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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Good Evening Everyone,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you are not familiar with Washington Seminar as carried out by the National Federation of the Blind, I’d like to share just a little about this Phenomenal event. Each February, since the 1970’s, every state brought blind and low vision constituents to share a legislative agenda with our members of congress. We will still be bringing requested legislation before congress, but it will be virtual. Below is a very brief list of the issues. Please read them and if you are interested in participating this year, please let me know as soon as possible. We will be sharing this information with are three Alaska Legislators, Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan and Don Young. Often we talk with a staff member and they are able to pass along our information and even influence them after talking with us. Below the brief description of our agenda, you will be able to click on a link where you can read, in more detail, about each of the topics.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Priorities for the 117th Congress, Second Session<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe<br>in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people<br>live the lives we want.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:25.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:green'>The Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA) (H.R. 431/S. 212)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>The cost of critically needed access technology is out of reach for most blind Americans.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>The Access Technology Affordability Act will improve affordability of critically needed access technology necessary for employment and independent living.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:25.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:green'>Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act (H.R. 4853)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Advanced digital interfaces create barriers that prevent blind individuals from independently and safely operating home-use medical devices that are essential to their daily healthcare needs. The Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act will end unequal access to home-use medical devices for blind Americans.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:25.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:green'>Twenty-First Century Websites & Applications Accessibility Act<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Websites are required by law to be accessible, but without implementing regulations most businesses and retailers have little understanding of what accessible means. The Twenty-First Century Websites and Applications Accessibility Act will end website and mobile application inaccessibility for blind Americans.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:25.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:green'>Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (H.R. 2373/S. 3238)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 permits employers to pay people with disabilities at a rate less than the federal minimum wage and, in many cases, separated from their coworkers without disabilities. The Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act will end this antiquated and discriminatory practice for all Americans with disabilities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'>THESE PRIORITIES WILL REMOVE OBSTACLES TO EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND INDEPENDENT LIVING. WE URGE CONGRESS TO SUPPORT OUR LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES.</span></b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lato",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar">https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bonnie Lucas<br>President<br>National Federation of the Blind of Alaska<br>Cell: 907-301-6808<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Email: <a href="mailto:lucas.bonnie@gmail.com">lucas.bonnie@gmail.com</a><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Web: <a href="https://alaskanfb.org/">alaskanfb.org</a><a name="_Hlk16627103"><br></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk16627103'>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.</span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk16627103'></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#BFBFBF'>[Delegate-BML]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>