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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings Federation family, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Good afternoon! As you have , likely, seen via the NFB lists or heard by listening to the Presidential release over the past few months, our 2017 Washington Seminar is rapidly approaching. The Great Gathering in is scheduled for January 30<sup>th</sup> at 5:00 PM at the Holiday Inn Capitol in Washington D.C. Below is a brief synopsis of the issues that we will be asking our congressman to support over the next year. Below each issue is the link to the fact sheet relating to the legislative issue should you like to see more detailed information. Before and after Washington Seminar you will receive requests asking that you seek support from your specific congressman and both of our senators. Reaching out to your representatives takes a few minutes and can really help gain support for issues important to the blind community. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Our delegation will meet with all five congressional offices and both senatorial offices. If you have questions regarding any of the legislative issues feel free to contact me or Glenda Farnum, NFBOK Legislative Director. <o:p></o:p></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:dotted windowtext 3.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Washington Seminar Legislative Agenda of Blind Americans Priorities for the 115th Congress, First Session<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>together to help blind people live the lives we want.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u>The Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HE) Act<o:p></o:p></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Electronic instructional materials have replaced traditional methods of learning in postsecondary education, but the overwhelming majority of ebooks, courseware,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>web content, and other technologies are inaccessible to students with print disabilities. The law requires equal access in the classroom but fails to provide<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>direction to schools for the way it applies to technology. AIM HE creates voluntary accessibility guidelines for educational technology to improve blind<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>students’ access to course material, stimulate the market, and reduce litigation for schools.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/aimheafactsheet">https://nfb.org/aimheafactsheet</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u>The Access Technology Affordability Act<o:p></o:p></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Currently, blind Americans rely on scarce sources of funding to acquire access technology. By providing a refundable tax credit for qualifying access technology<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>purchases, Congress can stimulate individual procurement of access technology and promote affordability of these tools for blind Americans.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/access-technology-affordability-act">https://nfb.org/access-technology-affordability-act</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u>Appropriation to the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) for the Purchase of Refreshable Braille Devices<o:p></o:p></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Established in 1931, the NLS provides its patrons with accessible format copies of printed works. With the latest innovations in refreshable Braille, it<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>is now easier than ever before to put Braille into the hands of more Blind people. A one-time appropriation to the NLS will save money and lead to the<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>proliferation of critically needed Braille material for blind Americans.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/appropriation-national-library-service-blind-and-physically-handicapped-nls-purchase-refreshable">https://nfb.org/appropriation-national-library-service-blind-and-physically-handicapped-nls-purchase-refreshable</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u>The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled<o:p></o:p></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Despite the ability to convert print books into accessible formats like Braille, large print, audio, and digital copies, millions of blind and otherwise<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>print-disabled Americans are excluded from accessing 95 percent of published works. The Marrakesh Treaty calls for contracting parties to provide, in their<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>national copyright laws, for a limitation or exception that allows for the reproduction, distribution, and cross-border exchange of accessible works.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/marrakeshfactsheet">https://nfb.org/marrakeshfactsheet</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>These priorities will remove obstacles to employment, education, and access to published works. We urge Congress to support our legislative initiatives. We need your help in working together to educate and ask for the support that we need from our representatives. Stay tuned! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Have an awesome week!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jeannie <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Jeannie M. Massay, President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>National Federation of theBlind <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Of Oklahoma<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>505 Baker Street<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Norman, OK 73072<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Phone: 405-600-0695<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'><a href="mailto:Jeannie.massay@nfbok.org">Jeannie.massay@nfbok.org</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Live the life you want!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day, we raise expectations of the blind because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Blindness is not what holds you back. You can live the life you want.!. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>