[Colorado-talk] Fw: House Subcommittee Vote Could End Books for theBlind

Fri Jun 8 18:32:15 CDT 2007

Scott et al,
What can we do to bring this threat to an end and tell this house committee that we can not and will not allow funding to be cut to this great program.
Monika
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Scott C. LaBarre 
  To: NFB of Colorado Discussion List 
  Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 10:57
  Subject: [Colorado-talk] Fw: House Subcommittee Vote Could End Books for theBlind

  The below is of paramount importance.  We have a real threat on our hands.
  Scott C. LaBarre, Esq.

  LaBarre Law Offices P.C.
  1660 South Albion Street, Ste. 918
  Denver, Colorado 80222
  303 504-5979 (voice)
  303 757-3640 (fax)
  slabarre at labarrelaw.com (e-mail)
  www.labarrelaw.com (website)

  CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message may contain confidential and privileged information. If you are not the designated recipient, you may not read, copy, distribute or retain this message. If you received this message
  in error, please notify the sender at 303) 504-5979 or slabarre at labarrelaw.com, and destroy and delete it from your system. This message and any attachments are covered by the Electronic
  Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Wilson, Joanne 
  To: Alfonse DeLucia - Connecticut ; Alice Herbert (per J. Michael Jones request) ; Alpidio Rolon - Puerto Rico ; Amy Buresh - Nebraska ; Anil Lewis - Georgia ; Arthur Schreiber - New Mexico ; Barbara Pierce - Ohio ; Bob Brown - South Dakota ; Bob Kresmer - Arizona ; Carl Jacobsen - New York ; Cathy Jackson - Kentucky ; Charlene Smyth - West Virginia ; Charlene Smyth 2 - West Virgina ; Charlene Smyth 3 - West Virginia ; Chris McKenzie - Arkansas ; Dan Burke - Montana ; Dan Burke 2 - Montana ; David Ticchi - Massachusetts ; David Ticchi 2 - Massachusetts ; Debbie Briddell - Delaware ; Debbie Briddell 2 - Delaware ; Donald Galloway - District of Columbia ; Donna Wood - Kansas ; Elizabeth Rousseau-Rooney - Oregon ; Elsie Lamp - Idaho ; Eric Duffy ; Franklin Shiner - Vermont ; Fred Wurtzel - Michigan ; Fredric K. Schroeder ; Fredric K. Schroeder - Virginia ; Gary Wunder - Missouri ; J. Michael Jones - Alabama ; James Antonacci - Pennsylvania ; Jennelle Bichler - North Dakota ; Jerry Moreno ; Joe Ruffalo - New Jersey ; John Fritz - Wisconsin ; Joie Stuart ; Joyce Scanlan - Minnesota ; Kathy Davis - Florida ; Kevan Worley ; Lisa Bonderson ; Marie Johnson - New Hampshire ; Matt Lyles (per Chris McKenzie's request) ; Melissa Williamson (per J. Michael Jones) ; Michael Barber - Iowa ; Michael Freeman - Washington ; Michael Gosse - Maryland ; Michael Huckaby ; Michael Seay- Tennessee ; Mike Klimisch ; Nani Fife - Hawaii ; Pam Dubel Allen - Louisiana ; Parnell Diggs - South Carolina ; Patti Gregory-Chang - Illinois ; Paula Achter ; Ramona Walhof (Idaho) ; Richard A Gaffney - Rhode Island ; Richard Gaffney - Rhode Island ; Robert Stigile - Californnia ; Ron Brown - Indiana ; Ron Gardner - Utah ; Sam Gleese - Mississippi ; Scott LaBarre - Colorado ; Selena Sundling-Crawford - Oklahoma ; Sharon Maneki ; Sharon Newton ; Sheila Wright ; Steven Priddle - Alaska ; Tim Jones - North Carolina ; Tom Page (per Suzie Stanzel's request) ; Tommy Craig - Texas 
  Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2007 3:12 PM
  Subject: House Subcommittee Vote Could End Books for the Blind

  House Subcommittee Vote Could End Books for the Blind
  Blind Americans Urge Congress to Restore Funds

  Baltimore, Maryland (June 7, 2007): On Wednesday, June 6, the House of Representatives Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee voted to substantially underfund the Books for the Blind program of the Library of Congress. 

  Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "Since 1931, Congress has consistently supported on a bipartisan basis a national program of audio and Braille books for the blind, operated by the Library of Congress.  The blind of America are shocked and disappointed that a House subcommittee has callously disregarded our literacy needs since literacy leads to independence.  By appropriating only $7.5 million of the $19.1 million needed for transition from antiquated analog cassette tape technology to digital technology, the subcommittee has effectively voted to shut down the only public library available to blind Americans.  The audio books produced by the Library of Congress will be useless unless the digital playback technology is provided for readers.  The Talking Book program is at a crossroads because the analog tape used for the past thirty-six years has become obsolete and must be replaced for the program to continue.  Virtually, all government programs, except Books for the Blind, have converted to state-of-the-art digital communication technology at a cost of billions of dollars to the taxpayers.  Leaving the Books for the Blind program behind is unconscionable.  Since it is early in the appropriations process, however, Congress still has time to correct this grievous error.  We therefore urgently appeal to the full House Appropriations Committee, the members of the House of Representatives, and the United States Senate to provide the full $19.1 million requested by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress to begin production of digital talking books and players."

  The Talking Book program serves over 750,000 blind Americans, including blind children and an ever-increasing number of older Americans who are losing vision.  The incidence of blindness is expected to increase as the baby boom generation reaches retirement age.  Therefore, the need for this essential program will only increase.

  John G. Paré Jr. 
  Director of Public Relations 
  NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND 
  1800 Johnson Street 
  Baltimore, Maryland  21230 
  Telephone:  (410) 659-9314, ext. 2371 
  Cell phone:  (410) 913-3912 
  Fax:  (410) 685-5653 
  Email:  jpare at nfb.org 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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-------------- next part --------------
Scott et al,
What can we do to bring this threat to an end and tell this house committee that we can not and will not allow funding to be cut to this great program.
Monika
----- Original Message -----
From:
mailto:slabarre at labarrelaw.com Scott C. LaBarre
To:
mailto:colorado-talk at nfbnet.org NFB of Colorado Discussion List
Sent:
Friday, June 08, 2007 10:57
Subject:
[Colorado-talk] Fw: House Subcommittee Vote Could End Books for theBlind
The below is of paramount importance.  We have a real threat on our hands.
Scott C. LaBarre, Esq.
LaBarre Law Offices P.C.
1660 South Albion Street, Ste. 918
Denver, Colorado 80222
303 504-5979 (voice)
303 757-3640 (fax)
mailto:slabarre at labarrelaw.com slabarre at labarrelaw.com
(e-mail)
http://www.labarrelaw.com www.labarrelaw.com
(website)
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message may contain confidential and privileged information. If you are not the designated recipient, you may not read, copy, distribute or retain this message. If you received this message
in error, please notify the sender at 303) 504-5979 or mailto:slabarre at labarrelaw.com slabarre at labarrelaw.com
, and destroy and delete it from your system. This message and any attachments are covered by the Electronic
Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521.
----- Original Message -----
From: Wilson, Joanne
To: Alfonse DeLucia - Connecticut ; Alice Herbert (per J. Michael Jones request) ; Alpidio Rolon - Puerto Rico ; Amy Buresh - Nebraska ; Anil Lewis - Georgia ; Arthur Schreiber - New Mexico ; Barbara Pierce - Ohio ; Bob Brown - South Dakota ; Bob Kresmer - Arizona ; Carl Jacobsen - New York ; Cathy Jackson - Kentucky ; Charlene Smyth - West Virginia ; Charlene Smyth 2 - West Virgina ; Charlene Smyth 3 - West Virginia ; Chris McKenzie - Arkansas ; Dan Burke - Montana ; Dan Burke 2 - Montana ; David Ticchi - Massachusetts ; David Ticchi 2 - Massachusetts ; Debbie Briddell - Delaware ; Debbie Briddell 2 - Delaware ; Donald Galloway - District of Columbia ; Donna Wood - Kansas ; Elizabeth Rousseau-Rooney - Oregon ; Elsie Lamp - Idaho ; Eric Duffy ; Franklin Shiner - Vermont ; Fred Wurtzel - Michigan ; Fredric K. Schroeder ; Fredric K. Schroeder - Virginia ; Gary Wunder - Missouri ; J. Michael Jones - Alabama ; James Antonacci - Pennsylvania ; Jennelle Bichler - North Dakota ; Jerry Moreno ; Joe Ruffalo - New Jersey ; John Fritz - Wisconsin ; Joie Stuart ; Joyce Scanlan - Minnesota ; Kathy Davis - Florida ; Kevan Worley ; Lisa Bonderson ; Marie Johnson - New Hampshire ; Matt Lyles (per Chris McKenzie's request) ; Melissa Williamson (per J. Michael Jones) ; Michael Barber - Iowa ; Michael Freeman - Washington ; Michael Gosse - Maryland ; Michael Huckaby ; Michael Seay- Tennessee ; Mike Klimisch ; Nani Fife - Hawaii ; Pam Dubel Allen - Louisiana ; Parnell Diggs - South Carolina ; Patti Gregory-Chang - Illinois ; Paula Achter ; Ramona Walhof (Idaho) ; Richard A Gaffney - Rhode Island ; Richard Gaffney - Rhode Island ; Robert Stigile - Californnia ; Ron Brown - Indiana ; Ron Gardner - Utah ; Sam Gleese - Mississippi ; Scott LaBarre - Colorado ; Selena Sundling-Crawford - Oklahoma ; Sharon Maneki ; Sharon Newton ; Sheila Wright ; Steven Priddle - Alaska ; Tim Jones - North Carolina ; Tom Page (per Suzie Stanzel's request) ; Tommy Craig - Texas
Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2007 3:12 PM
Subject: House Subcommittee Vote Could End Books for the Blind
House Subcommittee Vote Could End Books for the Blind
Blind Americans Urge Congress to Restore Funds

