[Travelandtourism] NY State Congressman Charles Rangel Co-Sponsors HR 164

[cheryl echevarria]

This announcement came to me from NFB of NY President Carl Jacobsen.
 I wanted to let you know that Congressman Rangel was added as a cosponsor of HR 164 yesterday afternoon.  Please share this good news with our New York affiliate.  Thank you very much for your work on this issue.  Jesse  Jesse HartleNational Federation of the BlindGovernment Programs SpecialistPhone: 410-659-9314, Ext. 2233Email: jhartle at nfb.org

HR 164 if you do not know is 
Equal Access to Air Travel for Service-Disabled Veterans (HR 164)
The Space Available Program denies 100 percent ofService-Disabled Veterans the opportunity to participate.
Discharged service-disabled veterans are not entitled to air travel privileges to which other members of the military have access. The Space Available Program allows members of the active military, some family members, Red Cross employees, and retired members of the armed services to travel on military aircraft if space is available. However, members of the military who are 100 percent service disabled do not qualify for this program because they do not fall into one of those categories.
This unintentional exclusion denies discharged service-disabled veterans a privilege to which they would be entitled had they not been disabled during service. Those service members who are disabled during active duty and are medically discharged do not have the chance to stay on active duty or fulfill the twenty years requirement to become qualified for this program. Had they not been medically discharged, 100 percent service-disabled veterans are likely to have served until retirement. These men and women have earned the right to space-available travel just as others have because they have defended our country.
Equal Access to Air Travel for Service-Disabled Veterans would:
Provide travel privileges to totally disabled veterans. This bill amends Title X of the U.S. Code, to permit veterans who have a service-connected, permanent disability rated as total to travel on military aircraft in the same manner and to the same extent as retired members of the Armed Forces entitled to such travel.
HONOR OUR SERVICE-DISABLED VETERANS WITHPRIVILEGES THEY ARE ENTITLED TO.
Cosponsor HR 164.
To cosponsor the bill, contact:
Mirium Keim, Legislative AssistantOffice of Congressman Bilirakis (R-FL)Phone: (202) 225-5755 email: mirium.keim at mail.house.gov
For more information contact:Jesse Hartle, Government Affairs SpecialistNational Federation of the BlindPhone: (410) 659-9314, Extension 2233 email: <jhartle at nfb.org>
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