[Iabs-talk] Urgent Action Needed

[AZNOR99 at aol.com]

Please find a message from Jessy Hardle below.  This is urgent and  needs 
action today.
 
Illinois has three Representatives on the Committee; they are Phil Hare,  
Danny Davis, and Judy Biggart.  Please call them at their Washington  Offices, as 
the vote is 9 AM Eastern tomorrow morning.  The Switchboard's  phone number 
is 202-225-3121.  Also, please call the Committee Chair,  George Miller at the 
202-225-2095.
 
 
Urgent-Action Needed by 6 PM Today Regarding Accessible Textbooks
Fellow  Federationists:
We have an urgent need to defeat language proposed for a bill  that goes to 
mark up
Wednesday, November 14, 2007.
The language is Section  766A in H.R. 4137.
On Monday, November 5, 2007, we received proposed bill  language for a 
Commission
designed to study issues concerning the  accessibility of textbooks in higher 
education,
and also charged with  developing a model project that would be designed to 
support
systems that  were currently in place.
We expressed concerns relating to the composition of  the Commission.
First problem:
The membership as described by the  legislation involved minimal input from 
consumers,
while being more favorable  to the publishing community.
Second problem:
The pilot program is  scheduled to last a minimum of one year longer than the 
Commission,
and,  worse yet, could extend longer than one year if the Secretary of 
Education  chooses
to extend the pilot program.
This language, if included in the  bill, would continue to delay access to 
information
for blind students in  institutions of Higher Education, possibly for years 
to come.
We submitted  revised language to the Committee asking that a majority of the 
Commission
be  composed of individuals with print disabilities.
We told them that if the  Commission was not consumer-driven, then little 
significance
would come from  this legislation.
We also urged the Committee to strengthen the purpose of  the Commission, 
from merely
studying the problem, to developing legislation  to be enacted by Congress.
When bill H.R. 4137 was introduced, however, we  learned that none of our 
suggested
changes to improve this legislation for  blind people were included.
This bill is scheduled to be marked up tomorrow,  Wednesday, November 14, 
2007 so
you need to call immediately.
We need you  to make two calls:
1. Call Chairman George Miller’s office at (
202)  225-2095.
He is the Chairman of the
House Committee on Education and  Labor.
Tell him that section 766A will not help blind college students  and urge him 
to have
it removed.
2. If your Representative is on the below  list of Education and Labor 
Committee members,
you need to call him or her.  Tell your representative that section 766A will 
not help blind college students  and urge him or her to vote to have it 
removed.
I have included a list of the  members of the House Education and Labor 
Committee
