<html>
<body>
<br>
Dear Fellow Federationists:<br>
<br>
Thank you for all of your calls and emails since the last legislative
alert. We are now up to thirty-four cosponsors on AIM HIGH, H.R. 1772,
ten cosponsors on the Access Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 1734, and
twelve cosponsors on the TIME Act, H.R. 1377. In the Senate, the Access
Technology Affordability Act, S. 732, has one cosponsor. The complete
list of cosponsors is included at the end of this email.<br><br>
The House of Representatives adjourned on July 28 and will not return to
Washington, DC until September 5. The Senate is still in session and will
not adjourn until August 11. The Senate will then also return on
September 5.<br>
<br>
I have two recommendations. First, call your Senator immediately and ask
him or her to cosponsor S. 732, the Access Technology Affordability Act.
It would be terrific if we could grow the number of cosponsors before the
Senate adjourns on August 11. Second, invite your member of Congress to
attend a chapter meeting or other local NFB event while they are in the
district. Alternately, you could ask to meet with them in their district
office. <br>
<br>
I also want to update you on H.R. 620, the ADA Education and Reform Act.
Your calls and emails have significantly helped in this area. In addition
President Riccobono wrote an
<a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/343880-passing-the-ada-education-and-reform-act-would-be-a-step">
op-ed published in
</a>
<a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/343880-passing-the-ada-education-and-reform-act-would-be-a-step">
<i>The Hill</a></i> on July 26, the twenty-seventh anniversary of the
signing of the ADA into law. <br>
<br>
Your calls and emails have also made a tremendous difference protecting
Medicaid. As I mentioned in a previous alert, an estimated 38.8 percent
of blind Americans rely on Medicaid for their healthcare according to the
US Census Bureau. To learn more about this topic please read President
Riccobono’s
<a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/339073-saving-medicaid-is-critical-to-americas-blind">
Saving Medicaid op-ed</a>, also published in <i>The Hill</i>.<br>
<br>
The Senate will be in session until August 11 but please try to make your
calls or send your emails by Friday, August 4. A short summary of each
bill is included below. I have also included a list of all the current
cosponsors. 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>
<br>
Thanks for all you do!<br>
<br>
Warm regards,<br>
<br>
John<br>
<br>
John G. Paré Jr. <br>
(410) 659-9314 x 2218<br>
National Federation of the Blind<br>
<br>
<b>Bill Summaries <br><br>
Accessible Instructional Material in Higher Education Act, H.R. 1772 (AIM
HIGH)<br>
</b>This bill will promote instructional technology and content that are
accessible to the blind and other students with print disabilities.
<a href="https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet">Read the AIM HIGH fact sheet
to learn more.</a><br>
<br>
<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>
<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>
<b>Accessible Instructional Material in Higher Education Act, H.R. 1772
(AIM HIGH) Current Cosponsors<br>
</b>Rep. Roe, David P. [R-TN-1] - Sponsor<br>
Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]<br>
Rep. Davis, Susan A. [D-CA-53]<br>
Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-3]<br>
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41]<br>
Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]<br>
Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5] <br>
Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. [D-FL-7]<br>
Rep. Ross, Dennis A. [R-FL-15]<br>
Rep. Gabbard, Tulsi [D-HI-2]<br>
Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]<br>
Rep. Young, David [R-IA-3] <br>
Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]<br>
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]<br>
Rep. Brooks, Susan W. [R-IN-5]<br>
Rep. Visclosky, Peter J. [D-IN-1]<br>
Rep. Yarmuth, John A.
[D-KY-3] <br>
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]<br>
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] <br>
Rep. Nolan, Richard M. [D-MN-8]<br>
Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-5]<br>
Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3]<br>
Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]<br>
Rep. Lujan Grisham, Michelle
[D-NM-1] <br>
Rep. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2]<br>
Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]<br>
Rep. Price, David E. [D-NC-4]<br>
Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7] <br>
Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13] <br>
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-5]<br>
Rep. Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]<br>
Rep. Cicilline, David N.
[D-RI-1] <br>
Rep. Green, Gene [D-TX-29]<br>
Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice
[D-TX-30] <br>
Rep. Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [R-WI-5]<br><br>
<b>Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017, H.R. 1734 and S. 732
(ATAA) Current Cosponsors<br>
</b>Rep. Young, David [R-IA-3] - Sponsor<br>
Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40]<br>
Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]<br>
Rep. Demings, Val Butler [D-FL-10] <br>
Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5]<br>
Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]<br>
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] <br>
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]<br>
Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]<br>
Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-16]<br>
Rep. Cicilline, David N.
[D-RI-1] <br><br>
<b>Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act of 2017,
H.R. 1377 (TIME) Current Cosponsors<br>
</b>Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3] – Sponsor<br>
Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-42]<br>
Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-15]<br>
Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. [D-FL-7]<br>
Rep. Young, David [R-IA-3] <br>
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]<br>
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] <br>
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]<br>
Rep. Lujan Grisham, Michelle [D-NM-1]<br>
Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9]<br>
Rep. Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]<br>
Rep. Rice, Tom [R-SC-7]
<br>
Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice
[D-TX-30] <br>
</body>
</html>