[Ohio-Talk] From The President's Desk

Sat Apr 19 09:58:13 UTC 2025

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio (NFBO)

>From The President's Desk

April 18, 2025

Richard Payne, Ohio Affiliate President
(937) 829-3368
Rchpay7 at gmail.com <mailto:Rchpay7 at gmail.com> 

Please read the important topics below!
1: 2025 Ohio Columbus Seminar
2: Disability Advocates Sue to Stop Unlawful Cuts to Social Security
3: the NFB Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy is
back   this summer
4: National Convention
5: Access Technology Affordability Act
6: Jesse Shirek Testimony to the House Appropriations Committee,   
7: And More!

I have attended almost every National convention since I joined the National
Federation of the Blind. I have traveled to many states, like Louisiana,
Illinois and across to Michigan and then to Florida, each was empowering and
thrilling to say the least. As I look back on all the occurrences, what
sticks with me are the laws that were enacted because of the work of the
National Federation of the Blind. I can still remember the gavel dropping
and how loud the crowd was and the over-whelming excitement that filled the
room from the conventioneers. Moreover, both the Ohio State and National
Convention hotels will test your skills, and yet strengthen them as well,
but it is the members and fellowship that has a long-lasting impact.

Like the National and State conventions, this week several of our members
attended Ohio's 2025 Columbus Seminar, which  all nine Chapters were
represented. It was a positive experience, and we are hopeful that all three
of our legislative issues will receive momentum in the House and Senate.
There are still a few meetings that Ohio has scheduled on zoom. Just
Yesterday I joined a zoom meeting with Wilbert  Turner and Representative,
Mark Johnson, District 92, who was incredibly open and honest. it was quite
encouraging  to have his commitment to the "blind people's movement."

Moreover, over the next few weeks, you will be asked to assist with
follow-up emails and to prepare testimonies by email and in-Person, so
please keep a watch out for that information.

After a one-year hiatus the NFB Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning
(BELL) Academy is back   this summer. BELLS will be ringing in Columbus
again. Ohio's one-week residential program begins on Sunday, July 21,  and
ends on Friday,  July 26. If you would like to volunteer, contact Eric Duffy
at peduffy63 at gmail.com and CC President Payne.

An announcement from, Jesse Shirek, Governmental Affairs Specialist
 Last week, the United States House of Representatives passed the FY25
Concurrent Budget Resolution. Now that both chambers of Congress have passed
this resolution, the work begins on the comprehensive tax bill, part of the
reconciliation process that is frequently mentioned in the news. This
comprehensive tax bill is the perfect vehicle to include our tax bill, the
Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA). In order to get the Access
Technology Affordability Act, bill number H.R. 1529, included in the overall
tax bill, we need substantial bipartisan cosponsor support. We are well on
our way to that goal. Currently we have eighteen cosponsors. Of those, eight
are Republican and ten are Democratic. Therefore, we need to make a
substantial and intensive effort to get a lot more cosponsors, especially
Republican cosponsors since the Republicans hold the majority in both the
House and Senate. We are currently in a fantastic position to get the Access
Technology Affordability Act enacted into law. One recent development in our
favor is the dynamic score done by Mathematica. This score estimates that
the ATAA would save the Federal government $315 million over a five-year
period.

This is the ideal opportunity that members of the National Federation of the
Blind have been waiting for. We have a tax vehicle, we have a solid estimate
that the bill will save the Federal government $315 million, and we have a
bill sponsor who is dedicated to the bill, but we do not have a lot of time.
Congress will pass the comprehensive tax bill as soon as they come to an
agreement. If we are going to get the ATAA included, we need to demonstrate
overwhelming support in the next few weeks. It is vitally important that we
reach out to every member of Congress, if they have not already cosponsored
ATAA. We need your help in this endeavor. 
 When you call or email, you might say the following:
"Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of [REPRESENTATIVE
NAME]. I live in [CITY, STATE]. I would like to urge [REPRESENTATIVE NAME]
to cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 1529. This bill
will create a refundable tax credit for the purchase of qualified access
technology for the blind. In addition, a recent report created by
Mathematica estimates that the passage of the Access Technology
Affordability Act will actually save the government money, approximately
$315 million over five years, by increasing employment for blind Americans,
thereby decreasing the need for us to receive government benefits while
contributing more in taxes.

Critical Actions:
Mark Your Calendar: Presidential Release Live on May 15:
The next Presidential Release Live will be Thursday, May 15, at 8:00 p.m.,
Eastern, in honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day. Zoom details are
below. Attend to get the latest updates on the movement, ask questions, and
hear important perspectives on the organized blind movement. Submit
questions or suggestions to communications at nfb.org
<mailto:communications at nfb.org> .

Presidential Release Live Zoom: https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/96380567586
One Tap Mobile: +13017158592,,96380567586# US
Zoom ID: 96380567586

Note: The Presidential Release chapter recordings
<https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/presidential-releases>
are available by the first Friday of each month. Please share the chapter
recording as part of your chapter meeting agenda and discuss among members. 

