[NFBSATX] FW: [NFBT] Fwd: Member Digest - Legislative Update

Wed Nov 19 23:47:49 UTC 2025

From: Norma Crosby <ncrosby at nfbtx.org> 
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 3:43 PM
To: <member at nfbtx.org> <member at nfbtx.org>
Subject: [NFBT] Fwd: Member Digest - Legislative Update

Your hard work has paid off. 

Below is a legislative update that I wanted to share, and if you take a look at the first item listed in the email below, you'll see that our visits with Congress have had an impact. The reduction in force (RIF) at the Department of Education has been rescinded as part of the continuing resolution passed recently. That should mean that the people at OSERS and OCR should be getting back to work. However, it doesn't mean our work is done. So, keep watching for updates.

Thanks for all your hard work on this issue. You made a difference.

Norma Crosby, President

National Federation of the Blind of Texas

1600 E Highway 6, Suite 215

Alvin, TX  77511

(281) 968-7733 (Main Office)

(281) 968-7158 (Fax)

ncrosby at nfbtx.org <mailto:ncrosby at nfbtx.org> 

To schedule a meeting with me go to https://calendly.com/ncrosby/meeting

"Live the life you want."

 <https://www.nfbtx.org/>  <http://twitter.com/@nfbtx>  <http://facebook.com/BlindofTexas> 

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: National Federation of the Blind <web at nfb.org <mailto:web at nfb.org> >
Date: Wed, Nov 19, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Subject: Member Digest - Legislative Update
To: Norma Crosby <ncrosby at nfbtx.org <mailto:ncrosby at nfbtx.org> >

  <https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/top-blue-bar.jpg> 

 <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40922&qid=11981757> 

Legislative Update: Key Issues Affecting Blind Americans

Things have been busy since our last legislative alert in October. We’ve experienced a federal government shutdown, a wave of reduction in force (RIF) notices at the Department of Education, and a frenzy of new cosponsor activity on our legislation. This email will serve as an update on all of these developments as we prepare for the end of 2025.

Department of Education Update

On October 10, the reduction in force (RIF) notices issued to <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40923&qid=11981757>  the Department of Education, specifically in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office for Civil Rights put everyone on high alert. The elimination of the positions in these two offices would have been extremely detrimental to programs administered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Randolph-Sheppard Program.

In response to this disastrous action, National Federation of the Blind members have been engaging with Congress to let them know the impact this action will have on us. We asked you to call or email your senators and representatives, and you did. Then we asked some of you to come to Washington, DC in person to meet with your senators on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and you did. 

In the most recent Continuing Resolution to fund the government, passed on November 13, Congress agreed that the RIF notices would be rescinded. While we will still need to ensure these programs remain protected, this is a huge triumph.

Medicare Telehealth Benefits Extended

Also included in the Continuing Resolution was a provision to extend the Medicare telehealth benefits once again. However, this is again a temporary expansion and will expire in just a couple of months on January 30, 2026. One of the vehicles to make these benefits permanent is the CONNECT for Health Act (H.R. 4206/S. 1261). Since we sent our legislative alert back in early September <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40924&qid=11981757> , the cosponsors have poured in. In total, the bill now has 140 cosponsors in the House and 65 in the Senate. 

Blind Americans Return to Work Act (H.R. 1175)

The Blind Americans Return to Work Act <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40925&qid=11981757> , which would help get more blind people employed by instituting a two-for-one phase out of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits for income earned above the substantial gainful activity threshold, has gained two new cosponsors since the beginning of October: Rep. Jared Golden (ME) and Rep. Josh Harder (CA). We are still working to get this bill introduced in the Senate. 

Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 1529/S. 1918)

Our Access Technology Affordability Act <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40939&qid=11981757> , which would help offset the high cost of access technology by creating a $2,000 refundable tax credit for use over a three-year period, has gained five new House cosponsors since the beginning of October: Rep. Nick Begich (AK), Rep. Earl Carter (GA), Rep. Vern Buchanan (FL), Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME), and Rep. Bill Huizenga (MI). In that same amount of time in the Senate, the bill has gained one new cosponsor, Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska. 

Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act (H.R. 3417)

Our Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40927&qid=11981757> , which would create accessibility standards for websites and mobile applications, has gained two new cosponsors since the beginning of October: Rep Eugene Vindman (VA) and Rep. Randy Fine (FL). We are working to get this bill introduced in the Senate.

As we approach the end of the first session of the 119th Congress, we are in a great position to get several of the above bills passed. Please watch for legislative alerts on these bills in the very near future. In the meantime, for updates on all our legislation and our regulatory efforts, please be sure to visit nfb.org/advocacy <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40928&qid=11981757> .

 <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40929&qid=11981757> 

 <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40930&qid=11981757> 

 <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40931&qid=11981757> 

 <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40932&qid=11981757> 

 <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40933&qid=11981757> 

 <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40934&qid=11981757> 

National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD 21230 | 410-659-9314 

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200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, MD 21230
United States

.. 

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-- 
National Federation of the Blind of Texas 
"Live the life you want."
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