<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Lato;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal">Bonnie,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you for taking the time to pass this information along to everyone.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Nate Kile,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Program Director, Assistive Technology Specialist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color:#1F497D">“Knowledge is light, love and vision” Helen Keller<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Equipping Alaskans for success <o:p>
</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">3903 Taft Drive<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Anchorage, Alaska 99517<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">907.248.7770<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">fax 907.248.7517<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Direct Line 907.444.3707<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:Nkile@AlaskaBVI.org">Nkile@AlaskaBVI.org</a><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.alaskabvi.org">www.alaskabvi.org</a><span style="color:#1F497D">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/alaskabvi">www.facebook.com/alaskabvi</a><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Please consider supporting our mission.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> alaska-professionals-in-blind-education@googlegroups.com <alaska-professionals-in-blind-education@googlegroups.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>lucas.bonnie@gmail.com<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 19, 2022 8:13 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'NFB of Alaska Mailing List' <nfbofalaska@nfbnet.org>; alaska-professionals-in-blind-education@googlegroups.com<br>
<b>Subject:</b> National Federation of the Blind 2022 Washington Seminar Remote<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<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" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">Email: <a href="mailto:lucas.bonnie@gmail.com">
lucas.bonnie@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Web: <a href="https://alaskanfb.org/">alaskanfb.org</a><a name="_Hlk16627103"><br>
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.</a><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>
<p class="MsoNormal">-- <br>
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Alaska Professionals in Blindness Education" group.<br>
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to
<a href="mailto:alaska-professionals-in-blind-education+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com">
alaska-professionals-in-blind-education+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com</a>.<br>
To view this discussion on the web visit <a href="https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/alaska-professionals-in-blind-education/012c01d80dbc%2473322af0%24599680d0%24%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer">
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/alaska-professionals-in-blind-education/012c01d80dbc%2473322af0%24599680d0%24%40gmail.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>