<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:x="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:excel" 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=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>September is a critical month for our legislative advocacy in Congress. This week, we are focused on building support for telehealth services in the House of Representatives. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Our goal is to share our request and why it matters. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Then, we are asking you to send one email to the legislative director for your member of the House of Representatives. The email address for the staff member is included in the attached Word document. If you prefer to call, the number for the House office for each Virginia Representative is included in the attached Word document.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>If your member of the House is Jennifer L. McClellan [VA-4] or Suhas Subramanyam [VA-10, they have already supported the legislation, and you do not need to take any action this week. If you live in VA-11, the Congressional seat formerly held by the late Congressman Jerry Connolly, we encourage you to vote in Tuesday’s election to fill this seat but no action is required on this legislation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Summary Context:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The National Federation of the Blind urges the members of the House of Representatives to support and pass the CONNECT for Health Act, H.R. 4206. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>This bill will make permanent the expanded Medicare telehealth coverages that were first introduced in 2020 and have been temporarily extended over the past couple of years, with the most recent extension set to expire on September 30. Just a couple of months ago at our national convention, we passed <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40150&qid=11625536">Resolution 2025-07</a> on this very topic.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>What we are requesting and why<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Earlier this year, on March 5, President Riccobono wrote a letter to all members of Congress urging them to pass legislation that would make the expanded Medicare telehealth benefits permanent. Then in April, Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii introduced the CONNECT for Health Act in the Senate with nearly sixty originating cosponsors. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Just a couple of months later in June, Representative Mike Thompson of California introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives, which at the time of this writing has only nineteen cosponsors.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>How you can assist<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Given that the Senate version of the bill already has significant cosponsor support, including from Majority Leader Thune, we are going to focus our advocacy on increasing support in the House by asking you to call or email your Representative. We are requesting that you simply contact your member of the House of Representatives this week via email or phone .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The attachment (which should not be forwarded to the member of Congress) provides the email addresses for staff members for our Representatives in Virginia. It also provides the phone numbers for the House offices. You need only to send your message to your specific member of Congress. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We think it is easiest to send an email.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>If you email, please copy Jesse Shirek in our national legislative team at <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=40034&qid=11615738">jshirek@nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Please remember to update the below with the specific name of the staff member for your member of Congress and remember to put your name and address as your signature.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Subject: Please Cosponsor the CONNECT for Health Act, H.R. 4206<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Hello Legislative Director, <Insert staff member’s name from list><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I request that you urge your boss to support the CONNECT for Health Act, H.R. 4206. This bill will make permanent Medicare telehealth benefits that have been temporarily extended numerous times since 2020. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Making these telehealth benefits permanent will significantly reduce the travel burden on blind Americans who live in rural areas and may have difficulty securing reliable transportation for regular physician visits. Please ask your boss to cosponsor H.R. 4206. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Thank you,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>[Insert your name, address, and phone number]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>