<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=iso-8859-1"><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:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoAcetate, li.MsoAcetate, div.MsoAcetate
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;}
span.BalloonTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Balloon Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text";
font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
.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=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Colleagues: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The following blog was just posted to nfb.org: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Much attention has been given to Congress’s planned tax reform efforts and the varied effects those changes will have on Americans. However, one aspect of the Senate <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1">Tax Cuts and Jobs Act</a> that no one seems to be talking about is the drastic effect it will have on people with disabilities.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Though not explicitly mentioned in the legislation, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act may inadvertently eliminate federal funding for public vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs. As this <a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/ltr_impact_tax_cuts.pdf">letter from the National Council on State Agencies for the Blind</a> explains, VR programs provide critical training for people with disabilities to secure and maintain employment. Defunding of this program will not only curtail gainful employment opportunities for people with disabilities, but also negatively impact other programs such as the Social Security trust fund and Medicare.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We must strive to maintain our financial freedom and independence. Please call your two senators and urge them to guarantee that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act does not trigger mandatory spending cuts that will eliminate or reduce vocational rehabilitation funding. You can reach your senators by calling (202) 224-3121 and asking for the appropriate office.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/blog/article/3408">https://nfb.org/blog/article/3408</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>John Paré<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(410) 659-9314 x 2218<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>