[NYABS] Fwd: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert 8-3-2020

[Justin Young]

Forwarding the following legislative related message!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Pare, John via NFBNet-Members-List" <nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2020 21:02:31 +0000
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert 8-3-2020
To: "nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org" <nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org>

Dear Federation Family:

I wanted to share some truly great news. We are up to 121 cosponsors
on the Access Technology Affordability Act in the House and 24 in the
Senate. This would not be possible without your calls, emails, and
social media.

While we still need to build cosponsor support for the Access
Technology Affordability Act, there are two new issues which need our
immediate attention. Last week, on Wednesday, July 29, the House
passed Sami's Law (H.R. 4686) without objection. This legislation will
increase the safety of ridesharing apps and will ensure that these
safety measures are nonvisually accessible. The National Federation of
the Blind has worked closely with the sponsor of the bill,
Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey, to make sure that blind
rideshare users will not be excluded from the bill's additional safety
measures. The bill has now been transmitted to the Senate for
consideration, and we need to call or email every member of the Senate
and urge them to pass H.R. 4686, Sami's Law.

The second urgent matter is one of the newly proposed COVID-19 relief
bills in the Senate. The SAFE TO WORK Act, S. 4317 contains a section
that would eliminate critical protections established in Titles I and
III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Please contact
your senators and urge them to amend this harmful language out of S.
4317.

When you call or email your senators you might say something like:

"Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of [SENATOR
NAME]. I live in [CITY, STATE]. The House recently passed H.R. 4686,
Sami's Law. This bill will make it safer for all people, including
blind people, to use rideshare companies, and I urge you to vote in
favor of this legislation when it is considered in the Senate.
Additionally, I would strongly urge you to propose an amendment to
strike Section 181(a)(1)(G) and Section 181(b) from S. 4317, the SAFE
TO WORK Act. The language currently contained in Section 181
critically weakens the protections for disabled Americans set forth in
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Please ensure that the
protections of the ADA are maintained by amending this legislation.
Thank you."

It is critical that you contact your two senators on these two pieces
of legislation as soon as possible, as the Senate is scheduled to
enter its traditional August recess starting Friday, August 7. We
don't want to miss the opportunity to get meaningful legislation
passed and to prevent harmful legislation from becoming law.

You can contact your senators by calling the Capitol Switchboard and
asking for the office in question. The number is 202-224-3121. If you
email your senators, please copy Jeff Kaloc at
jkaloc at nfb.org<mailto:jkaloc at nfb.org>. Your calls and emails do make a
difference.

We recommend you call or email the legislative director in your
senator's office. If you need the name and email of the appropriate
staff person for any Senate or House office, please email Jesa Medders
at jmedders at nfb.org<mailto:jmedders at nfb.org>.

Thank you.

John G. Paré Jr.
Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy
National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
Telephone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2218
Cell phone: (410) 917-1965
Email: jpare at nfb.org

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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