[Nfbv-announce] Fwd: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Update and Post Washington Seminar Call to Action

Thu Mar 30 11:11:30 UTC 2017

Dear Federation Family,

The purpose of this update is to bring you up-to-speed on legislative
developments since we left the Washington Seminar two months ago and to ask
you to activate on several crucial issues. Please use this information as a
good reason to reach out to your two Senators and your Congressman or
Congresswoman and update them on developments since your visit to their
offices. The summary of legislative developments will be followed by the
call to action on three bills:

The Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act, also known
as “AIM HIGH”, H.R. 1772

Congressman Phil Roe (R-TN) and Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT) introduced
this legislation in the House of Representatives earlier today. H.R. 1772
will promote instructional technology and content that are accessible to
the blind and other students with print disabilities.

The Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017 (ATAA) H.R. 1734 and S. 732

These companion bills were introduced by Representatives David Young (R-IA)
and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) in the House and by Senators John Boozman
(R-AR) and Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) in the Senate on March 28, 2017.
Please remind your Senators and Representative that this legislation will
establish a per-person individual refundable tax credit to be used over a
multi-year period to offset the cost of access technology for blind people.

The Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act of
2017 (H.R. 1377)

As President Riccobono indicated, the TIME Act is still a priority of the
National Federation of the Blind. It just wasn't front and center at the
2017 Washington Seminar. The bill was introduced by Representative Gregg
Harper (R-MS) on March 8, 2017, to remove barriers to employment
opportunities for people with disabilities by phasing out Section 14(c) of
the Fair Labor Standards Act and facilitating the transitioning of people
with disabilities now working in segregated employment settings into
competitive employment opportunities in their communities. There is low
hanging fruit we can secure from cosponsors of previous iterations of the
TIME Act. Please see if your Senators and Representative will cosponsor
this bill in the 115th Congress, especially members of the House of
Representatives who have done so before.

Call to Action

Please call both of your Senators and ask them to cosponsor S. 732, the
Access Technology Affordability Act.  Also, Please call your Congressman or
Congresswoman and ask him or her to cosponsor the AIM HIGH Act (H.R. 1772),
the Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 1734), and the TIME Act (H.R.
1377).

This is an excellent opportunity to circle back with your Senators and
Representative to provide them with updates on legislation, which will help
blind Americans live the lives we want.  The number to the Capitol
Switchboard is 202-224-3121 <(202)%20224-3121>. From there, the operator
can transfer you to your desired contact.  Let me thank you for the
groundwork you laid at the Washington Seminar, which has led to the
introduction of this legislation. Let’s build on that momentum, as we turn
our focus toward Orlando.

As always, thanks for all you do.

Parnell

Parnell Diggs, Esq.
Director of Government Affairs
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 659-9314, extension 2222 <(410)%20659-9314> | pdiggs at nfb.org
Twitter: ParnellDiggs

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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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