[Vendorsmi] Fw: A Message from our NABM President- RE: HR 7

[Joe Sontag]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Kevan Worley 
To: 'Al Falligan' ; 'Art Stevenson' ; 'Charles and Betty Allen' ; 'Jim Farley' ; 'John Fritz' ; 'Lynn Reynolds' ; 'Scott Young' ; 'Virgil Stinnett' ; 'Dave Merritt' ; 'David Phillips' ; 'Don Hudson' ; 'Gene Fleeman' ; HackneyCharles at aol.com ; 'Jeremiah Wells' ; 'Joe Shaw' ; 'John Gerber' ; 'john Jones' ; 'Lorraine Magnessun' ; 'Manny Sifuentes' ; 'Mary Hayes' ; 'Pamela' ; 'Ray Marshall' ; suncat0 at gmail.com ; terrysmith at epbfi.com ; 'Willie Black' 
Cc: Harold Wilson ; Kim Williams ; nickycolorado at netscape.net ; sharonparis at comcast.net 
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 12:49
Subject: A Message from our NABM President- RE: HR 7


Greetings,

 

I wanted to follow up with everyone on the efforts to amend HR 7 to allow commercialization of the interstate rest areas.  Congressman LaTourette has definitely heard loud and clear that his amendment would be devastating to blind entrepreneurs and the amendment has little chance to pass as originally proposed.  His office is still working on language to ensure that blind vendors are not adversely affected.  The bill 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, Terry Smith, Chris Danielsen, and others at NFB's national office, 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.  

 

There has been some talk about allowing commercialization but giving a priority to blind entrepreneurs.  Although that is tempting, many state licensing agencies are not in position to develop the type of partnership arrangements that would be required.  If the SLA passed on the opportunity, as I'm sure many would, the states could invite other third parties into the rest areas thus making the vending opportunities currently enjoyed by blind entrepreneurs virtually meaningless.  Although NABM is 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.  

 

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. I'd like to also personally thank our NABM board and leadership group, especially Kevan Worley of Colorado, John Gordon of Illinois, Tom Spilliotis of Florida and Pam Schnurr of Indiana.  Thanks to all of you.  

 

Nicky Gacos

 



 

Kevan Worley

Executive Director

National Association of Blind Merchants

 
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