[nfbwatlk] Washington Seminar from Home: WE NEED EVERYONE'S HELP!

Cindy Bennett clb5590 at gmail.com
Tue Jan 27 06:44:01 UTC 2015


Hi Washingtonians,

That's right. Even though we're not climbing the other Capitol Hill in
the other Washington, we are still the support system of the
federationists that represent us this week...although we are tragically
missing out on the snowpocolypse.

For the next three days, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I will be
posting contact information for the congress members who we are
visiting. It is our job to contact them, let them know that our
colleagues are visiting, and acknowledge our support for this year's
three legislative priorities. Our support will do more than you know.
It is great to show up in person, and even greater for our members'
visits to be bolstered by members at home to prove that blind people
all across the country need congress's help to live the lives we want!
Information about who is attending this year's Washington Seminar and
the seminar itself is below.

We need you to contact each congress person this week, especially on
the day we are meeting with them! Remember to tell your representative
that you are their constituent. That matters a lot! Tweet them, email
them, fill out their online form, and call them!

But first, become well versed in our three legislative issues! The
Government Affairs team did a great job producing this summary of the
three legislative priorities we have this year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wHE78v9zr4


This year's issues are as follows:
1.	The TIME act: Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment
act. Formerly the Fair Wages Act, introduced as HR188 just 2 weeks
ago! Here is the press release announcing its reintroduction:
https://nfb.org/national-federation-blind-applauds-introduction-transitioning-integrated-and-meaningful-employment
Here is information about the TIME act:
https://nfb.org/fair-wages
And the Frequently Asked Questions document:
https://nfb.org/timefactsheet
Finally, reference this great YouTube video in any of your electronic
correspondence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xed4tsMhHU8

2. The TEACH Act: Technology, Education, and Accessibility in College
and Higher education act
This act will establish a list of guidelines that institutions of
higher education can voluntarily follow to guide them in purchasing
accessible technologies. Read the fact sheet here:
https://nfb.org/TEACH
And reference this YouTube video in any electronic contact:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU4MBIluhD0

3. The Marrakesh Treaty: will give blind people from around the world
access to electronic published materials. Contact the senators about
this one as it will appear there for ratification later this year.
Read the fact sheet here:
https://nfb.org/marrakeshfactsheet

Members Attending
Marci Carpenter, Seattle: President of the National Federation of the
Blind of Washington
Mike Freeman, Vancouver: Immediate past president of the National
Federation of the Blind of Washington
Betty Watson, Vancouver: Board member of the National Federation of
the Blind of Washington and President of the Clark County chapter of
the National Federation of the Blind of Washington

Washington Seminar
Near the beginning of each year, over 500 members of the National
Federation of the blind comprising of members from all of its
affiliates assemble at Capitol Hill to meet with congress members.
Each affiliate (state) makes appointments with each House member and
each Senate member. During Washington Seminar, the members from each
affiliate meet with their respective congress representatives to
educate them and their staff on the three legislative priorities the
NFB will work on throughout the year. Information about the 2015
Washington Seminar can be found here:
https://nfb.org/washington-seminar

That's all for now! I will paste this email below each email I send
out Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for your reference.

Cindy



-- 
Cindy Bennett
1st Year Ph.D. Student, University of Washington
Human Centered Design and Engineering

Treasurer of the Greater Seattle Chapter and of the National
Federation of the Blind of Washington
Affiliates of the National Federation of the Blind

clb5590 at gmail.com




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