[Nfbv-announce] FW: Legislative Alert-Cosponsors Needed for H.R. 734 and H.R. 886

Thu Apr 9 01:17:29 UTC 2009

Friends,

Please do what you can to help get cosponsors for our legislative
priorities.  Remember that members of Congress are much more likely to
listen to people from their home districts than anyone else.  Below is
information from James McCarthy explaining what we need.

Thanks,

Fred Schroeder, President
National Federation of the Blind of Virginia

  _____  

From: McCarthy, Jim [mailto:JMcCarthy at nfb.org] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 6:19 PM
Subject: Legislative Alert-Cosponsors Needed for H.R. 734 and H.R. 886

Fellow Federationists:

            Our activities at the 2009 Washington Seminar kicked off our
legislative efforts.  Aggressive follow-up with the staff that we met, and
with representatives at home, strengthens our opportunities for success.  

            Congress has begun its spring district work period which lasts
two weeks.  Members left Washington at the end of last week and they will
not return for legislative business until Monday, April 20.  This offers us
an opportunity to meet senators and representatives in their districts over
these two weeks.  Therefore, I encourage you to learn their schedules and
attend any town hall or other public meetings that you can.

            As you know, there are two bills we advocated for at the 2009
Washington Seminar that are presently introduced in the House of
Representatives.  These two bills are H.R. 734, the Pedestrian Safety
Enhancement Act of 2009, and H.R. 886, the Blind Persons Return to Work Act
of 2009.

            At Washington Seminar, attendees reported on representatives who
were rated as likely cosponsors of H.R. 886.  Representatives were rated as
4 or 5 on our scale, with 5 being the most likely to cosponsor.  

            At the present time H.R. 886 has five cosponsors that include
the lead sponsor, John Lewis, which means that H.R. 886 is not advancing
right now as quickly as is necessary, so we must increase our efforts to
move this legislation.  Key points are:

-- This bill would establish a benefit reduction instead of totally ending
the benefit for blind people who earn more than the allowable earnings
amount, which would be a yearly rather than monthly amount, as is now the
case.

-- This amount would continue to be indexed as it is under present law.

-- Earnings over the annual amount would result in a one dollar loss of
Social Security benefits for each three dollars of excess earnings.

-- There would be an Impairment Related Work Expense deduction for anyone
with excess earnings.

-- The amount of this deduction would be 16.3% of excess earnings, or the
amount determined by the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration,
whichever amount is greater.

            I know that you will, as you always do, work hard over the
upcoming two-week spring district period to increase commitments from your
representatives on this important legislation.

            Presently, we have 105 cosponsors on H.R. 734, the Pedestrian
Safety Enhancement Act.  This is outstanding, but we need more.  A
legislative alert was sent last week identifying the cosponsors.  Over the
spring district work period, you should reach out to those representatives
who have not yet cosponsored this legislation.  Attending question and
answer sessions for representatives that are already cosponsors and publicly
thanking them for their support of H.R. 734, will allow you to focus the
attention on the silent car issue in your local communities.  

            This attention should help us achieve our goal of getting this
legislation enacted as soon as possible, so that we can continue to travel
with confidence and have the information we need to make appropriate travel
judgments.

            Let us build support for H.R. 886 and continue the march toward
passage of H.R. 734.

            Below you will find the list of the cosponsors of H.R. 886 and a
list of those who were rated 4 or 5 who should be cosponsors of H.R. 886.  

            Thank you for your continuing efforts on behalf of our National
Federation of the Blind.

Most cordially,

James D. McCarthy

Government Programs Specialist

National Federation of the Blind

Telephone:  (410) 659-9314, extension 2240

E-mail:   <mailto:jmccarthy at nfb.org> jmccarthy at nfb.org

Jesse Hartle

Government Programs Specialist

National Federation of the Blind

Telephone:  (410) 659-9314, extension 2233

E-mail:   <mailto:jhartle at nfb.org> jhartle at nfb.org

Cosponsors of H.R. 886

John Lewis, GA - Sponsor

James Oberstar MN

Pedro Pierluisi, PR

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, FL

Tim Ryan, OH

Representatives Rated Five

Rep. Abercrombie, Neil (D-HI) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Davis, Danny (D-IL) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Driehaus, Steve (D-OH)

Rep. Lance, Leonard (R-NJ)

Rep. Langevin, James (D-RI)

Representatives Rated Four

Rep. Ackerman, Gary (D-NY)

Rep. Bachus, Spencer (R-AL)

Rep. Berkley, Shelley (D-NV) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Berry, Marion (D-AR)

Rep. Biggert, Judy (R-IL)

Rep. Bilbray, Brian (R-CA)

Rep. Blumenauer, Earl (D-OR) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Braley, Bruce (D-IA) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Castor, Kathy (D-FL)

Rep. Clarke, Yvette (D-NY)

Rep. Clyburn, James (D-SC)

Rep. Crenshaw, Ander (R-FL)

Rep. DeGette, Diana (D-CO)

Rep. Delahunt, Bill (D-MA)

Rep. DeLauro, Rosa (D-CT)

Rep. Doyle, Mike (D-PA)

Rep. Ellison, Keith (D-MN) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Etheridge, Bob (D-NC

Rep. Frank, Barney (D-MA)

Rep. Garrett, Scott (R-NJ)

Rep. Green, Al (D-TX)

Rep. Hall, Ralph (R-TX)

Rep. Hare, Phil (D-IL) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Heinrich, Martin (D-NM)

Rep. Heller, Dean (R-NV)

Rep. Himes, Jim (D-CT)

Rep. Hodes, Paul (D-NH)

Rep. Hunter, Duncan (R-CA)

Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila (D-TX)

Rep. Johnson, Hank (D-GA)

Rep. Johnson, Sam (R-TX)

Rep. Kennedy, Patrick (D-RI)

Rep. King, Peter (R-NY)

Rep. Latta, Bob (R-OH)

Rep. Lee, Barbara (D-CA)

Rep. Lungren, Dan (R-CA)

Rep. Maffei, Dan (D-NY)

Rep. Markey, Ed (D-MA)

Rep. Matheson, Jim (D-UT)

Rep. McDermott, Jim (D-WA) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. McGovern, Jim (D-MA)

Rep. McIntyre, Mike (D-NC)

Rep. Meek, Kendrick (D-FL)

Rep. Meeks, Gregory (D-NY)

Rep. Mollohan, Alan (D-WV)

Rep. Moran, Jim (D-VA)

Rep. Nadler, Jerrold (D-NY)

Rep. Norton, Eleanor (D-DC)

Rep. Oberstar, James (D-MN) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Ortiz, Solomon (D-TX)

Rep. Paul, Ron (R-TX) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Peterson, Collin (D-MN) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Petri, Tom (R-WI)

Rep. Platts, Todd (R-PA) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Polis, Jared (D-CO)

Rep. Rothman, Steven (D-NJ) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Rush, Bobby (D-IL) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Sanchez, Linda (D-CA) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Schiff, Adam (D-CA)

Rep. Sessions, Pete (R-TX)

Rep. Stark, Pete (D-CA) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Sutton, Betty (D-OH) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Terry, Lee (R-NE)

Rep. Thompson, Glenn (R-PA)

Rep. Tiberi, Patrick (R-OH)

Rep. Towns, Edolphus (D-NY) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Visclosky, Peter (D-IN) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Watson, Diane (D-CA)

Rep. Wolf, Frank (R-VA) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Woolsey, Lynn (D-CA)

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