[Nfbnet-members-list] Call to Action on Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act

Sun Jul 28 22:28:15 UTC 2013

From: "Lewis, Anil" <ALewis at nfb.org
Date: July 27, 2013, 5:22:31 PM EDT
Federation:

This is a call to action for you to make phone calls, send e-mails, 
and post to social media to save rehabilitation services for people 
with disabilities on Monday, July 29 and Tuesday, July 30.  Senate 
Bill S. 1356 has been introduced to reauthorize the Workforce 
Investment Act (WIA).  This bill includes two major policy changes in 
the language of the Rehabilitation Act that threaten to send us 
backwards in our struggle to acquire the proper education, training, 
and opportunity to obtain competitive, integrated employment.

(1) The bill has proposed language in Section 511 of the 
Rehabilitation Act that requires vocational rehabilitation (VR) 
agencies to include training and employment at wages below the 
federal minimum wage as a VR service.

(1) The bill proposes to transfer the Rehabilitation Services 
Administration (RSA) from the Department of Education to the 
Department of Labor, severing the essential link between the 
provision of quality education and rehabilitation services for people 
with disabilities.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee is 
scheduled to discuss and vote on this bill on Wednesday, July 31, and 
we need to act to ensure that these two tremendously flawed proposals 
are removed.  Our initial action is simple, but it will require all 
of us to take action.  We need all of our members, family members, 
friends, colleagues, and acquaintances that reside in states where 
their Senator serves on the HELP committee to make calls, send 
e-mails, post tweets, and Facebook messages to communicate the 
following two straightforward requests to their Senator:

I am a voting constituent in the state and I am respectfully 
requesting that the WIA reauthorization be amended to:

(1) Remove Section 511 of the Rehabilitation Act.
(2) Remove the language transferring RSA to the Department of Labor.

We are encouraging that only the actual residents make these requests 
of their respective Senators.  Start recruiting as many individuals 
as possible now to begin this action on Monday, July 29 and continue 
it through Tuesday, July 30.  Use the information below to make calls 
to your particular Senator's office and send e-mails to each of the 
e-mail addresses listed for your Senator.

Please contact me with any questions, and keep me posted on your 
progress.  The only way we will be able to prevent a dismantling of 
the essential training and employment services for all people with 
disabilities is to act now.

Remember, once you have made your calls, sent your e-mails, posted 
your tweets and Facebook messages, get others to do the same.

Sincerely,

Mr. Anil Lewis, M.P.A.
Director of Advocacy and Policy

  "Eliminating Subminimum Wages For People With Disabilities"

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, Maryland   21230

(410) 659-9314 ext. 2374 (Voice)
(410) 685-5653 (FAX)
Email: alewis at nfb.org<mailto:alewis at nfb.org
Web: www.nfb.org<http://www.nfb.org

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
(202) 224-3254
Chief of Staff: Brian Ahlberg brian_ahlberg at harkin.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Andy Imparato andrew_imparato at harkin.senate.gov
Additional Contact: Lee Perselay lee.perselay at help.senate.gov

Sen. Barbara A Mikulski (D-MD)
(202) 224-4654
Chief of Staff: Julia Frifield julia_frifield at mikulski.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Jessica McNiece jessica_mcniece at mikulski.senate.gov

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
(202) 224-2621
Chief of Staff: Mike Spahn michael_spahn at murray.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Megan Foster  megan_foster at murray.senate.gov
Additional Contact: Ariel Eevans ariel_evans at murray.senate.gov

Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT)
(202) 224-5141
Chief of Staff: Michaeleen Crowell michaeleen_crowell at sanders.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Lori Kearns lori_kearns at sanders.senate.gov

Sen. Robert P Casey, Jr. (D-PA)
(202) 224-6324
Chief of Staff: James Brown james_brown at casey.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Larry Smar larry_smar at casey.senate.gov
Additional Contact: Michael Waskey michael_waskey at casey.senate.gov

Sen. Kay R Hagan (D-NC)
(202) 224-6342
Chief of Staff: Mike Harney mike_harney at hagan.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Ashley Eden & Josh Teitelbaum 
ashley_eden at hagan.senate.gov  josh_teitelbaum at hagan.senate.gov

Sen. Al Franken (D-MN)
(202) 224-5641
Chief of Staff: Casey Aden-Wansbury casey_aden-wansbury at franken.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Momoko "Peach" Soltis peach_soltis at franken.senate.gov
Additional Contact: Beth Meloy beth_meloy at franken.senate.gov

