[Nfbmt] Space Available Update with More Clarification

[Bruce&Joy Breslauer]

>From Lauren McLarney.  Joy  

 

The Space Available bill successfully passed in the House as part of the
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and we have been waiting for the
Senate version of NDAA to move so we could amend it into that as well.
However, we have run into the same problem as last year: the Senate has done
NDAA almost exclusively behind closed doors and is unlikely to allow floor
amendments!  Worse, we heard there is controversy over parts of NDAA that is
jeopardizing if it will even pass at all!  This is our chance to pass Space
Available;  - S. 346 has 19 cosponsors and no opposition, it passed in the
House, and NDAA is the perfect vehicle for it - let's mobilize and get this
thing done.

 

We need everyone to do two things. 

1) Call Senator Tester's office (202-224-2644) or email his staffers
(dylan_laslovich at tester.senate.gov and Jorge_Rueda at hsgac.senate.gov) and
urge them to file Space Available as an amendment to NDAA. If amendments are
allowed, Space Available  needs to be in line for consideration! 

 

2) Please call Senator Levin's committee office (202) 224-3871) or email his
staffer (jonathan_clark at armed-services.senate.gov) to urge them to include
Space Available in NDAA.  

 

We can't allow Space Available to sit on the shelf for yet another year,
collecting dust and cosponsors, while the right vehicle to move it keeps
circling the block and refusing to pick up amendments. That would mean a
procedural problem stopped this bill, rather than any real problem with the
actual bill itself. Please speak up on behalf of blind veterans and help us
get Space Available in NDAA!

 

Lauren McLarney

Manager of Government Affairs 

National Federation of the Blind

200 East Wells Street

Baltimore, MD 21230

410.659.9314 ext. 2207

 

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.