[NFBOH-Cleveland] Fwd: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Update - December 19, 2017

Suzanne Turner smturner.234 at gmail.com
Wed Dec 20 05:53:16 UTC 2017



Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Pare, John via NFBNet-Members-List" <nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>
> Date: December 19, 2017 at 11:16:51 PM EST
> To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Update - December 19, 2017
> Reply-To: "Pare, John" <JPare at nfb.org>
> 
>  
> Dear Fellow Federationists:
>  
> The House of Representatives passed the conferenced version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act this afternoon. The Senate is expected to pass it this evening. President Trump is expected to sign it into law by the end of the week.
>  
> The good news is the additional standard deduction for the blind was included in the bill. This means that a blind person filing single or head of household will get an additional $1,550 deduction. A blind person filing married will get an additional $1,250 deduction, and two blind spouses filing jointly will get an additional $2,500 deduction.
>  
> This provision would not have been preserved if it had not been for your advocacy. Thanks to everyone for sending emails and making phone calls.
>  
> While we had hoped the Access Technology Affordability Act would be merged into the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, our bill sponsors are still fully committed to passage of our legislation. We need to continue to build cosponsors on the House and Senate bills (H.R. 1734 and S. 732).
>  
> As far as the impact the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will have on the federal deficit, there is still great concern. Some analysts predict an additional $1.5 trillion of federal debt, while others believe that increased economic activity will offset any additional debt. Our concern is that increased federal debt could lead to automatic spending cuts mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2011. We will need to keep a close watch and be ready to advocate against any cuts to vocational rehabilitation, IDEA, Medicaid, Medicare, or SSDI.
>  
> For those attending Washington Seminar, please remember we are only fourteen days away from the deadline to make hotel reservations at the Holiday Inn Capitol. That means that we are only forty-one days away from the Great Gathering-In and the official start of the 2018 Washington Seminar. You can make your reservations online by visiting the Holiday Inn Capitol’s reservations portal which will already include our group code, or by calling the Holiday Inn Capitol directly. The telephone number to call is 1 877-572-6951, and the booking code to reference is FB8. The 2018 room rate is $192.00 per night. This rate does not include DC sales tax, currently 14.8%. The last day to make your room reservations is Tuesday, January 2, 2018, so please make your reservations as soon as possible.
>  
> More information regarding our 2018 legislative priorities, fact sheets, and FAQs is forthcoming. Please don't hesitate to let us know if you have any questions.
>  
> Warm regards,
> John
>  
> John G. Paré Jr. 
> Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy 
> 200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
> (410) 659-9314, extension 2218 | jpare at nfb.org 
>  
>  
>   
>  
>                                        
>  
> The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want. 
>  
> 
> 
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