[Nfbf-l] Legislative Alert

[Jeanette]

Dear Fellow Florida Federationists,
 
               On Wednesday, June 21, Merry Schoch, Marion Gwizdala, and I
met with Senator Bill Nelson’s Regional Director for Hillsborough County,
Digna Alvarez, and a senate intern at Senator Nelson’s Tampa office. 
Because Senator Bill Nelson is Senior member of the Committee on Finance We
first educated her on the Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017, S.
732 and its house version H. 1734 . She looked at the bill and saw it had
bipartisan support. We asked that Senator Nelson sign on as a co-sponsor of
the bill.
 
We then shared information about the Transitioning to Integrated Meaningful
Employment (TIME) Act ((H.R. 1377), including a bit of its history, how it
affects employees with disabilities, and the many disability groups that
support it. We advised her there was not yet a senate version of the house
bill and asked that Senator Nelson consider sponsoring such a bill. 
 
We also discussed the Accessible Instructional Material in Higher Education
Act AIM HIGH - H.R. 1772 ), asking he consider sponsoring this measure, as
well. We also asked that he support ratification of The Marrakesh Treaty to
Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually
Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled. 
 
Then told her about our opposition to the ADA Education and Reform Act (H.R.
620), asking the senator to oppose this bill should it come to the senate.
We gave her current, real-life examples of how this bill would dramatically
weaken our civil rights and she seemed to agree it was problematic. 
 
We need for all of you to follow-up with Senator Nelson’s office to let him
know we are unified on these issues and demonstrate the strength of the NFB
of Florida. Below is more information from our national office about these
measures. Please contact Senator Nelson’s office this week to voice your
support of our Initiatives. You can reach Senator Nelson at the following
telephone numbers and email addresses:
 
Senator Bill Nelson 
United States Senator
Florida
Taleen Mekhdjavakian
Legislative Correspondent
716 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C., 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5274
http://billnelson.senate.gov
taleen_mekhdjavakian at billnelson.senate.gov
<mailto:taleen_mekhdjavakian at billnelson.senate.gov> 
 
Senator Bill Nelson 
United States Senate
Digna C. Alvarez, 
Regional Director for Hillsborough County, 
Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse
801 North Florida Avenue, 
Tampa, Florida 33602
Telephone: (813) 225-7040
Fax: (813) 225-7050
https://www.billnelson.senate.gov 
Digna_ Alvarez at billnilson.senate.gov <mailto:Alvarez at billnilson.senate.gov> 
 
 
 
We must follow up with our legislators through calls and emails, making sure
that we have not been forgotten. We must meet our members of Congress
wherever and whenever they appear. We must continue to demand our civil
rights, the right to access information, the right to pursue our educational
goals without inaccessible technology holding us back, the right to literacy
through Braille, and the right to a fair and equal wage. I intend to keep up
the pressure and I hope you will join me in that effort. 
Please urge the Senator to oppose H.R. 620, the ADA Education, and Reform
Act of 2017. H.R. 620, the ADA Education, and Reform Act will be voted on in
committee (referred to as markup) over the next week or two. If passed, this
legislation will dramatically weaken the ADA, hindering education,
employment, and community participation for all people with disabilities.
The bill prevents people with disabilities from filing a lawsuit regarding
an ADA violation until the person first notifies the violator. The violator
then has 60 days to respond and then has another 120 days to remedy the
problem, for a total delay of 180 days.
               Does it make sense to wait 180 days for accessible
instructional material? By then, the class will be over. How about waiting
180 days for an accessible job application? By then the job will be filled.
How about waiting 180 days at the doctor’s office for an accessible check in
kiosk? Furthermore, this legislation will do nothing to stop so called
frivolous lawsuits, which will still be valid under state law. Businesses do
not need more time to comply with the ADA¬they have had twenty-seven years
already. Here are some brief points: (1) the ADA was enacted in 1990, so
covered entities have had ample time to learn about and comply with the law;
(2) the ADA already contains an “undue burden” provision to protect covered
entities when the costs of making facilities accessible are too high; and
(3) Title III of the ADA (which applies to public accommodations) does not
allow monetary damages for noncompliance.
The National Federation of the Blind has joined with 216 other allied civil
rights organizations in opposing this bill. You can read our joint letter
athttps://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/pdf/sign-on-letters/comments_on_hr620
_03162017.pdf. If you want to know how this bill would affect us, consider
internet access guaranteed under the ADA and our as just one example.
Please ask your Representatives to cosponsor H.R. 1772, H.R. 1734, and H.R.
1377. call your two senators to get them to cosponsor our Senate bill, S.
732. The Capitol Switchboard Number is (202) 224-3121 where you can ask for
the office in question. A short summary of each bill is included below. I
have also included a list of all the current cosponsors. 
 
Bill Summaries
 
Accessible Instructional Material in Higher Education Act, H.R. 1772 (AIM
HIGH)
This bill will promote instructional technology and content that are
accessible to the blind and other students with print disabilities. Read the
AIM HIGH fact sheet to learn more.
https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet
 
 
 
Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017, H.R. 1734 and S. 732 (ATAA)
These bills will facilitate the purchase of access technology for blind
people by creating a refundable, per person tax credit. Read the Access
Technology Affordability Act of 2017 fact sheet to learn more.
https://nfb.org/access-technology-affordability-act
 
 
 
Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act of 2017, H.R. 1377
(TIME)
This bill will increase employment opportunities by removing stigmas and low
expectations propagated by section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Note that the bill now phases out subminimum wages over a six-year period
corresponding to the recommendation of the National Council on Disability.
Read the TIME Act fact sheet to learn more.
https://nfb.org/fair-wages
 
 
Current Cosponsors Listed Alphabetically By State
 
 
 
Accessible Instructional Material in Higher Education Act, H.R. 1772 (AIM
HIGH) 
 
Rep. Roe, David P. [R-TN-1] - Sponsor
 
Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
 
Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-3]
 
Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]
 
Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. [D-FL-7]
 
Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]
 
Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]
 
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
 
Rep. Brooks, Susan W. [R-IN-5]
 
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]
 
Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-5]
 
Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3]
 
Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]
 
Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]
 
Rep. Price, David E. [D-NC-4]
 
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-5]
 
Rep. Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]
 
Rep. Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [R-WI-5]
 
 
 
Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017, H.R. 1734 and S. 732 (ATAA) 
 
Rep. Young, David [R-IA-3] - Sponsor
 
Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40]
 
Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]
 
Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]
 
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
 
Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-16]
 
 
 
Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act of 2017, H.R. 1377
(TIME) 
 
Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3] – Sponsor
 
Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-42]
 
Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-15]
 
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
 
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
 
Rep. Lujan Grisham, Michelle [D-NM-1]
 
Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9]
Rep. Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]
 
Jeanette Torres