[Ohio-talk] More Tax News Affecting the ATAA

[mzavoli at roadrunner.com]

Greetings Friends,

I just received another legislative alert regarding recent actions on the Hill for the Accessible Technology and Affordability Act.

"Dear Fellow Federationists:
 
Thank you for all of your calls and emails from the previous legislative alert. Your work is definitely making a difference.
There is still a possibility that the Access Technology Affordability Act could be merged into the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. A version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has passed in both the House and the Senate and is currently in conference
 committee. We need more cosponsors. Currently, the Access Technology Affordability Act has 16 cosponsors in the House (H.R. 1734) and 4 cosponsors in the Senate (S. 732).

Therefore, please call or email your representative and ask him or her to cosponsor H.R. 1734 and call or email your two senators and ask them to cosponsor S. 732.

When you call or email, you might say something like the following:
Hello, my name is [your name] and I am a constituent of [your senator/representative]. I live in [city, state]. I am calling to urge [your senator/representative] to cosponsor [S. 732 for Senate calls/H.R. 1734 for House calls], the Access
 Technology Affordability Act. This bill would increase the availability of Access Technology thereby increasing educational and employment opportunities for all blind Americans. The bill does this by creating a tax credit for the purchase of access technology.
 The National Federation of the Blind has analyzed the cost impact and the bill is either cost neutral or will save the government money. I urge [your senator/representative] to cosponsor the bill. 
Thanks.

 Also, please check the list at the end of this email for the current list of Senate and House cosponsors. You do not need to call anyone on this list, unless you would like to call them and thank them for their cosponsorship.

If you are in a meeting, you will want to go into more detail but general calls and emails do not have to be very long. The key points to mention: the bill number, that you are a constituent, and that you urge the member of Congress to
 cosponsor the legislation.
 You can contact your member of Congress by calling the Capitol Switchboard and asking for the office  in question. The number is (202) 224-3121. If you email your representative or senators, please copy me at
<a href="mailto:JPare at nfb.org">JPare at nfb.org
It is critical that we move on this quickly, so please strive to make your calls and send your e-mails as soon as possible.

Warm regards,

John Pare

(410) 659-9314 x 2218
National Federation of the Blind

Senate ATAA Cosponsor List:
Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]               
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]           
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]   

House ATAA Cosponsor List:
Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]  
Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]
Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
Rep. Demings, Val Butler [D-FL-10]
Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]               
Rep. Kihuen, Ruben J. [D-NV-4]
Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5]
Rep. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM-3]
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
Rep. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV-3]
Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40]
Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-16]  
Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]              
       

Milena Zavoli