Senate (S. 2001). The leadership of Congressman Upton has 
helped us gain additional cosponsors (Congressman Trott and 
Congresswoman Miller) and I anticipate that more may follow.

The Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act is our 
new approach to the former TEACH Act. It still would create voluntary 
guidelines that universities could follow to obtain accessible 
materials. One of the big changes in the new bill is the creation of a 
purpose-based commission to set the guidelines, which would include 
members of the disability community, universities, and technology 
manufacturers. The former TEACH Act was relying on the Access Board to 
write the guidelines. Title II and III of the ADA along with Section 504 
of the Rehabilitation Act already say that materials need to be 
accessible. This would help universities comply with the existing law 
and give them a safe harbor from litigation if they follow the 
guidelines. One tool we're using is letters from students around the 
country describing their experiences in college and accessibility 
challenges. These letters can still be written, and I'd be happy to get 
you that information if you'd like.

Third, we are still working to add 100 percent service-disabled veterans 
to the Space Available program, which allows qualified personnel to fly 
on military aircraft if there is extra space on a flight. Currently, 
active military and their families, retirees, and some Red Cross 
volunteers can fly. But those who became disabled while on duty and were 
forced to leave without retiring, through no fault of their own, are not 
able to take advantage of the program. I met two gentlemen at the 
legislative seminar who are service-disabled and excluded from this 
program, and hearing them tell their stories was a great asset that we 
could use in our meetings. H.R. 2264 would fix this inequity and add 100 
percent service disabled veterans to the list. It's a widely-supported 
bill, and passed in the house previously. Some technicalities blocked 
its passage in the Senate, so we are trying again this year.

Finally in the Senate, we discussed the Marrakesh Treaty, which would 
allow for the import and export of books in alternative formats. 
Currently, it is illegal to import books from other countries, such as 
Spanish titles which could help students studying a foreign language. 
Ratifying the treaty would eliminate this restriction. It would also 
eliminate the need to create multiple copies of the same book. There 
were dozens of versions of Harry Potter created by many of the over 60 
English speaking countries. Currently, only 5 percent of books in 
existence are available in an alternative format, so anything that can 
help increase access to books is a win for everyone. The treaty does not 
include any sanctions and would make only sleek and narrow changes to 
current copyright law. We expect the ratification package to come to the 
Senate shortly.

The way that affiliates helped each other this year was truly awesome. 
States who had extra time pitched in and helped those like California 
that were short. A gentleman from Hawaii joined me for three of the 
Michigan meetings. I ended up in a Texas meeting. The flexibility of our 
members, and the resolve to make sure we could still meet with all of 
our reps reinforced in me the resolve and determination this of 
organization.

Of course, follow-up is key, and I'm happy to help anyone schedule a 
meeting in your district. We may also think about inviting 
representatives to local chapter meetings. If this interests you, let me 
know and I can put you in contact with the appropriate scheduler. 
Sometimes, these meetings need to be scheduled months in advanced, 
especially if you'd like to meet during a specific time at a chapter 
meeting.

Thanks again to our wonderful Michigan delegation, and everyone who 
helps us make our legislative priorities a reality. Together, we are 
ensuring that all of us can live the lives we want and that blindness 
will not hold you back.

-- 
Best regards,
J.J.