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Dear Fellow Federationists:<br>
<br>
It is time for our pre-convention legislative surge. Both the United
States House of Representatives and the United States Senate are back in
session beginning Tuesday, June 6 and they need to hear from all of us.
We are up to twenty-two cosponsors on AIM HIGH, H.R. 1772, five
cosponsors on the Access Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 1734, and
eight cosponsors on the TIME Act, H.R. 1377. In the Senate, the Access
Technology Affordability Act, S. 732, has one cosponsor. <br>
<br>
Congress will be back in session for the next four weeks but please try
to make your calls and send your emails by this Friday, June 9.
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Ask your representative to cosponsor H.R. 1772, H.R. 1734, and H.R. 1377.
Please also call your two senators and ask them to cosponsor S. 732.<br>
<br>
A short summary of each bill is included below. I have also included a
list of all the current cosponsors.<br>
<br>
The best way to contact your member of Congress is to call the Capitol
Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for the office in question.
Emailing your member of Congress is also a good idea. If you do so,
please copy <a href="mailto:JPare@nfb.org">JPare@nfb.org</a>. <br>
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We are hoping to significantly raise the number of cosponsors on all of
our bills before convention but we cannot do it without everyone working
together. Your calls and emails make a big difference. <br>
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Thanks for all you do!<br>
<br>
Warm regards,<br>
<br>
John<br>
<br>
John Paré<br>
(410) 659-9314 x 2218<br>
National Federation of the Blind<br>
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<b>Bill Summaries <br><br>
Accessible Instructional Material in Higher Education Act, H.R. 1772 (AIM
HIGH)<br><br>
</b>This bill will promote instructional technology and content that are
accessible to the blind and other students with print disabilities.
<a href="nfb.htm">Read the AIM HIGH fact sheet to learn more.</a><br>
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<b>Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017, H.R. 1734 and S. 732
(ATAA)<br>
</b>These bills will facilitate the purchase of access technology for
blind people by creating a refundable, per person tax credit.
<a href="https://nfb.org/access-technology-affordability-act">Read the
Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017 fact sheet to learn
more</a>.<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act of 2017,
H.R. 1377 (TIME)<br>
</b>This bill will increase employment opportunities by removing stigmas
and low expectations propagated by section 14(c) of the Fair Labor
Standards Act. Note that the bill now phases out subminimum wages over a
six year period corresponding to the recommendation of the National
Council on Disability. <a href="https://nfb.org/timefactsheet">Read the
TIME Act fact sheet to learn more.</a><br><br>
Current cosponsors <br><br>
<br><br>
<b>Accessible Instructional Material in Higher Education Act, H.R. 1772
(AIM HIGH) Current Cosponsors<br><br>
</b>Rep. Roe, David P. [R-TN-1] - Sponsor<br><br>
Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]<br><br>
Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-3]<br><br>
Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]<br><br>
Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. [D-FL-7]<br><br>
Rep. Ross, Dennis A. [R-FL-15]<br><br>
Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]<br><br>
Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]*<br><br>
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]<br><br>
Rep. Brooks, Susan W. [R-IN-5]<br><br>
Rep. Visclosky, Peter J. [D-IN-1]<br><br>
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]<br><br>
Rep. Nolan, Richard M. [D-MN-8]<br><br>
Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-5]<br><br>
Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3]<br><br>
Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]<br><br>
Rep. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2]<br><br>
Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]<br><br>
Rep. Price, David E. [D-NC-4]<br><br>
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-5]<br><br>
Rep. Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]<br><br>
Rep. Green, Gene [D-TX-29]<br><br>
Rep. Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [R-WI-5]<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017, H.R. 1734 and S. 732
(ATAA) Current Cosponsors<br><br>
</b>Rep. Young, David [R-IA-3] - Sponsor<br><br>
Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40]<br><br>
Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]<br><br>
Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]<br><br>
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]<br><br>
Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-16]<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act of 2017,
H.R. 1377 (TIME) Current Cosponsors<br><br>
</b>Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3] – Sponsor<br><br>
Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-42]<br><br>
Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-15]<br><br>
Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. [D-FL-7]<br><br>
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]<br><br>
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]<br><br>
Rep. Lujan Grisham, Michelle [D-NM-1]<br><br>
Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9]<br><br>
Rep. Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]<br><br>
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