Laura
07-20-2010, 02:52 PM
Subject: ALERT!-Landmark Tech Access Bill Needs Your Advocacy This Week
ALERT!-Landmark Tech Access Bill Needs Your Advocacy This Week
For further information, contact:
Mark Richert, Esq. Director, Public Policy, AFB
(202) 469-6833 mrichert@afb.net
This month, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be 20 years old.
On Wednesday of this week, we expect the House Committee on Energy and
Commerce to take up H.R. 3101, the Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. This is our opportunity to convince Congress that
advanced communications and video programming equipment and services must be accessible. As currently crafted, H.R. 3101 does not ensure that true 21st century telecommunications and video technologies will be as accessible as they must be to people with vision loss. Tell Congress that only by improving the bill can they properly honor the 20th anniversary of the ADA!
Contact the members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce (list
below). If you have contacted them before, contact them again! When you do,
be sure to tell them whether you live in their district or their state. Tell
them whether you represent an organization in their state or are part of a
national advocacy organization or network. If you are a consumer with vision
loss, a parent or family member, or a professional serving people who are
blind or visually impaired, tell them how critical the bill is to your life
and the lives of those you care about and work with. If you do not live in
the Representative's district, contact them anyhow and communicate the
urgency of technology access for people with vision loss nationwide.
Here's what you can do immediately to defend the bill from the heretofore
successful attacks by powerful technology industry groups to thwart the
purposes and provisions of the legislation.
Relay the following message:
"Re: Markup This Week of the Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (H.R. 3101)
H.R. 3101 must be as strong as possible to ensure that advanced
communications and video programming are accessible to ALL Americans!
* Give the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) clear authority to
increase the availability of description of video programming. Do not limit
video description to 7 hours per week on 9 channels.
* Make sure that people who are blind or visually impaired can connect to
and interact with the Internet when it is available on mobile, handheld, or
other devices through accessible user interfaces.
* Restore the authorization of funding for communications equipment for
people who are deaf-blind.
Offer your name and address."
Contact the House Committee members today!
Parker Griffith (R-AL-5) 202-225-4801 / fax 202-225-4392
Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA-14) 202-225-8104 / fax 202-225-8890
George Radanovich (R-CA-19) 202-225-4540 / fax 202-225-3402
Henry Waxman, Chair (D-CA-30) 202-225-3976 / fax 202-225-4099
Mary Bono Mack (R-CA-45) 202-225-5330 / fax 202-225-2961
Christopher S. Murphy (D-CT-5) 202-225-4476 / fax 202-225-5933
Cliff Stearns (R-FL-6) 202-225-5744 / fax 202-225-3973
John Shimkus (R-IL-19) 202-225-5271 / fax 202-225-5880
Baron P. Hill (D-IN-9) 202-225-5315 / fax 202-225-6866
Charlie Melancon (D-LA-3) 202-225-4031 / fax 202-225-3354
Bart Stupak (D-MI-1) 202-225 4735 / fax 202-225-4744
Fred Upton (R-MI-6) 202-225-3761 / fax 202-225-4986
Mike Rogers (R-MI-8) 202-225-4872 / fax 202-225-5820
Roy Blunt, Dept Ranking Mem (R-MO-7) 202-225-6536 / F 202-225-5604
Lee Terry (R-NE-2) 202-225-4155 / fax 202-225-5452
G. K. Butterfield (D-NC-1) 202-225-3101 / fax 202-225-3354
Robert E. Latta (R-OH-5) 202-225-6405 / fax 800-278-8203
Zachary T. Space (D-OH-18) 202-225-6265 / fax 202-225-3394
Bart Gordon (D-TN-6) 202-225-4231 / fax 202-225-6687
Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-7) 202-225-2811 / fax 202-225-3002
Joe Barton, Ranking Mem (R-TX-6) 202-225-2002 / fax 202-225-3052
Rick Boucher (D-VA-9) 202-225-3861 / fax 202-225-0442
Peter Welch (D-VT-AL) 202-225-4115 / fax 202-225-6790
ALERT!-Landmark Tech Access Bill Needs Your Advocacy This Week
For further information, contact:
Mark Richert, Esq. Director, Public Policy, AFB
(202) 469-6833 mrichert@afb.net
This month, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be 20 years old.
