[Nfbwv-talk] Legislative Action

[Smyth, Charlene R]

From: "Sloan, Rose" <rsloan at nfb.org>
Date: May 2, 2014, 2:10:34 PM EDT
To: "'Nfb-legislative-directors at nfbnet.org'"
<Nfb-legislative-directors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Nfb-legislative-directors] Further Information about our Week
of Action for HR 831
Reply-To: NFB Legislative Directors List
<nfb-legislative-directors at nfbnet.org>

Dear Legislative Directors:

 

As you know, this week is our week of action to gain more support for HR
831.  As a reminder:

 

Tuesday is Twitter Tuesday

Wednesday is Call Wednesday and

Thursday is Email Thursday.  

 

The idea is, by tweeting on Tuesday, we will raise awareness about HR
831 to not only our Members of Congress, but also all of our followers
on Twitter.  By calling on Wednesday, we will be putting HR 831 on our
Members of Congress's radar.  Finally, by emailing on Thursday, we will
be sealing the deal by making the formal written request to the labor
staffers.  I know that if we work together, we will be able to gain even
more co-sponsors.  I will be sending each of you a list of twitter
handles, phone numbers, and email addresses for the labor staffers.  My
goal is to send these out by the end of today, but some may not go out
until Monday.  

 

Below please find some sample tweets, a sample call script and a sample
email.  Of course, creating your own tweets is encouraged.
Personalizing the emails is also encouraged.  

 

Reminders:

 

When tweeting, please use the hashtag #FairWages, and don't forget to
tag your Member of Congress.

When emailing, please cc me (rsloan at nfb.org).  

 

Thank you all in advance for all of your work.  As always, feel free to
reach out to me with any questions.  

 

Yours in the fight for fair wages,

 

Rose

 

 

Sample Tweets for Twitter Tuesday: You're your Representative or other
Representatives from your state)

 

Do you support paying people with disabilities pennies per hour
@RepDuckworth?  I think PWD deserve #fairwages. Please co-sponsor HR
831.

 

Help prevent people with disabilities being paid less than the minimum
wage. Support #fairwages by co-sponsoring HR 831 @RepJohnSarbanes

 

It is outrageous that people with disabilities can be paid 3 cents an
hour. If you agree, support #fairwages by co-sponsoring HR 831
@WhipHoyer

 

Help people with disabilities earn real wages. Co-sponsor HR 831
@ToddRokita and support #fairwages.  

 

@PeterRoskam, co-sponsor HR 831. Ensure that people with disabilities
receive the #fairwages we deserve. 

 

 

Sample Call Script for Call Wednesday:

 

Good Morning. My name is ___________, and I support HR 831: the Fair
Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act.  I urge Representative
_________ to please co-sponsor this bill.  

 

Currently, people with disabilities are legally being paid less than the
minimum wage.  Some are being paid as little as mere pennies per hour.
I feel that this practice is wrong.   HR 831 will responsibly phase out
this antiquated, discriminatory and immoral practice over a three year
period.  

 

Can I count on Representative __________ to support people with
disabilities by co-sponsoring HR 831?  

 

 

Sample Email for Email Thursday:

 

CC: Rsloan at nfb.org 

Subject: Please Co-Sponsor HR 831

 

Dear [name of Labor Legislative Aid]:

 

I write to express my support for HR 831: the Fair Wages for Workers
with Disabilities Act and to urge Representative [name of
Representative] to please co-sponsor this bill.  

 

Currently, people with disabilities are being paid far below the minimum
wage.  This practice is legal under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938.  HR 831 will responsibly phase out this
antiquated practice over a three year period.  

 

If Representative [name of Representative] is ready to join nearly 80
Members of Congress by expressing a commitment to creating real
employment opportunities for people with disabilities, please contact
Scot Malvaney, Legislative Director for Congressman Harper at
Scot.Malvaney at mail.house.gov, and let him know that Representative
___________ would like to co-sponsor HR 831. 

  

Thank you,

 

[Your name]

 

 

 

 

Rose Sloan

Government Affairs Specialist

 

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

200 East Wells Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21230

Phone: (410)-659-9314 ext. 2441

E-mail: rsloan at nfb.org

Twitter: @RoseSloan8

 

"Eliminating Subminimum Wages for People with Disabilities" 

http://www.nfb.org/fair-wages

 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

 

To make a donation to the National Federation of the Blind Imagination
Fund, please visit www.nfb.org/ImaginingOurFuture
<http://www.nfb.org/ImaginingOurFuture> .