[NFBMO] Action Needed - National Legislative

[Shelia Wright]

Hello Missouri Federation Members and Friends,


I want to provide you with an update on the Transition to Competitive
Employment Act and to advise you of another bill that has been introduced
that would weaken the ADA. 

 

.  We recently sent a letter regarding the Transformation to Competitive
Employment Act (H.R. 873/S. 260)
<https://www.nfb.org/sites/www.nfb.org/files/files-pdf/subminimum-wages-lett
er-to-congress.pdf>  to the leaders of the House and the Senate. This letter
was in response to the recent report published by the United States
Commission on Civil Rights in which it recommends that subminimum wages for
people with disabilities should be phased out. Our letter pointed out that
this recommendation is not new among government agencies and referenced
multiple reports over the past decade that made the same recommendation. A
copy of our letter was also sent to every member of Congress. 

 

Last week H.R. 8478 was introduced in the House. This is another "notice and
cure" bill that weakens the foundations of the ADA, and we strongly oppose
it. Please call your members of Congress and let them know that they should
vote against this dangerous and harmful legislation. 


 


We continue to make good progress on the Access Technology Affordability
Act. We have a large number of cosponsors for both H.R 2086 and S. 815 and
there is still a chance we could get this bill passed by the end of the
year. You will recall this bill would allow blind people to get a tax credit
up to $2,000 when we purchase accessible technology . Please reach out to
Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, Congresswoman
Vickie Hartzler, and Senator Roy Blunt are cosponsors to ATAA; A thank you
to them is always appropriate. We still need members to reach out to
Congressman Lacy Clay, Congresswoman Anne Wagner, Congressman Sam Graves,
Congressman Billy Long, Congressman Jason Smith, and Senator Josh Hawley to
urge them to join as a cosponsor. You can call the Capitol Switchboard to
reach your congressman and senators. The number is 202-225-3121. Your follow
through with this would be much appreciated. 


 


Thanks to those of you that decide you want to help make a difference by
calling your members of congress and asking them to act on our behalf. 


Yours in the Federation,


Shelia Wright


 


 


Shelia Wright, President

National Federation of the Blind of Missouri

7928 NW Milrey Drive, Kansas City, MO 64152

816-741-6402

President at nfbmo.org <mailto:President at nfbmo.org> 

www.nfbmo.org <http://www.nfbmo.org> 

 

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends
who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work
together to help blind people live the lives they want.