[Nfbmt] Washington Seminar

[Bruce&Joy Breslauer]

Hi.

 

Someone asked me how the Washington Seminar went, and it occurs to me (Yes,
I'm sometimes slow on the uptake), that some of the rest of you might want
to know how it went, too.  Here's what I said to the person who originally
asked.

 

The Washington Seminar was very successful in my opinion.  We had
appointments with all three legislators.  Ryan Zinke even gave us five
minutes. He was busy running from one place to another.  We talked with his
staff quite awhile.  He did say that he was shocked that anybody in this day
and age was being paid subminimum wages; he didn't know that and was going
to look into it.  Jon Tester wasn't available so we met with his staff and
they said of course they couldn't speak for him but he would look at our
stuff and we could get back to him in a couple of weeks.  Senator Daines was
terrific.  We saw him at the end of a long day and he came in after we had
talked with his aide for maybe half an hour already.  He was in between
appointments and they even came in and told him he was going to be late for
his next appointment, and he still gave us an extra twenty minutes.  About
the subminimum wage thing, which he had cosponsored when he was in the
House, he said, "Well, what's good for the House is good for the Senate,
isn't it?"  So I took that as a go.  He may even be a sponsor. He didn't say
that, but I think he gets it.  He understood the Teach act stuff because we
had basically gone over that last year too, and he was interested in the
Marrakesh Treaty.  I think we made a good impression and will have some good
results.  I was so jazzed after that appointment!  Then we walked back in
the cold to Union Station to catch a cab back to the hotel and celebrate.

 

We should probably consider doing something like this on a state level, too.

 

Joy Breslauer, President

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

www.nfbofmt.org

 

Live the life you want 

 

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