[Ohio-talk] FW: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] Catastrophic Impact on Vocational Rehabilitation

[barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com]

I have just written both senators. I am dropping in my message in case it helps someone with sending one to the email addresses that Sheri gave in her message. Please try to be in touch with the senators.

Barbara
 

Dear Sherrod:

 

I am a blind Ohioan. I urge you to protect blind Americans’ rights that are at risk in the current tax bill.

 

According to projections by the Congressional Budget Office, the losses in tax revenue under the TCJA will be so high, at least initially, that they will trigger the “pay-as-you-go” rules of the Office of Management and Budget. This will eliminate funding for vital programs and services for the blind, such as Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funding. These vital services link blind people to educational and employment opportunities by providing the training and resources that they need. The 2015 American Community Survey, the most recent data available, reported that, for working age adults reporting significant vision loss, only 42% were employed. The detrimental impact the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will have on blind Americans cannot be denied. This bill slams the door on education and vocational rehabilitation, and ultimately on employment, for some seven million blind Americans. I urge you and the entire United States Senate either to protect these critical programs and services or to vote no on the bill.

 


Barbara Pierce 
President Emerita
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
Barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com
440-774-8077
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.

> On Nov 29, 2017, at 1:04 PM, Sheri Albers via Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Please read the following message from John Paré. Our Ohio Senators’ contact information is as follows:
> 
> Sherrod Brown
> 
> (202) 224-2315
> 
> Email Contact: www.brown.senate.gov/contact/
> 
> 
> 
> Rob Portman
> 
> (202) 224-3353
> 
> Email Contact: www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact?p=contact...
> 
> 
> 
> Colleagues: 
> 
> 
> 
> The following blog was just posted to nfb.org: 
> 
> 
> 
> Much attention has been given to Congress’s planned tax reform efforts and the varied effects those changes will have on Americans. However, one aspect of the Senate Tax Cuts and Jobs Act <https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1>  that no one seems to be talking about is the drastic effect it will have on people with disabilities.
> 
> 
> 
> Though not explicitly mentioned in the legislation, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act may inadvertently eliminate federal funding for public vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs. As this letter from the National Council on State Agencies for the Blind <https://nfb.org/images/nfb/ltr_impact_tax_cuts.pdf>  explains, VR programs provide critical training for people with disabilities to secure and maintain employment. Defunding of this program will not only curtail gainful employment opportunities for people with disabilities, but also negatively impact other programs such as the Social Security trust fund and Medicare.
> 
> 
> 
> We must strive to maintain our financial freedom and independence. Please call your two senators and urge them to guarantee that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act does not trigger mandatory spending cuts that will eliminate or reduce vocational rehabilitation funding. You can reach your senators by calling (202) 224-3121 and asking for the appropriate office.
> 
> 
> 
> https://nfb.org/blog/article/3408 
> 
> 
> 
> John Paré
> 
> (410) 659-9314 x 2218
> 
> National Federation of the Blind
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Ohio-Talk mailing list
> Ohio-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Ohio-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org/barbara.pierce9366%40gmail.com