[NFBF-L] fw: Important Update Regarding Automated Vehicles Amendment
Russell Davis
russell at radiorusty.com
Wed May 26 14:21:58 UTC 2021
Hi everyone,
I’m forwarding to you all an important email from the Director of our National Federation of the Blind Advocacy and Policy team.
Thanks so much for anything you can do to lend support to this effort.
Looking forward to seeing you all on our Legislation call tomorrow night at 8:00 PM.
Respectfully,
Russ Davis,
Legislative Director, NFB of Florida
Ph. 904-993-8433
Email: Russell at radiorusty.com
From: NFB-Legislative-Directors [mailto:nfb-legislative-directors-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Pare, John via NFB-Legislative-Directors
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2021 10:07 AM
To: NFB Legislative Directors List
Cc: Pare, John
Subject: [NFB-Legislative-Directors] Important Update Regarding Automated Vehicles Amendment
Dear Legislative Directors:
It is possible that Senator Thune will bring his amendment to the floor tomorrow, Thursday, May 27, so getting your emails or phone calls in today would be most helpful.
Note that the bill has been renamed the United Sates Innovation and Competition Act.
Yesterday, I urged everyone to contact Senators Schumer and Peters. That is still critical. If you have not had a chance to contact your own Senators, that would also be helpful.
The contact in Senator Schumer’s office is Meghan Taira, meghan_taira at schumer.senate.gov.
The contact in Senator Peters’s office is Catherine Barrett, catherine_barrett at peters.senate.gov.
I have included the legislative alert from last week below so you have everything in one place.
From: NFBNet-Members-List <nfbnet-members-list-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Pare, John via NFBNet-Members-List
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2021 3:25 PM
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert - May 17, 2021
Dear Federation Family:
The National Federation of the Blind has been working with Senator John Thune on an amendment to the United Sates Innovation and Competition Act. This amendment relates to fully automated vehicles and contains two provisions that would benefit blind people.
The first provision would create an exemption classification for manufacturers who “provide transportation access for individuals with disabilities (as defined in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102)), including non-visual access for individuals who are blind or visually impaired,” as long as the vehicle was equivalently safe to a non-exempt vehicle. The second would prohibit a state from issuing a “motor vehicle operator’s license for the operation or use of a highly automated vehicle in a manner that discriminates on the basis of disability.”
Despite support from both automobile manufacturers and disability advocates, Senator Thune reluctantly withdrew his amendment on May 12 due to a lack of support from other senators on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee over safety and liability concerns. President Riccobono wrote a letter to Chair Cantwell and Ranking Member Wicker <https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/letter-chair-cantwell-thune-amendment-endless-frontier-act> regarding this topic expressing our support and endorsement of the Thune amendment on May 11.
The United Sates Innovation and Competition Act has been moved to the Senate floor for debate this week and Senator Thune plans to bring his amendment forward for a full Senate vote.
Please contact your senators and ask them to support this important amendment. When you call or email your senators, you might say something like:
"Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of [SENATOR NAME]. I live in [CITY, STATE]. I would like to urge [SENATOR NAME] to support Senator Thune’s automated vehicles amendment to the United Sates Innovation and Competition Act. The amendment contains two provisions that would benefit blind people. The first would create an exemption classification for manufacturers who provide transportation access for individuals with disabilities as long as the vehicle was equivalently safe to a non-exempt vehicle. The second would prohibit a state from issuing an operator’s license for the use of a highly automated vehicle in a manner that discriminates on the basis of disability. Together, these two amendments will ensure that blind Americans are able to reap the rewards of highly automated vehicles.
Thanks."
You can contact your senators by calling the Capitol Switchboard and asking for the office in question. The number is 202-224-3121. If you email your senators, please copy Jeff Kaloc at jkaloc at nfb.org. Your calls and emails do make a difference.
Pasted below are the 87 Senate offices (listed alphabetically by state) that have a specific staff member dedicated to transportation. If your senator is not listed, please email Jesa Medders at jmedders at nfb.org and she will research another appropriate staff member to contact.
Scott Leathard Sen. Daniel Sullivan AK scott_leathard at sullivan.senate.gov
Anne McInerney Sen. Lisa Murkowski AK anne_mcinerney at murkowski.senate.gov
Mike Albares Sen. Thomas Hawley Tuberville AL michael_albares at tuberville.senate.gov
Brennan Johnson Sen. Richard Shelby AL brennan_johnson at shelby.senate.gov
Joe Brown Sen. John Boozman AR joe_brown at boozman.senate.gov
Vu Ritchie Sen. Thomas Cotton AR vu_ritchie at cotton.senate.gov
Joe Russell Sen. Mark Kelly AZ joe_russell at kelly.senate.gov
Daniel Winkler Sen. Kyrsten Sinema AZ daniel_winkler at sinema.senate.gov
Zac Commins Sen. Alejandro Padilla CA zac_commins at padilla.senate.gov
Rishi Sahgal Sen. Dianne Feinstein CA rishi_sahgal at feinstein.senate.gov
Grishma Pradhan Sen. Michael Bennet CO grishma_pradhan at bennet.senate.gov
Edgar Rivas Sen. John Hickenlooper CO edgar_rivas at hickenlooper.senate.gov
Emma Cimino Sen. Christopher Murphy CT emma_cimino at murphy.senate.gov
Thomas Story Sen. Richard Blumenthal CT thomas_story at blumenthal.senate.gov
David Brown Sen. Christopher Coons DE david_brown at coons.senate.gov
Collin Lomagistro Sen. Richard Scott FL collin_lomagistro at rickscott.senate.gov
Mara Stark-Alcala Sen. Raphael Warnock GA mara_stark at warnock.senate.gov
Jed D'Ercole Sen. Mazie Hirono HI jed_dercole at hirono.senate.gov
Trey Reffett Sen. Brian Schatz HI trey_reffett at schatz.senate.gov
Sherry Kuntz Sen. Chuck Grassley IA sherry_kuntz at grassley.senate.gov
Mary Kate Munro Sen. Joni Ernst IA marykate_munro at ernst.senate.gov
Charles Adams Sen. James Risch ID charles_adams at risch.senate.gov
Kristen Siegele Sen. Michael Crapo ID kristen_siegele at crapo.senate.gov
Mark Copeland Sen. Ladda Duckworth IL mark_copeland at duckworth.senate.gov
Kevin Lefeber Sen. Richard Durbin IL kevin_lefeber at durbin.senate.gov
Dan Cheever Sen. Todd Young IN dan_cheever at young.senate.gov
Payne Griffin Sen. Mike Braun IN payne_griffin at braun.senate.gov
Tom Bush Sen. Jerry Moran KS tom_bush at moran.senate.gov
Katie Moore Sen. Roger Marshall KS katie_moore at marshall.senate.gov
John Maniscalco Sen. Randal Paul KY john_maniscalco at paul.senate.gov
Amy Nabozny Sen. Addison McConnell KY amy_nabozny at mcconnell.senate.gov
Bubba Gesser Sen. John Kennedy LA herman_gesser at kennedy.senate.gov
Owen Morgan Sen. William Cassidy LA owen_morgan at cassidy.senate.gov
Bruno Freitas Sen. Elizabeth Warren MA bruno_freitas at warren.senate.gov
Eric Kashdan Sen. Edward Markey MA eric_kashdan at markey.senate.gov
Shannon Frede Sen. Benjamin Cardin MD shannon_frede at cardin.senate.gov
Deborah Haynie Sen. Christopher Van Hollen MD deborah_haynie at vanhollen.senate.gov
Cameron O'Brien Sen. Susan Collins ME cameron_o'brien at collins.senate.gov
Nathan Paxton Sen. Angus King ME nathan_paxton at king.senate.gov
Catherine Barrett Sen. Gary Peters MI catherine_barrett at peters.senate.gov
Lot Kwarteng Sen. Deborah Stabenow MI lot_kwarteng at stabenow.senate.gov
Caroline Hunsicker Sen. Tina Smith MN caroline_hunsicker at smith.senate.gov
April Jones Sen. Amy Klobuchar MN april_jones at klobuchar.senate.gov
Andy Lock Sen. Roy Blunt MO andrew_lock at blunt.senate.gov
Josh MacGregor Sen. Joshua Hawley MO joshua_macgregor at hawley.senate.gov