below with their phone  numbers.
You can also be connected with Congressional offices by calling the  Capitol 
switchboard
at (202) 225-3121.
Please find your state in the lists  below and call now, then get your 
neighbors to
call.
Ask relatives and  friends who live in other states to make these calls as 
well.
Thank you all  very much for your help on this urgent matter.
If you have any questions,  please call me at (410) 659-9314, extension 2233, 
or e-mail
me  at
jhartle at nfb.org
.
House Committee on Education and Labor
Full  Committee
11/13/07
Rep. George Miller (D CA–7), Chair
Majority (27  D):
Rep. George Miller (D CA–7) 202-225-2095
Rep. Dale E. Kildee (D MI–5)  202-225-3611
Rep. Donald M. Payne (D NJ–10) 202-225-3436
Rep. Robert E.  Andrews (D NJ–1) 202-225-6501
Rep. Robert C. Scott (D VA–3)  202-225-8351
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D CA–6) 202-225-5161
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa  (D TX–15) 202-225-2531
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D NY–4) 202-225-5516
Rep.  John F. Tierney (D MA–6) 202-225-8020
Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D OH–10)  202-225-5871
Rep. David Wu (D OR–1) 202-225-0855
Rep. Rush Holt (D NJ–12)  202-225-5801
Rep. Susan Davis (D CA–53) 202-225-2040
Rep. Danny K. Davis  (D IL–7) 202-225-5006
Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D AZ–7) 202-225-2435
Rep.  Timothy H. Bishop (D NY–1) 202-225-3826
Rep. Linda Sánchez (D CA–39)  202-225-6676
Rep. John P. Sarbanes (D MD–3) 202-225-4016
Rep. Joe Sestak  (D PA–7) 202-225-2011
Rep. Dave Loebsack (D IA–2) 202-225-6576
Rep. Mazie  K. Hirono (D HI–2) 202-225-4906
Rep. Jason Altmire (D PA–4)  202-225-2565
Rep. John Yarmuth (D KY–3) 202-225-5401
Rep. Phil Hare (D  IL–17) 202-225-5905
Rep. Yvette Clarke (D NY–11) 202-225-6231
Rep. Joe  Courtney (D CT–2) 202-225-2076
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D NH–1)  202-225-5456
Minority (22 R):
Rep. Howard P. Buck McKeon (R CA–25)  202-225-1956
Rep. Thomas E. Petri (R WI–6) 202-225-2476
Rep. Pete Hoekstra  (R MI–2) 202-225-4401
Rep. Michael N. Castle (R DE–At Large)  202-225-4165
Rep. Mark Souder (R IN–3) 202-225-4436
Rep. Vernon J. Ehlers  (R MI–3) 202-225-3831
Rep. Judy Biggert (R IL–13) 202-225-3515
Rep. Todd  Russell Platts (R PA–19) 202-225-5836
Rep. Ric Keller (R FL–8)  202-225-2176
Rep. Joe Wilson (R SC–2) 202-225-2452
Rep. John Kline (R  MN–2) 202-225-2271
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R WA–5) 202-225-2006
Rep.  Kenny Marchant (R TX–24) 202-225-6605
Rep. Tom Price (R GA–6)  202-225-4501
Res. Comm. Luis G. Fortuño (R ) 202-225-2615
Rep. Charles  Boustany Jr. (R LA–7) 202-225-2031
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R NC–5)  202-225-2071
Rep. Randy Kuhl (R NY–29) 202-225-3161
Rep. Rob Bishop (R  UT–1) 202-225-0453
Rep. David Davis (R TN–1) 202-225-6356
Rep. Tim Walberg  (R MI–7) 202-225-6276
Rep. Dean Heller (R NV–2)  202-225-6155