National Convention:
Reminder: Register and Book Hotel for National Convention:
Promote registration for the 2025 National Federation of the Blind National
Convention <https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention> , July 8-13,
in New Orleans. Let members know to register early because prices go up if
you register on site in New Orleans. Registration includes the biggest event
of the year, access to the event app, and communications on the latest news
and events. Reserve your room by calling 888-236-2427 for the Marriott or
855-516-1090 for the Sheraton New Orleans. Ask for the "National Federation
of the Blind 2025 Convention" block. 

Honor Roll Call:
Convention time is here, which means it's Honor Roll Call time of year! The
Honor Roll Call is when affiliates and national divisions support our
sustaining funds: Kenneth Jernigan Fund, SUN shares, White Cane Fund, and
Jacobus tenBroek Memorial Fund. To make your 2025 contributions, write a
check payable to National Federation of the Blind and mail it to 200 East
Wells Street; Baltimore, Maryland, 21230, Attention: Fiscal Services - Roll
Call and write "Roll Call" in the check memo. Please send an email to
rollcall at nfb.org <mailto:rollcall at nfb.org>  detailing the amount to go to
each fund and the name of the organization, so we record the contributions
correctly. All pre-convention contributions will be acknowledged on our
website. If your organization is making a pledge to be paid later this year,
please send an email to rollcall at nfb.org <mailto:rollcall at nfb.org>  telling
us how much is being pledged for each fund and when to expect the check. All
pledges should be fulfilled by August 31, 2025.

NFB Camp:
NFB Camp will again be part of the convention. We ask affiliates and
divisions to consider helping with this expense. We provide this service to
families for a nominal fee; therefore, your help is greatly appreciated.
Please make all contributions for NFB Camp payable to National Federation of
the Blind and mail it to 200 East Wells Street; Baltimore, Maryland, 21230,
Attention: Fiscal Services - NFB Camp and write "NFB Camp" in the check
memo. Please send an email to fiscalservices at nfb.org
<mailto:fiscalservices at nfb.org>  to let us know the name of the organization
or division and the amount of the contribution. You are welcome to combine
your Honor Roll Call and NFB Camp contributions on the same check; be sure
to clearly list this in your email. You are also welcome to send a check for
Honor Roll Call and one for NFB Camp in the same envelope. We appreciate
your support of NFB families attending the convention.

News:
Letter to the Social Security Administration:
On March 26 we sent a letter to the Acting Commissioner of the Social
Security Administration
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/letter-social-
security-administration-regarding-recent>  (SSA), Leland Dudek, in response
to several proposed policy changes that had recently been announced by the
SSA. Most notably, this letter was in response to announced planned
reductions in the number of employees who work for SSA, and the closing of
dozens of Social Security field offices across the country. This letter can
be read in full on the Policy Statements page
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements>  of our
website. After we sent our letter, there were further developments to this
situation. See the next item for details. 

Legal News: Disability Advocates Sue to Stop Unlawful Cuts to Social
Security Services:
We filed a federal lawsuit on April 2, 2025, with several disability
advocacy organizations and individual plaintiffs. As shared in the press
release, "Many blind Americans rely on Social Security benefits for their
survival and for the support of their families...In the most severe cases,
these cuts could endanger people's very lives. The National Federation of
the Blind supports greater government efficiency and recognizes that much
can be done to improve the SSA, but careful planning and collaboration with
blind Americans and other disability advocates are the right ways to handle
reform." Read and share the full press release
<https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/disability-advocates-sue-social-securit
y-administration-and-doge-stop-unlawful?fbclid=IwY2xjawJqpNdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAA
BHosh9nhSbHJoKZv9v45x_e8tapICdaQ5cZy3IWHIN1ALUFxQGrLF0guWKQF1_aem_VaqOVDHjJN
8BrkC0nndy2Q> . 

Federal Workers Impacted by Recent Layoffs:
We know that federal employees with disabilities have been disproportionally
affected by recent reductions in the federal employment workforce, and we
are doing all we can to help our blind colleagues. If you are a federal
worker impacted by the government layoffs and are interested in information
on career opportunities through the National Federation of the Blind
Employment Initiatives, please submit the Employment Interest Form
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/employment/general-interest-form>  to
receive announcements about career opportunities and to receive notices
about potential financial support to attend the NFB National Convention to
explore additional employment opportunities. 

Chapter Presidents Listserv Clean Up:
Affiliate presidents have recently been asked to confirm/update chapter
presidents and their email addresses so we can clean up the chapter
president listserv distribution. Current chapter presidents who are not yet
subscribed will be added in the near future, and those who are not chapter
presidents any longer will be removed. If you have not yet sent your
affiliate's list of current chapter presidents and their email addresses,
the deadline is April 18. Going forward, when a new chapter president is
elected (or otherwise put into that position), please send an email to Beth
Braun <mailto:bbraun at nfb.org>  so that modifications can be made to the
listserv, the database, and access to the NFB Portal and the Membership
Management module.

