[Vendorsmi] Fw: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: A message from Terry Smith re: HR 7

[Joe Sontag]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Larry Posont" <president.nfb.mi at gmail.com>
To: "nfbmi List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2012 14:39
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: A message from Terry Smith re: HR 7


>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: Freeh, Jessica
> To: Alpidio Rolon ; Amy Buresh ; Art Schreiber ; Beth Rival ; Bill Packee 
> ; Bob Kresmer ; Carl Jacobsen ; Cassandra McNabb ; Cathy Jackson ; 
> Charlene Smyth ; Christine G. Hall ; Dan Hicks ; Daniel Burke ; Donna Wood 
> ; Duane Iverson ; Elsie Dickerson ; Frank Lee ; Franklin Shiner ; Fred 
> Schroeder ; Garrick Scott ; Gary Ray ; Gary Wunder ; Grace Pires ; J.W. 
> Smith ; James Antonacci ; Jeannie Massay ; Jennifer Dunnam ; Joe Ruffalo ; 
> John Batron ; John Fritz ; Joy Harris ; Joyce Scanlan ; Ken Rollman ; Kim 
> Williams ; Kimberly Flores ; Larry Posont ; Lynn Majewski ; Mary Willows ; 
> Melissa Riccobono ; Michael Barber ; Michael Freeman ; Mika Pyyhkala ; 
> Nani Fife ; Pam Allen ; Parnell Diggs ; Patti Chang ; Patty Estes ; Rena 
> Smith ; Ron Brown ; Gardner, Ron ; Sam Gleese ; Scott LaBarre ; Shawn 
> Callaway ; Terry Sheeler
> Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2012 2:22 PM
> Subject: A message from Terry Smith re: HR 7
>
>
> UPDATE ON HR 7
>
>
> I wanted to follow up with everyone on the efforts to amend HR 7 to allow 
> commercialization of the interstate rest areas and to thank all of those 
> who responded so quickly to our call to action.  You were phenomenal. 
> Congressman LaTourette has definitely heard loud and clear that his 
> amendment would be devastating to blind entrepreneurs and that the 
> National Federation of the Blind and the National Association of Blind 
> Merchants intended on protecting those hard working blind individuals who 
> now earn their living with vending machines at the interstate rest areas.
>
>
> When we first heard of the amendment, the NFB issued a press release.  In 
> it, Dr. Marc Maurer called for the amendment to be withdrawn.  This press 
> release was sent to every member of Congress and some media outlets.  The 
> release resulted in many calls to our national office from Congressional 
> offices.  We sent out an alert to our many fine blind entrepreneurs and to 
> key state affiliates.  You came through with flying colors as literally 
> hundreds of calls were made to Congressional offices.  One co-sponsor 
> withdrew his support for the bill.  Other Congressional offices pledged 
> their support to oppose the amendment.
>
>
> As it currently stands, we are cautiously optimistic the amendment will 
> not pass as originally proposed.  Congressman LaTourette's  office is 
> still working to try to develop language to ensure that blind 
> entrepreneurs are not adversely affected.  We understand now that a vote 
> by the full House on HR 7 has been delayed and will now not go to the 
> floor for a vote before the week of February 27th.  This will allow them 
> time to reconsider the amendment and/or develop language that eases our 
> concerns.
>
>
> Thanks to all of you and the efforts of John Pare, Lauren McLarney, Chris 
> Danielsen, Nicky Gacos, Kevan Worley, and others at NFB's national office 
> including Dr. Maurer's personal involvement, we are optimistic that we can 
> defeat this amendment.  However, if it passes, it will go to conference 
> with the Senate which has already passed the bill without any 
> commercialization language.  The Senate has historically opposed 
> commercialization efforts so we will get another chance to defeat the 
> effort at that point.  We will need your efforts again if that occurs.
>
>
> One other point needs to be made.  As the process unfolded this week, 
> there was some talk about allowing commercialization but giving a priority 
> to blind entrepreneurs.  On the surface, that is tempting but everything 
> that glitters isn't always gold.  If commercialization passed with a 
> priority for the blind, many state licensing agencies would not be in 
> position to develop the type of partnership arrangements that would be 
> required.  No state has the resources to build a multimillion dollar 
> travel center that provides a wide range of services to the traveling 
> public including food, gas, etc.  It would require the states to team with 
> a private entity who could put forth the capital outlay.  If the SLA 
> passed on the opportunity, as I'm sure many would, the state departments 
> of transportation would then be free to invite other third parties into 
> the rest areas thus making the vending opportunities currently enjoyed by 
> blind entrepreneurs virtually meaningless.  Although the NFB and  NABM are 
> willing to look at a thoroughly thought out plan that would create 
> opportunities for blind entrepreneurs, we are not willing to rush into 
> agreeing to language in an amendment that could have severe consequences. 
> We are more than willing to sit down with proponents of commercialization 
> during the coming year to consider options.  But for now, we say "No" to 
> commercialization.
>
>
> Let me say that I am proud of all of you who sprang into action.  NABM and 
> the NFB have once again demonstrated that when we mobilize NFB members and 
> blind vendors across the country, the voice of the blind will be heard. 
> Thanks to all of you.
>
>
> Terry C. Smith
> Business Opportunity Specialist
>
>
>
>
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