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-------------- next part --------------
Please find a message from Jessy Hardle below.  This is urgent and needs action today.
 
Illinois has three Representatives on the Committee; they are Phil Hare, Danny Davis, and Judy Biggart.  Please call them at their Washington Offices, as the vote is 9 AM Eastern tomorrow morning.  The Switchboard's phone number is 202-225-3121.  Also, please call the Committee Chair, George Miller at the 202-225-2095.
 
 
Urgent-Action Needed by 6 PM Today Regarding Accessible Textbooks
Fellow Federationists:
We have an urgent need to defeat language proposed for a bill that goes to mark up
Wednesday, November 14, 2007.
The language is Section 766A in H.R. 4137.
On Monday, November 5, 2007, we received proposed bill language for a Commission
designed to study issues concerning the accessibility of textbooks in higher education,
and also charged with developing a model project that would be designed to support
systems that were currently in place.
We expressed concerns relating to the composition of the Commission.
  First problem:
The membership as described by the legislation involved minimal input from consumers,
while being more favorable to the publishing community.
Second problem:
The pilot program is scheduled to last a minimum of one year longer than the Commission,
and, worse yet, could extend longer than one year if the Secretary of Education chooses
to extend the pilot program.
This language, if included in the bill, would continue to delay access to information
for blind students in institutions of Higher Education, possibly for years to come.
We submitted revised language to the Committee asking that a majority of the Commission
be composed of individuals with print disabilities.
We told them that if the Commission was not consumer-driven, then little significance
would come from this legislation.
We also urged the Committee to strengthen the purpose of the Commission, from merely
studying the problem, to developing legislation to be enacted by Congress.
When bill H.R. 4137 was introduced, however, we learned that none of our suggested
changes to improve this legislation for blind people were included.
This bill is scheduled to be marked up tomorrow, Wednesday, November 14, 2007 so
you need to call immediately.
We need you to make two calls:
1. Call Chairman George Miller’s office at (
202) 225-2095.
He is the Chairman of the
House Committee on Education and Labor.
  Tell him that section 766A will not help blind college students and urge him to have
it removed.
2. If your Representative is on the below list of Education and Labor Committee members,
you need to call him or her. Tell your representative that section 766A will not help blind college students and urge him or her to vote to have it removed.
I have included a list of the members of the House Education and Labor Committee
below with their phone numbers.
You can also be connected with Congressional offices by calling the Capitol switchboard
at (202) 225-3121.
Please find your state in the lists below and call now, then get your neighbors to
call.
Ask relatives and friends who live in other states to make these calls as well.
Thank you all very much for your help on this urgent matter.
If you have any questions, please call me at (410) 659-9314, extension 2233, or e-mail
me at
jhartle at nfb.org
.
House Committee on Education and Labor
Full Committee
11/13/07
Rep. George Miller (D CA–7), Chair
Majority (27 D):
Rep. George Miller (D CA–7) 202-225-2095
Rep. Dale E. Kildee (D MI–5) 202-225-3611
Rep. Donald M. Payne (D NJ–10) 202-225-3436
Rep. Robert E. Andrews (D NJ–1) 202-225-6501
Rep. Robert C. Scott (D VA–3) 202-225-8351
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D CA–6) 202-225-5161
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D TX–15) 202-225-2531
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D NY–4) 202-225-5516
Rep. John F. Tierney (D MA–6) 202-225-8020
Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D OH–10) 202-225-5871
Rep. David Wu (D OR–1) 202-225-0855
Rep. Rush Holt (D NJ–12) 202-225-5801
Rep. Susan Davis (D CA–53) 202-225-2040
Rep. Danny K. Davis (D IL–7) 202-225-5006
Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D AZ–7) 202-225-2435
Rep. Timothy H. Bishop (D NY–1) 202-225-3826
Rep. Linda Sánchez (D CA–39) 202-225-6676
Rep. John P. Sarbanes (D MD–3) 202-225-4016
Rep. Joe Sestak (D PA–7) 202-225-2011
Rep. Dave Loebsack (D IA–2) 202-225-6576
Rep. Mazie K. Hirono (D HI–2) 202-225-4906
Rep. Jason Altmire (D PA–4) 202-225-2565
Rep. John Yarmuth (D KY–3) 202-225-5401
Rep. Phil Hare (D IL–17) 202-225-5905
Rep. Yvette Clarke (D NY–11) 202-225-6231
Rep. Joe Courtney (D CT–2) 202-225-2076
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D NH–1) 202-225-5456
Minority (22 R):
Rep. Howard P. Buck McKeon (R CA–25) 202-225-1956
Rep. Thomas E. Petri (R WI–6) 202-225-2476
Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R MI–2) 202-225-4401
Rep. Michael N. Castle (R DE–At Large) 202-225-4165
Rep. Mark Souder (R IN–3) 202-225-4436
Rep. Vernon J. Ehlers (R MI–3) 202-225-3831
Rep. Judy Biggert (R IL–13) 202-225-3515
Rep. Todd Russell Platts (R PA–19) 202-225-5836
Rep. Ric Keller (R FL–8) 202-225-2176
Rep. Joe Wilson (R SC–2) 202-225-2452
Rep. John Kline (R MN–2) 202-225-2271
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R WA–5) 202-225-2006
Rep. Kenny Marchant (R TX–24) 202-225-6605
Rep. Tom Price (R GA–6) 202-225-4501
Res. Comm. Luis G. Fortuño (R ) 202-225-2615
Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (R LA–7) 202-225-2031
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R NC–5) 202-225-2071
Rep. Randy Kuhl (R NY–29) 202-225-3161
Rep. Rob Bishop (R UT–1) 202-225-0453
Rep. David Davis (R TN–1) 202-225-6356
Rep. Tim Walberg (R MI–7) 202-225-6276
Rep. Dean Heller (R NV–2) 202-225-6155
 
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