[New-hampshire-students] Legislative Alert-Urgently Needed Cosponsors for H.R. 3834

Fri Nov 16 16:35:44 CST 2007

----- Original Message ----- 
From: McCarthy, Jim 
To: undisclosed-recipients: 
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2007 4:52 PM

Fellow Federationists:

            Congress is about to begin a two-week Thanksgiving recess with Friday, November 16th, probably their last day in Washington.  Therefore, it is critical that we reach out to members of the House of Representatives urging them to sign on to H.R. 3834, the Blind Persons Earnings Fairness Act of 2007.  I must regretfully inform you that so far we are not doing well getting sponsors for this vital legislation.  However, I have absolute faith that we can grow the snowball of sponsors that we so crucially need to pass this legislation to empower blind Social Security beneficiaries.  To do this will take all of our combined commitment.

            Time is running out on the First Session of Congress, but we still have the Second Session to succeed in passing this bill.  I challenge us to get 60 cosponsors on this bill before the First Session ends, with at least 20 coming from the House Ways and Means Committee, which is the committee that considers this bill.  To meet this challenge we have much work ahead, but I know that members of the National Federation of the Blind do not avoid hard work!

            Passage of the Blind Persons Earnings Fairness Act will insure that work is a profitable endeavor for blind men and women.  Once the terms of the bill are fully realized five years after passage, a blind person will be able to earn approximately $40,000 before losing Social Security Disability benefits.  With earnings greater than $40,000, it becomes much more possible to meet family expenses without financial support from Social Security benefits.

            The reasons that the unemployment rates are so high for blind people are numerous and complex, but perhaps the most important reason is that for too many blind people work does not pay.  The result is that far too many blind people are trapped by poverty and are denied the many social benefits that work would provide.  To achieve the equality Federationists know is our right, blind people need to go to work and the barriers erected by this system must be torn down.  Passage of this legislation would be a major step toward those objectives so we must dedicate ourselves to making it happen!

            Below, you will first see the list of all representatives on the House Ways and Means Committee.  The next list is the subcommittee on Social Security of the Ways and Means Committee.  Therefore, those on the Social Security Subcommittee will be listed twice.

            Make an extra effort for anyone on these lists, but do not forget our congressional friends either.  We need to begin the snowball rolling like we did for the coin.  Everyone loves a winner and if you all meet my challenge, they will begin to see that we have one.

            I realize that recently we have kept you busy with the higher education issue and your work on that was certainly pride-worthy.  No one believes, though, that there is anything wrong with a little activity.  Let us once again prove to all that we are the organization that gets things done.  After all, no one does that better than we do.  Please give the commitment that I have come to expect from you and together we will succeed once again.

James McCarthy

Government Programs Specialist

national federation of the blind

Committee on Ways and Means:

Majority Democrats

Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D NY-15), Chair

Rep. Pete Stark (D CA-13)

Rep. Sander M. Levin (D MI-12)

Rep. Jim McDermott (D WA-7)

Rep. John Lewis (D GA-5)

Rep. Richard E. Neal (D MA-2)

Rep. Michael R. McNulty (D NY-21)

Rep. John S. Tanner (D TN-8)

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D CA-31)

Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D TX-25)

Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D ND-At Large)

Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D OH-11)

Rep. Mike Thompson (D CA-1)

Rep. John B. Larson (D CT-1)

Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D IL-5)

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D OR-3)

Rep. Ron Kind (D WI-3)

Rep. William J. Pascrell Jr. (D NJ-8)

Rep. Shelley Berkley (D NV-1)

Rep. Joseph Crowley (D NY-7)

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D MD-8)

Rep. Kendrick B. Meek (D FL-17)

Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz (D PA-13)

Rep. Artur Davis (D AL-7)

Minority Republicans 

Rep. Jim McCrery (R LA-4)

Rep. Wally Herger (R CA-2)

Rep. Dave Camp (R MI-4)

Rep. Jim Ramstad (R MN-3)

Rep. Sam Johnson (R TX-3)

Rep. Phil English (R PA-3)

Rep. Jerry Weller (R IL-11)

Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R MO-9)

Rep. Ron Lewis (R KY-2)

Rep. Kevin Brady (R TX-8)

Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (R NY-26)

Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R WI-1)

Rep. Eric Cantor (R VA-7)

Rep. John Linder (R GA-7)

Rep. Devin Nunes (R CA-21)

Rep. Patrick J. Tiberi (R OH-12)

Rep. Jon Porter (R NV-3)

Social Security Subcommittee:

Majority Democrats

Rep. Michael R. McNulty (D NY-21), Chair

Rep. Sander M. Levin (D MI-12)

Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D ND-At Large)

Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz (D PA-13)

Rep. Artur Davis (D AL-7)

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D CA-31)

Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D TX-25)

Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D OH-11)

Minority Republicans

Rep. Sam Johnson (R TX-3)

Rep. Ron Lewis (R KY-2)

Rep. Kevin Brady (R TX-8)

Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R WI-1)

Rep. Devin Nunes (R CA-21)

-------------- next part --------------

----- Original Message -----
From:
mailto:JMcCarthy at NFB.ORG McCarthy, Jim
To:
mailto:undisclosed-recipients: undisclosed-recipients:
Sent:
Friday, November 16, 2007 4:52 PM
Fellow Federationists:

Congress is about to begin a two-week Thanksgiving recess with Friday, November 16th, probably their last day in Washington.

