[Nfbnet-members-list] Legislative Alert - February 27, 2025

[Shirek, Jesse]

Dear Federation Family:

We are excited once again! On Monday, February 24, Representative Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania introduced the Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA) in the 119th Congress. The bill number is H.R. 1529. As a reminder the ATAA will create a $2,000 refundable tax credit for the purchase of qualified access technology for the blind.

As you may remember, the ATAA is our second bill in this Congress. The first was the Blind Americans Return to Work Act (H.R. 1175), which was introduced by Representative Pete Sessions of Texas on February 10. This bill will eliminate the SSDI earnings cliff by instituting a two-for-one phase out of benefits for any income earned above the substantial gainful activity threshold.

It is critical that both of these bills gain significant cosponsor support early in the Congressional session (especially the ATAA, which has a chance to be included in an upcoming tax package), and that's where you come in. We need you to contact your Representatives in the House and ask them to cosponsor both the Blind Americans Return to Work Act and the Access Technology Affordability Act.

When you call or email, you might say the following:
"Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of [REPRESENTATIVE NAME]. I live in [CITY, STATE]. I would like to urge [REPRESENTATIVE NAME] to cosponsor the Blind Americans Return to Work Act, H.R. 1175, and the Access Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 1529. These bills will eliminate barriers for blind people by instituting a two-for-one phase out of benefits for any income earned above the substantial gainful activity threshold in the SSDI program, and creating a refundable tax credit for the purchase of qualified access technology respectively. This will create a true work incentive for all blind Americans currently on SSDI and a method for blind Americans to be able to afford the access technology they need to obtain and maintain employment.
Thanks."

You can contact your member of Congress by calling the Capitol Switchboard and asking for the office in question. The number is 202-224-3121. We have also attached a contact list of House offices, sorted by state, to this email, but if you have any questions on office contacts, please contact Lindsey Walsh at lwalsh at nfb.org<mailto:lwalsh at nfb.org>. If you contact your representative via email, please copy me at jshirek at nfb.org<mailto:jshirek at nfb.org>. Your calls and emails are important feedback for our members of Congress to receive and truly do make a difference.

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