[Nfbofsc] URGENT! Legislative Alert - December 6, 2017

[Vicki Phillips]

>From John Pare
Dear Fellow Federationists:

Thank you for all of your calls and emails from the previous
legislative alert. Your work is definitely making a difference.

There is still a possibility that the Access Technology Affordability
Act could be merged into the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. A version of the
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has passed in both the House and the Senate and
is currently in conference committee.

We need more cosponsors.

Currently, the Access Technology Affordability Act has 16 cosponsors
in the House (H.R. 1734) and 4 cosponsors in the Senate (S. 732).

Therefore, please call or email your representative and ask him or her
to cosponsor H.R. 1734 and call or email your two senators and ask
them to cosponsor S. 732.

When you call or email, you might say something like the following:

"Hello, my name is [your name] and I am a constituent of [your
senator/representative]. I live in [city, state]. I am calling to urge
[your senator/representative] to cosponsor [S. 732 for Senate
calls/H.R. 1734 for House calls], the Access Technology Affordability
Act. This bill would increase the availability of Access Technology
thereby increasing educational and employment opportunities for all
blind Americans. The bill does this by creating a tax credit for the
purchase of access technology. The National Federation of the Blind
has analyzed the cost impact and the bill is either cost neutral or
will save the government money. I urge [your senator/representative]
to cosponsor the bill. Thanks."

Also, please check the list at the end of this email for the current
list of Senate and House cosponsors. You do not need to call anyone on
this list, unless you would like to call them and thank them for their
cosponsorship.

If you are in a meeting, you will want to go into more detail but
general calls and emails do not have to be very long. The key points
to mention: the bill number, that you are a constituent, and that you
urge the member of Congress to cosponsor the legislation.

You can contact your member of Congress by calling the Capitol
Switchboard and asking for the office in question. The number is (202)
224-3121. If you email your representative or senators, please copy me
at JPare at nfb.org<mailto:JPare at nfb.org>.

It is critical that we move on this quickly, so please strive to make
your calls and send your emails as soon as possible.

Warm regards,

John

John Paré
(410) 659-9314 x 2218
National Federation of the Blind

Senate ATAA Cosponsor List:
Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

House ATAA Cosponsor List:
Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]
Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]
Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
Rep. Demings, Val Butler [D-FL-10]
Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]
Rep. Kihuen, Ruben J. [D-NV-4]
Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5]
Rep. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM-3]
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
Rep. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV-3]
Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40]
Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-16]
Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]

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