Therefore, it is critical that we reach out to members of the House of Representatives urging them to sign on to H.R. 3834, the Blind Persons Earnings Fairness Act of 2007.

I must regretfully inform you that so far we are not doing well getting sponsors for this vital legislation.

However, I have absolute faith that we can grow the snowball of sponsors that we so crucially need to pass this legislation to empower blind Social Security beneficiaries.

To do this will take all of our combined commitment.

Time is running out on the First Session of Congress, but we still have the Second Session to succeed in passing this bill.

I challenge us to get 60 cosponsors on this bill before the First Session ends, with at least 20 coming from the House Ways and Means Committee, which is the committee that considers this bill.

To meet this challenge we have much work ahead, but I know that members of the National Federation of the Blind do not avoid hard work!

Passage of the Blind Persons Earnings Fairness Act will insure that work is a profitable endeavor for blind men and women.

Once the terms of the bill are fully realized five years after passage, a blind person will be able to earn approximately $40,000 before losing Social Security Disability benefits.

With earnings greater than $40,000, it becomes much more possible to meet family expenses without financial support from Social Security benefits.

The reasons that the unemployment rates are so high for blind people are numerous and complex, but perhaps the most important reason is that for too many blind people work does not pay.

The result is that far too many blind people are trapped by poverty and are denied the many social benefits that work would provide.

To achieve the equality Federationists know is our right, blind people need to go to work and the barriers erected by this system must be torn down.

Passage of this legislation would be a major step toward those objectives so we must dedicate ourselves to making it happen!

Below, you will first see the list of all representatives on the House Ways and Means Committee.

The next list is the subcommittee on Social Security of the Ways and Means Committee.

Therefore, those on the Social Security Subcommittee will be listed twice.

Make an extra effort for anyone on these lists, but do not forget our congressional friends either.

We need to begin the snowball rolling like we did for the coin.

Everyone loves a winner and if you all meet my challenge, they will begin to see that we have one.

I realize that recently we have kept you busy with the higher education issue and your work on that was certainly pride-worthy.

No one believes, though, that there is anything wrong with a little activity.

Let us once again prove to all that we are the organization that gets things done.

After all, no one does that better than we do.

Please give the commitment that I have come to expect from you and together we will succeed once again.

James McCarthy
Government Programs Specialist
national federation of the blind

Committee on Ways and Means
:

Majority Democrats
Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D NY–15), Chair
Rep. Pete Stark (D CA–13)
Rep. Sander M. Levin (D MI–12)
Rep. Jim McDermott (D WA–7)
Rep. John Lewis (D GA–5)
Rep. Richard E. Neal (D MA–2)
Rep. Michael R. McNulty (D NY–21)
Rep. John S. Tanner (D TN–8)
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D CA–31)
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D TX–25)
Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D ND–At Large)
Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D OH–11)
Rep. Mike Thompson (D CA–1)
Rep. John B. Larson (D CT–1)
Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D IL–5)
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D OR–3)
Rep. Ron Kind (D WI–3)
Rep. William J. Pascrell Jr. (D NJ–8)
Rep. Shelley Berkley (D NV–1)
Rep. Joseph Crowley (D NY–7)
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D MD–8)
Rep. Kendrick B. Meek (D FL–17)
Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz (D PA–13)
Rep. Artur Davis (D AL–7)

Minority Republicans
Rep. Jim McCrery (R LA–4)
Rep. Wally Herger (R CA–2)
Rep. Dave Camp (R MI–4)
Rep. Jim Ramstad (R MN–3)
Rep. Sam Johnson (R TX–3)
Rep. Phil English (R PA–3)
Rep. Jerry Weller (R IL–11)
Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R MO–9)
Rep. Ron Lewis (R KY–2)
Rep. Kevin Brady (R TX–8)
Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (R NY–26)
Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R WI–1)
Rep. Eric Cantor (R VA–7)
Rep. John Linder (R GA–7)
Rep. Devin Nunes (R CA–21)
Rep. Patrick J. Tiberi (R OH–12)
Rep. Jon Porter (R NV–3)

Social Security Subcommittee
:

Majority Democrats
Rep. Michael R. McNulty (D NY–21), Chair
Rep. Sander M. Levin (D MI–12)
Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D ND–At Large)
Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz (D PA–13)
Rep. Artur Davis (D AL–7)
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D CA–31)
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D TX–25)
Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D OH–11)

Minority Republicans
Rep. Sam Johnson (R TX–3)
Rep. Ron Lewis (R KY–2)
Rep. Kevin Brady (R TX–8)
Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R WI–1)
Rep. Devin Nunes (R CA–21)