[Nfbnet-members-list] S. 732 Legislative Alert

Tue Aug 1 23:24:11 UTC 2017

Dear Fellow Federationists:

Thank you for all of your calls and emails since 
the last legislative alert. We are now up to 
thirty-four cosponsors on AIM HIGH, H.R. 1772, 
ten cosponsors on the Access Technology 
Affordability Act, H.R. 1734, and twelve 
cosponsors on the TIME Act, H.R. 1377. In the 
Senate, the Access Technology Affordability Act, 
S. 732, has one cosponsor. The complete list of 
cosponsors is included at the end of this email.

The House of Representatives adjourned on July 28 
and will not return to Washington, DC until 
September 5. The Senate is still in session and 
will not adjourn until August 11. The Senate will 
then also return on September 5.

I have two recommendations. First, call your 
Senator immediately and ask him or her to 
cosponsor S. 732, the Access Technology 
Affordability Act. It would be terrific if we 
could grow the number of cosponsors before the 
Senate adjourns on August 11. Second, invite your 
member of Congress to attend a chapter meeting or 
other local NFB event while they are in the 
district. Alternately, you could ask to meet with 
them in their district office.

I also want to update you on H.R. 620, the ADA 
Education and Reform Act. Your calls and emails 
have significantly helped in this area. In 
addition President Riccobono wrote an 
<http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/343880-passing-the-ada-education-and-reform-act-would-be-a-step>op-ed 
published in 
<http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/343880-passing-the-ada-education-and-reform-act-would-be-a-step>The 
Hill on July 26, the twenty-seventh anniversary 
of the signing of the ADA into law.

Your calls and emails have also made a tremendous 
difference protecting Medicaid. As I mentioned in 
a previous alert, an estimated 38.8 percent of 
blind Americans rely on Medicaid for their 
healthcare according to the US Census Bureau. To 
learn more about this topic please read President 
Riccobono’s 
<http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/339073-saving-medicaid-is-critical-to-americas-blind>Saving 
Medicaid op-ed, also published in The Hill.

The Senate will be in session until August 11 but 
please try to make your calls or send your emails 
by Friday, August 4. A short summary of each bill 
is included below. I have also included a list of 
all the current cosponsors. The best way to 
contact your member of Congress is to call the 
Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for 
the office in question. Emailing your member of 
Congress is also a good idea. If you do so, 
please copy <mailto:JPare at nfb.org>JPare at nfb.org.

Thanks for all you do!

Warm regards,

John

John G. ParÃ© Jr.
(410) 659-9314 x 2218
National Federation of the Blind

Bill Summaries

Accessible Instructional Material in Higher Education Act, H.R. 1772 (AIM HIGH)
This bill will promote instructional technology 
and content that are accessible to the blind and 
other students with print disabilities. 
<https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet>Read the AIM HIGH fact sheet to learn more.

Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017, H.R. 1734 and S. 732 (ATAA)
These bills will facilitate the purchase of 
access technology for blind people by creating a 
refundable, per person tax credit. 
<https://nfb.org/access-technology-affordability-act>Read 
the Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017 fact sheet to learn more.

Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful 
Employment Act of 2017, H.R. 1377 (TIME)
This bill will increase employment opportunities 
by removing stigmas and low expectations 
propagated by section 14(c) of the Fair Labor 
Standards Act. Note that the bill now phases out 
subminimum wages over a six year period 
corresponding to the recommendation of the 
National Council on Disability. 
<https://nfb.org/timefactsheet>Read the TIME Act fact sheet to learn more.

Current Cosponsors

Accessible Instructional Material in Higher 
Education Act, H.R. 1772 (AIM HIGH) Current Cosponsors
Rep. Roe, David P. [R-TN-1] - Sponsor
Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
Rep. Davis, Susan A. [D-CA-53]
Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-3]
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41]
Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]
Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5]
Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. [D-FL-7]
Rep. Ross, Dennis A. [R-FL-15]
Rep. Gabbard, Tulsi [D-HI-2]
Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]
Rep. Young, David [R-IA-3]
Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
Rep. Brooks, Susan W. [R-IN-5]
Rep. Visclosky, Peter J. [D-IN-1]
Rep. Yarmuth, John A. [D-KY-3]
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
Rep. Nolan, Richard M. [D-MN-8]
Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-5]
Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3]
Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]
Rep. Lujan Grisham, Michelle [D-NM-1]
Rep. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2]
Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]
Rep. Price, David E. [D-NC-4]
Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]
Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-5]
Rep. Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]
Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]
Rep. Green, Gene [D-TX-29]
Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice [D-TX-30]
Rep. Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [R-WI-5]

Access Technology Affordability Act of 2017, H.R. 
1734 and S. 732 (ATAA) Current Cosponsors
Rep. Young, David [R-IA-3] - Sponsor
Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40]
Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]
Rep. Demings, Val Butler [D-FL-10]
Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5]
Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]
Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-16]
Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]

Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful 
Employment Act of 2017, H.R. 1377 (TIME) Current Cosponsors
Rep. Harper, Gregg [R-MS-3] – Sponsor
Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-42]
Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-15]
Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. [D-FL-7]
Rep. Young, David [R-IA-3]
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
Rep. Lujan Grisham, Michelle [D-NM-1]
Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9]
Rep. Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]
Rep. Rice, Tom [R-SC-7]
Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice [D-TX-30]
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