[Nfbnet-members-list] H.R. 620 Legislative Alert

[Pare, John]

Dear Fellow Federationists:

Thank you for all of your calls and emails since 
the  June 5th legislative alert. We are now up to 
twenty-three cosponsors on AIM HIGH, H.R. 1772, 
seven cosponsors on the Access Technology 
Affordability Act, H.R. 1734, and eight 
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.

While we still need you to call or email your 
member of Congress and urge him or her to 
cosponsor each of these bills, we now have a new 
ask. H.R. 620, the ADA Education and Reform Act 
will be voted on in committee (referred to as 
markup) over the next week or two. If passed, 
this legislation will dramatically weaken the 
ADA, hindering education, employment, and 
community participation for all people with 
disabilities. The bill prevents people with 
disabilities from filing a lawsuit regarding an 
ADA violation until the person first notifies the 
violator. The violator then has 60 days to 
respond and then has another 120 days to remedy 
the problem, for a total delay of 180 days.

Does it make sense to wait 180 days for 
accessible instructional material? By then, the 
class will be over. How about waiting 180 days 
for an accessible job application? By then the 
job will be filled. How about waiting 180 days at 
the doctor’s office for an accessible check in 
kiosk? Furthermore, this legislation will do 
nothing to stop so called frivolous lawsuits 
which will still be valid under state law. 
Businesses do not need more time to comply with 
the ADA­they have had twenty-seven years already.

Please call your representative and urge them to 
oppose H.R. 620, the ADA Education and Reform 
Act. And if your Representative has not 
cosponsored one of our other three bills, also 
urge them to do so. Congress will be back in 
session for the next two weeks but please try to 
make your calls and send your emails by Friday, 
June 22. 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.

It is critical that we shut down H.R. 620. In 
addition, we are hoping to significantly raise 
the number of cosponsors on all of our bills 
before convention but we cannot do it without 
everyone working together. Your calls and emails make a big difference.

Thanks for all you do!

Warm regards,

John

John G. Paré 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. 
<nfb.htm>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. Garamendi, John [D-CA-3]
Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]
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. 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. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]
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. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2]
Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21]
Rep. Price, David E. [D-NC-4]
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-5]
Rep. Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]
Rep. Green, Gene [D-TX-29]
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. Lawson, Al, Jr. [D-FL-5]
Rep. Hanabusa, Colleen [D-HI-1]
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]
Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-16]

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. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
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]
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