[Ohio-talk] Fw: Legislative Alert-Cosponsors Needed for H.R. 734 and H.R. 886

Wed Apr 8 23:40:19 UTC 2009

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Ok guys, let's get busy here especially with 886 so read on.

JW

Dr. J. Webster Smith
President National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
P.O.BOX 458 Athens, Ohio, 45701-0458
Phone Number - 740-592-6326 
"Changing What it Means to be Blind"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: McCarthy, Jim 
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 6:22 PM
Subject: Legislative Alert-Cosponsors Needed for H.R. 734 and H.R. 886

Fellow Federationists:

            Our activities at the 2009 Washington Seminar kicked off our legislative efforts.  Aggressive follow-up with the staff that we met, and with representatives at home, strengthens our opportunities for success.  

            Congress has begun its spring district work period which lasts two weeks.  Members left Washington at the end of last week and they will not return for legislative business until Monday, April 20.  This offers us an opportunity to meet senators and representatives in their districts over these two weeks.  Therefore, I encourage you to learn their schedules and attend any town hall or other public meetings that you can.

            As you know, there are two bills we advocated for at the 2009 Washington Seminar that are presently introduced in the House of Representatives.  These two bills are H.R. 734, the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, and H.R. 886, the Blind Persons Return to Work Act of 2009.

            At Washington Seminar, attendees reported on representatives who were rated as likely cosponsors of H.R. 886.  Representatives were rated as 4 or 5 on our scale, with 5 being the most likely to cosponsor.  

            At the present time H.R. 886 has five cosponsors that include the lead sponsor, John Lewis, which means that H.R. 886 is not advancing right now as quickly as is necessary, so we must increase our efforts to move this legislation.  Key points are:

-- This bill would establish a benefit reduction instead of totally ending the benefit for blind people who earn more than the allowable earnings amount, which would be a yearly rather than monthly amount, as is now the case.

-- This amount would continue to be indexed as it is under present law.

-- Earnings over the annual amount would result in a one dollar loss of Social Security benefits for each three dollars of excess earnings.

-- There would be an Impairment Related Work Expense deduction for anyone with excess earnings.

-- The amount of this deduction would be 16.3% of excess earnings, or the amount determined by the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, whichever amount is greater.

            I know that you will, as you always do, work hard over the upcoming two-week spring district period to increase commitments from your representatives on this important legislation.

            Presently, we have 105 cosponsors on H.R. 734, the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act.  This is outstanding, but we need more.  A legislative alert was sent last week identifying the cosponsors.  Over the spring district work period, you should reach out to those representatives who have not yet cosponsored this legislation.  Attending question and answer sessions for representatives that are already cosponsors and publicly thanking them for their support of H.R. 734, will allow you to focus the attention on the silent car issue in your local communities.  

            This attention should help us achieve our goal of getting this legislation enacted as soon as possible, so that we can continue to travel with confidence and have the information we need to make appropriate travel judgments.

            Let us build support for H.R. 886 and continue the march toward passage of H.R. 734.

            Below you will find the list of the cosponsors of H.R. 886 and a list of those who were rated 4 or 5 who should be cosponsors of H.R. 886.  

            Thank you for your continuing efforts on behalf of our National Federation of the Blind.

Most cordially,

James D. McCarthy

Government Programs Specialist

National Federation of the Blind

Telephone:  (410) 659-9314, extension 2240

E-mail:  jmccarthy at nfb.org

Jesse Hartle

Government Programs Specialist

National Federation of the Blind

Telephone:  (410) 659-9314, extension 2233

E-mail:  jhartle at nfb.org

Cosponsors of H.R. 886

John Lewis, GA - Sponsor

James Oberstar MN

Pedro Pierluisi, PR

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, FL

Tim Ryan, OH

Representatives Rated Five

Rep. Abercrombie, Neil (D-HI) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Davis, Danny (D-IL) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Driehaus, Steve (D-OH)

Rep. Lance, Leonard (R-NJ)

Rep. Langevin, James (D-RI)

Representatives Rated Four

Rep. Ackerman, Gary (D-NY)

Rep. Bachus, Spencer (R-AL)

Rep. Berkley, Shelley (D-NV) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Berry, Marion (D-AR)

Rep. Biggert, Judy (R-IL)

Rep. Bilbray, Brian (R-CA)

Rep. Blumenauer, Earl (D-OR) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Braley, Bruce (D-IA) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Castor, Kathy (D-FL)

Rep. Clarke, Yvette (D-NY)

Rep. Clyburn, James (D-SC)

Rep. Crenshaw, Ander (R-FL)

Rep. DeGette, Diana (D-CO)

Rep. Delahunt, Bill (D-MA)

Rep. DeLauro, Rosa (D-CT)

Rep. Doyle, Mike (D-PA)

Rep. Ellison, Keith (D-MN) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Etheridge, Bob (D-NC

Rep. Frank, Barney (D-MA)

Rep. Garrett, Scott (R-NJ)

Rep. Green, Al (D-TX)

Rep. Hall, Ralph (R-TX)

Rep. Hare, Phil (D-IL) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Heinrich, Martin (D-NM)

Rep. Heller, Dean (R-NV)

Rep. Himes, Jim (D-CT)

Rep. Hodes, Paul (D-NH)

Rep. Hunter, Duncan (R-CA)

Rep. Jackson-Lee, Sheila (D-TX)

Rep. Johnson, Hank (D-GA)

Rep. Johnson, Sam (R-TX)

Rep. Kennedy, Patrick (D-RI)

Rep. King, Peter (R-NY)

Rep. Latta, Bob (R-OH)

Rep. Lee, Barbara (D-CA)

Rep. Lungren, Dan (R-CA)

Rep. Maffei, Dan (D-NY)

Rep. Markey, Ed (D-MA)

Rep. Matheson, Jim (D-UT)

Rep. McDermott, Jim (D-WA) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. McGovern, Jim (D-MA)

Rep. McIntyre, Mike (D-NC)

Rep. Meek, Kendrick (D-FL)

Rep. Meeks, Gregory (D-NY)

Rep. Mollohan, Alan (D-WV)

Rep. Moran, Jim (D-VA)

Rep. Nadler, Jerrold (D-NY)

Rep. Norton, Eleanor (D-DC)

Rep. Oberstar, James (D-MN) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Ortiz, Solomon (D-TX)

Rep. Paul, Ron (R-TX) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Peterson, Collin (D-MN) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Petri, Tom (R-WI)

Rep. Platts, Todd (R-PA) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Polis, Jared (D-CO)

Rep. Rothman, Steven (D-NJ) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Rush, Bobby (D-IL) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Sanchez, Linda (D-CA) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Schiff, Adam (D-CA)

Rep. Sessions, Pete (R-TX)

Rep. Stark, Pete (D-CA) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Sutton, Betty (D-OH) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Terry, Lee (R-NE)

Rep. Thompson, Glenn (R-PA)

Rep. Tiberi, Patrick (R-OH)

Rep. Towns, Edolphus (D-NY) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Visclosky, Peter (D-IN) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Watson, Diane (D-CA)

Rep. Wolf, Frank (R-VA) - Cosponsored in 110th

Rep. Woolsey, Lynn (D-CA)

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