On Wednesday of this week, we expect the House Committee on Energy and
Commerce to take up H.R. 3101, the Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. This is our opportunity to convince Congress that
advanced communications and video programming equipment and services must be accessible. As currently crafted, H.R. 3101 does not ensure that true 21st century telecommunications and video technologies will be as accessible as they must be to people with vision loss. Tell Congress that only by improving the bill can they properly honor the 20th anniversary of the ADA!
Contact the members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce (list
below). If you have contacted them before, contact them again! When you do,
be sure to tell them whether you live in their district or their state. Tell
them whether you represent an organization in their state or are part of a
national advocacy organization or network. If you are a consumer with vision
loss, a parent or family member, or a professional serving people who are
blind or visually impaired, tell them how critical the bill is to your life
and the lives of those you care about and work with. If you do not live in
the Representative's district, contact them anyhow and communicate the
urgency of technology access for people with vision loss nationwide.
Here's what you can do immediately to defend the bill from the heretofore
successful attacks by powerful technology industry groups to thwart the
purposes and provisions of the legislation.
Relay the following message:
"Re: Markup This Week of the Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (H.R. 3101)
H.R. 3101 must be as strong as possible to ensure that advanced
communications and video programming are accessible to ALL Americans!
* Give the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) clear authority to
increase the availability of description of video programming. Do not limit
video description to 7 hours per week on 9 channels.
* Make sure that people who are blind or visually impaired can connect to
and interact with the Internet when it is available on mobile, handheld, or
other devices through accessible user interfaces.
* Restore the authorization of funding for communications equipment for
people who are deaf-blind.
Offer your name and address."
Contact the House Committee members today!
Parker Griffith (R-AL-5) 202-225-4801 / fax 202-225-4392
Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA-14) 202-225-8104 / fax 202-225-8890
George Radanovich (R-CA-19) 202-225-4540 / fax 202-225-3402
Henry Waxman, Chair (D-CA-30) 202-225-3976 / fax 202-225-4099
Mary Bono Mack (R-CA-45) 202-225-5330 / fax 202-225-2961
Christopher S. Murphy (D-CT-5) 202-225-4476 / fax 202-225-5933
Cliff Stearns (R-FL-6) 202-225-5744 / fax 202-225-3973
John Shimkus (R-IL-19) 202-225-5271 / fax 202-225-5880
Baron P. Hill (D-IN-9) 202-225-5315 / fax 202-225-6866
Charlie Melancon (D-LA-3) 202-225-4031 / fax 202-225-3354
Bart Stupak (D-MI-1) 202-225 4735 / fax 202-225-4744
Fred Upton (R-MI-6) 202-225-3761 / fax 202-225-4986
Mike Rogers (R-MI-8) 202-225-4872 / fax 202-225-5820
Roy Blunt, Dept Ranking Mem (R-MO-7) 202-225-6536 / F 202-225-5604
Lee Terry (R-NE-2) 202-225-4155 / fax 202-225-5452
G. K. Butterfield (D-NC-1) 202-225-3101 / fax 202-225-3354
Robert E. Latta (R-OH-5) 202-225-6405 / fax 800-278-8203
Zachary T. Space (D-OH-18) 202-225-6265 / fax 202-225-3394
Bart Gordon (D-TN-6) 202-225-4231 / fax 202-225-6687
Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-7) 202-225-2811 / fax 202-225-3002
Joe Barton, Ranking Mem (R-TX-6) 202-225-2002 / fax 202-225-3052
Rick Boucher (D-VA-9) 202-225-3861 / fax 202-225-0442
Peter Welch (D-VT-AL) 202-225-4115 / fax 202-225-6790