Baltimore, Maryland (June 7, 2007): On Wednesday, June 6, the House of Representatives Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee voted to substantially underfund the Books for the Blind program of the Library of Congress.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "Since 1931, Congress has consistently supported on a bipartisan basis a national program of audio and Braille books for the blind, operated by the Library of Congress.  The blind of America are shocked and disappointed that a House subcommittee has callously disregarded our literacy needs since literacy leads to independence.  By appropriating only $7.5 million of the $19.1 million needed for transition from antiquated analog cassette tape technology to digital technology, the subcommittee has effectively voted to shut down the only public library available to blind Americans.  The audio books produced by the Library of Congress will be useless unless the digital playback technology is provided for readers.  The Talking Book program is at a crossroads because the analog tape used for the past thirty-six years has become obsolete and must be replaced for the program to continue.  Virtually, all government programs, except Books for the Blind, have converted to state-of-the-art digital communication technology at a cost of billions of dollars to the taxpayers.  Leaving the Books for the Blind program behind is unconscionable.  Since it is early in the appropriations process, however, Congress still has time to correct this grievous error.  We therefore urgently appeal to the full House Appropriations Committee, the members of the House of Representatives, and the United States Senate to provide the full $19.1 million requested by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress to begin production of digital talking books and players."

The Talking Book program serves over 750,000 blind Americans, including blind children and an ever-increasing number of older Americans who are losing vision.  The incidence of blindness is expected to increase as the baby boom generation reaches retirement age.  Therefore, the need for this essential program will only increase.
John G. Paré Jr.
Director of Public Relations
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland  21230
Telephone:  (410) 659-9314, ext. 2371
Cell phone:  (410) 913-3912
Fax:  (410) 685-5653
Email:  mailto:jpare at nfb.org jpare at nfb.org
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