Jesse Shirek Testimony to the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee
on the Legislative Branch:
On April 9, Jesse Shirek, one of our government affairs specialists,
testified in front of the Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch regarding
the importance of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print
Disabled (NLS). Jesse emphasized how critical it was that the subcommittee
maintain at least the current level of funding for the NLS. The testimony
can be found in full, beginning at 14:10, on the House Appropriations
Committee YouTube channel <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxf9vGtDAOU> .
You can also read and share the full written and verbal testimony from the
hearing
<https://appropriations.house.gov/schedule/hearings/legislative-branch-publi
c-witness-day?fbclid=IwY2xjawJqpgdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHh8n73G_ZktPBfzHdkkcx94R6
LDzkeZWdJAqDHD8BJlmVCLshrgOw9pjN5Yp_aem_-j4eXu3V6b0EZtwRSqXbMA> .

Letter to the Secretary of Education Regarding the Executive Order to Close
the Department of Education:
On March 20, 2025, the White House issued an executive order to close the
United States Department of Education. Just a few days later, on March 25,
we sent a letter to the Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/letter-secreta
ry-education-regarding-executive-order> , reminding her of the importance of
many programs for blind and disabled Americans that are currently
administered by the Department of Education, and urging her to maintain
those programs. Our letter can be read in full on the Policy Statements page
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements>  of our
website. On April 11, we received a response from Diana Diaz, the Acting
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which
states in part, "No employees in the Office of Special Education Programs or
the Rehabilitation Services Administration were part of the reduction in
force. The Department is committed to ensuring uninterrupted services to
meet the needs and develop the potential of children and youth with
disabilities, while also supporting states and other agencies in providing
vocational rehabilitation and other services."

Access Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 1529):
Last week, the United States House of Representatives passed the FY25
Concurrent Budget Resolution. Now that both chambers of Congress have passed
this resolution, the work begins on the comprehensive tax bill, part of the
reconciliation process that is frequently mentioned in the news. This is the
ideal opportunity that members of the National Federation of the Blind have
been waiting for to get the Access Technology Affordability Act included as
part of the larger tax legislation. A legislative alert was sent out by
Jesse Shirekon Monday, April 14, on this very topic, so please check your
inboxes and review it carefully to understand the next steps that we need to
take in order to get the Access Technology Affordability Act passed into
law!

New State Legislation Harmful to Blind Merchants:
The respective state legislatures in North Dakota and Tennessee are
considering statutory changes that would dramatically restrict or eliminate
opportunities for blind merchants to continue to operate vending facilities
in these states. We are coordinating with affiliates and the National
Association of Blind Merchants to defeat this harmful legislation. If you
learn of similar legislation in your state, please reach out immediately to
Jesse Shirek, government affairs specialist, by emailing jshirek at nfb.org
<mailto:jshirek at nfb.org>  or calling 410-659-9314, extension 2348.

A Breakfast Response to Low Expectations:
Every day, the National Federation of the Blind raises the expectations of
blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people
and our dreams. An example of low expectations was displayed in a segment of
The Breakfast Club radio show regarding a news story of a blind man named
Terry Sutherland, from Indiana, who acquired a gun license but felt that he
shouldn't have been because he is blind. The Breakfast Club agreed with him
and began to perpetuate misconceptions about blind people. We address those
misconceptions in a video featuring national board members, Jim Marks and
Shawn Callaway, and Federationists, Danielle McCann and Anil Lewis. Watch
and share the video, "Serving Up the Truth: A Breakfast Response on What It
Really Means to Be Blind <https://youtu.be/V8HwahweBJI?si=FFWzzB_oBtomMNqZ>
."

Catch up on Content and Share on Social Media:
Highlights, news, and stories are available in our most recent publications.
Access and share articles and episodes with Federationists on affiliate and
division social media to create discussions on various topics. 
*	April Braille Monitor
<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm25/bm2504/bm2504tc.htm> 
*	Access On podcast
<https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/access-on-podcast>
episodes with transcripts available
*	Nation's Blind Podcast
<https://nfb.org/resources/publications-and-media/nations-blind-podcast>
episodes with transcripts available

 Dates to Keep in Mind:
(all times eastern)
*	May 1: Deadline for applications for the Blind Educator of the Year
Award
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/blind-educator-ye
ar-award> . 
*	May 1: Deadline for applications for the Distinguished Educator of
Blind Students Award
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/distinguished-edu
cator-blind-students-award> . 
*	May 16-17: Diabetes Action Network; Baltimore, Maryland;
registration coming soon.
*	July 8-13: National Convention; New Orleans, Louisiana

 Introduction to the Organized Blind Movement
*	Wednesday, May 7
*	Wednesday, August 6
*	Wednesday, November 5

Chapter Presidents Calls
*	Thursday, June 12 and Sunday, June 15
*	Thursday, September 11 and Sunday, September 14
*	Thursday, December 11 and Sunday, December 14

 The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of its members and
all blind people in the United States. We know 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. Our collective power, determination,
and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.

Richard Payne, President National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

937/829/3368
Rchpay7 at gmail.com <mailto:Rchpay7 at gmail.com> 

www.nfbohio.org <http://www.nfbohio.org> 

The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of its members and
all blind people in the United States. We know 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. Our collective power, determination,
and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.

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