<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">Good afternoon NFBI,<div>Here is an updated call to action with a request that we reach out to our members of Congress this week. I will resend the email addresses Emily compiled for us as well. Note that the Capitol switchboard number is in this email if you want to call.<div>Thanks,</div><div>Helen<br id="lineBreakAtBeginningOfMessage"><div>
<meta charset="UTF-8"><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div>Helen Mejia, President</div>National Federation of the Blind<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of Iowa<br>hmejia@nfbi.org<br>(570) 983-7867</div>
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<div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Pare, John via NFBNet-Members-List" <nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>[Nfbnet-members-list] Urgent Need to Contact Your Representative Regarding the Access Technology Affordability Act</b><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May 2, 2025 at 3:03:23\u202fPM CDT<br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>To: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org" <nfbnet-members-list@nfbnet.org><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Reply-To: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Pare, John" <JPare@nfb.org><br></span></div><br><div><meta charset="UTF-8"><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Dear Federation Family:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The House of Representatives is working on the tax package. They hope to have it completed in the next month or two. This is a golden opportunity to get the Access Technology Affordability Act enacted into law, but we need to move fast.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">As a quick reminder, the Access Technology Affordability Act would create a $2,000 refundable tax credit for use over a three-year period for the purchase of access technology. This credit would help put more access technology in the hands of blind people thereby helping us learn, work, and live the lives we want.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Mathematica, a well respected economic forecasting company, has evaluated the bill and estimate it will save the federal government $315 million over a five-year period. This cost savings is achieved by the increased number of blind people who will be working thereby lowering the number of people collecting benefits and increasing the number of people paying federal and FICA taxes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">This is a beneficial all around. We get more of the access technology we need, more blind people are able to transition to work, the federal government saves money, and we contribute to the growth of the American economy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Mike Kelly, the chair of the Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Tax, is the sponsor of our bill. Rep. Mike Thompson, who is the ranking member of the same subcommittee is the lead cosponsor. We currently have nineteen cosponsors including several members of the full Ways and Means committee.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">But, the competition to get into the tax package is fierce. We are not the only group that realizes what a great opportunity this is. One of the primary ways that bills will be evaluated for inclusion in the tax package is cosponsor support. That is where all of us come into play. If your Representative has not already cosponsored the Access Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 1529, (list of cosponsors is included below) then I urge you to email or call your Representative and urge them to cosponsor the bill. If you have already done this, but they have not yet cosponsored, then I urge you to contact them again. We need all hands on deck for this effort, so even if you\u2019ve never called your member of Congress before, this is the perfect time to make your first call or send your first email. Remember, the best advocacy is polite, persuasive, and persistent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">When you email or call your Representative, you might say something like:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">\u201cMy name is (your name) and I am a constituent of Representative (Representative\u2019s name).Please cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 1529. This bill would help put more access technology in the hands of blind Americans. It does this by creating a $2,000 refundable tax credit for blind people for the purchase of specialized access technology. As a blind person myself, I know how important access technology is. As just one example, it could enable a blind person to search for a job, apply for a job, and then keep that job. In fact, Mathematica, a well-respected economic firm, has estimated that the bill will help more blind Americans work thereby saving the federal government $315 million over a five-year period. This bill will help your constituents, help the federal government save money, and help the American economy. I would be extremely appreciative if you would consider cosponsoring this bill.\u201d<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Attached is a list of each legislative director for each Representative sorted by state. The list includes the legislative director\u2019s name and email address. I recommend you email that person, but you could also call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for the office in question.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">If you email, please copy Jesse Shirek at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="mailto:jshirek@nfb.org" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">jshirek@nfb.org</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt;">. If you have questions regarding the legislative point of contact, please email Lindsey Walsh at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="mailto:lwalsh@nfb.org" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">lwalsh@nfb.org</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">If at all possible, please send your email on or before Friday, May 9.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Working together we will be successful!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Warm regards,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">John<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21]<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1] <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1]<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">John Paré<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">410-659-9314, extension 2218 |<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><u><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(5, 99, 193);"><a href="mailto:kwalls@nfb.org" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">jpare@nfb.org</span></a></span></u><span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);"> </span><span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; background: white;"><span style=""><a href="https://nfb.org/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" width="210" height="75" id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/nfblogo.png" alt="National Federation of the Blind" style="width: 2.1875in; height: 0.7812in;"></span></a></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);"> </span><span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);"> </span><span style=""><a href="http://www.facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" width="24" height="24" id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/facebook.png" alt="Facebook" style="width: 0.25in; height: 0.25in;"></span></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style=""><a href="https://twitter.com/NFB_Voice" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" width="24" height="24" id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/twitter.png" alt="Twitter" style="width: 0.25in; height: 0.25in;"></span></a></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style=""><a href="https://www.youtube.com/NationsBlind" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" width="24" height="24" id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/email/2/youtube.png" alt="Youtube" style="width: 0.25in; height: 0.25in;"></span></a></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);"> </span><span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation\u2019s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>