Chloe Cantor Sen. Roger Wicker MS chloe_cantor at wicker.senate.gov
Shane Waller Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith MS shane_waller at hydesmith.senate.gov
Corey Sellers Sen. Steven Daines MT corey_sellers at daines.senate.gov
Sam Lupas Sen. Thomas Tillis NC sam_lupas at tillis.senate.gov
John McDonald Sen. Richard Burr NC john_mcdonald at burr.senate.gov
Micah Chambers Sen. Kevin Cramer ND micah_chambers at cramer.senate.gov
Tyler Hardy Sen. John Hoeven ND tyler_hardy at hoeven.senate.gov
Katherine Duveneck Sen. Benjamin Sasse NE katherine_duveneck at sasse.senate.gov
Paul Wasik Sen. Debra Fischer NE paul_wasik at fischer.senate.gov
Nick Malatesta Sen. Margaret Hassan NH nicholas_malatesta at hassan.senate.gov
Josh Sanders Sen. Robert Menendez NJ josh_sanders at menendez.senate.gov
Matt Thomson Sen. Cory Booker NJ matt_thomson at booker.senate.gov
Jared Henderson Sen. Ben Ray Lujan NM jared_henderson at lujan.senate.gov
Dominic Saavedra Sen. Martin Heinrich NM dominic_saavedra at heinrich.senate.gov
Alex De Bianchi Sen. Jacky Rosen NV alexandrine_debianchi at rosen.senate.gov
Trevor Dean Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto NV trevor_dean at cortezmasto.senate.gov
Jessica Hernandez Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand NY jessica_hernandez at gillibrand.senate.gov
Leah Hill Sen. Sherrod Brown OH leah_hill at brown.senate.gov
Avery Pierson Sen. Robert Portman OH avery_pierson at portman.senate.gov
Victor Sarmiento Sen. James Inhofe OK victor_sarmiento at inhofe.senate.gov
Amy Vanderveer Sen. James Lankford OK amy_vanderveer at lankford.senate.gov
Richard Parker Sen. Jeffrey Merkley OR richard_parker at merkley.senate.gov
Sara-Paige Silvestro Sen. Robert Casey PA sara-paige_silvestro at casey.senate.gov
Steve Keenan Sen. John Reed RI steve_keenan at reed.senate.gov
Meghan Dorn Sen. Lindsey Graham SC meghan_dorn at lgraham.senate.gov
Chance Costello Sen. John Thune SD chance_costello at thune.senate.gov
Andrew Hogin Sen. William Hagerty TN andrew_hogin at hagerty.senate.gov
Jonathan Iwaskiw Sen. Rafael Cruz TX jonathan_iwaskiw at cruz.senate.gov
Jacob Smith Sen. John Cornyn TX jacob_smith at cornyn.senate.gov
Alex Vargo Sen. Willard Romney UT alex_vargo at romney.senate.gov
Joel Wellum Sen. Michael Lee UT joel_wellum at lee.senate.gov
Stephanie Doherty Sen. Mark Warner VA stephanie_doherty at warner.senate.gov
Evan McWalters Sen. Timothy Kaine VA evan_mcwalters at kaine.senate.gov
Jeff Van Oot Sen. Patrick Leahy VT jeff_van_oot at leahy.senate.gov
Zach Mallove Sen. Patricia Murray WA zach_mallove at murray.senate.gov
David Marten Sen. Maria Cantwell WA david_marten at cantwell.senate.gov
Annie Chestnut Sen. Ronald Johnson WI annie_chestnut at ronjohnson.senate.gov
Meghan Ladwig Sen. Tammy Baldwin WI meghan_ladwig at baldwin.senate.gov
Brendan Dailey Sen. Shelley Capito WV brendan_dailey at capito.senate.gov
Seth Gainer Sen. Joseph Manchin WV seth_gainer at manchin.senate.gov
Holt Edwards Sen. Cynthia Lummis WY holt_edwards at lummis.senate.gov
Charles Ziegler Sen. John Barrasso WY charles_ziegler at barrasso.senate.gov
Warm regards,
John
John G. Paré Jr.
Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy
National Federation of the Blind
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