Sen. Michael F. Bennet (D-CO)
(202) 224-5852
Chief of Staff: Jonathan Davidson jonathan_davidson at bennet.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Rohini Kosoglu rohini_kosoglu at bennet.senate.gov

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
(202) 224-2921
Chief of Staff: Sam Goodstein sam_goodstein at whitehouse.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Jen DeAngelis jen_deangelis at whitehouse.senate.gov

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
(202) 224-5653
Chief of Staff: Bill Murat bill_murat at baldwin.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Nick Dicarlo nick_dicarlo at baldwin.senate.gov
Additional Contact: Amber Shipley amber_shipley at baldwin.senate.gov

Sen. Christopher S. Murphy (D-CT)
(202) 224-4041
Chief of Staff: Francis Creighton francis_creighton at murphy.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Joe Dunn, Mark Ritacco, & Hayne Yoon 
joe_dunn at murphy.senate.gov   mark_ritacco at murphy.senate.gov 
Additional Contact: Hayne Yoon hayne_yoon at murphy.senate.gov

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
(202) 224-4543
Chief of Staff: Mindy Myers mindy_myers at warren.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Jeff Cruz jeff_cruz at warren.senate.gov

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
(202) 224-4944
Chief of Staff: Ryan Loskarn ryan_loskarn at alexander.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Kai Hirabayashi  &  Kyle Forton 
kai_hirabayashi at alexander.senate.gov   kyle_forton at alexander.senate.gov
Additional Contact: Bill Knudsen bill_knudsen at alexander.senate.gov

Sen. Michael B. Enzi (R-WY)
(202) 224-3424
Chief of Staff: Flip McConnaughey flip_mcconnaughey at enzi.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Riley Swinehart & Kristin Chapman 
riley_swinehart at enzi.senate.gov; kristin_chapman at enzi.senate.gov

Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC)
(202) 224-3154
Chief of Staff: Chris Joyner chris_joyner at burr.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Steve Perrotta steve_perrotta at burr.senate.gov
Additional Contact: Anna Abram anna_abram at help.senate.gov

Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
(202) 224-3643
Chief of Staff: Chris Carr chris_carr at isakson.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Tommy Nguyen tommy_nguyen at isakson.senate.gov

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)
(202) 224-4343
Chief of Staff: William Henderson william_henderson at paul.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Natalie Burkhalter natalie_burkhalter at paul.senate.gov

Sen. Orrin G Hatch (R-UT)
(202) 224-5251
Chief of Staff: Michael Kennedy michael_kennedy at hatch.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Hayden Rhudy hayden_rhudy at hatch.senate.gov

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS)
(202) 224-4774
Chief of Staff: Jackie Cottrell jackie_cottrell at roberts.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Jennifer Boyer jennifer_boyer at roberts.senate.gov
Additional Contact: Lauren Stockwell lauren_stockwell at roberts.senate.gov

Sen Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
(202) 224-6665
Chief of Staff: Edward Hild edward_hild at murkowski.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Tara Shaw tara_shaw at murkowski.senate.gov
Additional Contact: Leila Kimbrell leila_kimbrell at murkowski.senate.gov

Sen Mark Kirk (R-IL)
(202) 224-2854
Chief of Staff: Kate Dickens kate_dickens at kirk.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Patrick Magnuson patrick_magnuson at kirk.senate.gov
Additional Contact: Jeannette Windon jeannette_windon at kirk.senate.gov

Sen Tim Scott (R-SC)
(202) 224-6121
Chief of Staff: Richard Dunn richard_dunn at scott.senate.gov
HELP Contact: Kimberly Wallner kimberly_wallner at scott.senate.gov
Additional Contact: Elizabeth Simmons elizabeth_simmons at scott.senate.gov

and here is some more information for any who would like further 
details or can help send emails to contacts in Senator Franken's 
office (listed  below). Please encourage your family, friends and 
acquaintances to help make contact, and share it on your social media as well.

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Lewis, Anil" <ALewis at nfb.org
Date: July 27, 2013, 5:22:31 PM EDT
To: "State President, Iowa" <michael.nfbi at gmail.com, "State 
President, Maryland" <melissa at riccobono.us, "State President, 
Washington" <k7uij at panix.com, "State President, Vermont" 
<deannaljones at comcast.net, "State President, Pennsylvania" 
<president at nfbp.org, "State President, North Carolina" 
<ghraynfbofnc at charter.net, "State President, Minnesota" 
<jennifer.dunnam1829 at gmail.com, "State President, Colorado" 
<slabarre at labarrelaw.com, "State President, Rhode Island" 
<silvara at cox.net, "State President, Wisconsin" 
<johnfritz66 at gmail.com, "crival at comcast.net"
Federation: