[Athen] FW: [Dtb-talk] Urgent-Action Needed by 6 PM Today Regarding Accessible Textbooks

[Pratik Patel]

Dear Colleagues,

I am forwarding this document on without any comment.  Least to say, I find
the alert quite interesting.  

Pratik Patel
Director, IT Access. Director, PeopleTech.
The City University of New York


-----Original Message-----
From: dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of David Andrews
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 4:19 PM
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Subject: [Dtb-talk] Urgent-Action Needed by 6 PM Today Regarding Accessible
Textbooks



>From: Hartle, Jesse

>To: undisclosed-recipients:

>Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 12:59 PM

>Subject: Urgent-Action Needed by 6 PM Today Regarding Accessible Textbooks

>

>

>

>Fellow Federationists:

>

>

>

>             We have an urgent need to defeat 

> language proposed for a bill that goes to mark 

> up Wednesday, November 14, 2007.  The language is Section 766A in H.R.

4137.

>

>

>

>On Monday, November 5, 2007, we received 

>proposed bill language for a Commission designed 

>to study issues concerning the accessibility of 

>textbooks in higher education, and also charged 

>with developing a model project that would be 

>designed to support systems that were currently 

>in place.  We expressed concerns relating to the 

>composition of the Commission.  First 

>problem:  The membership as described by the 

>legislation involved minimal input from 

>consumers, while being more favorable to the 

>publishing community.  Second problem:  The 

>pilot program is scheduled to last a minimum of 

>one year longer than the Commission, and, worse 

>yet, could extend longer than one year if the 

>Secretary of Education chooses to extend the 

>pilot program.  This language, if included in 

>the bill, would continue to delay access to 

>information for blind students in institutions 

>of Higher Education, possibly for years to come.

>

>

>

>We submitted revised language to the Committee 

>asking that a majority of the Commission be 

>composed of individuals with print 

>disabilities.  We told them that if the 

>Commission was not consumer-driven, then little 

>significance would come from this 

>legislation.  We also urged the Committee to 

>strengthen the purpose of the Commission, from 

>merely studying the problem, to developing 

>legislation to be enacted by Congress.  When 

>bill H.R. 4137 was introduced, however, we 

>learned that none of our suggested changes to 

>improve this legislation for blind people were included.

>

>

>

>This bill is scheduled to be marked up tomorrow, 

>Wednesday, November 14, 2007 so you need to call immediately.

>

>

>

>We need you to make two calls:

>

>1.      Call Chairman George Miller's office at 

>(202) 225-2095.  He is the Chairman of the House 

>Committee on Education and Labor.  Tell him that 

>section 766A will not help blind college 

>students and urge him to have it removed.

>

>2.      If your Representative is on the below 

>list of Education and Labor Committee members, 

>you need to call him or her.  Tell your 

>representative that section 766A will not help 

>blind college students and urge him or her to vote to have it removed.

>

>

>

>

>

>I have included a list of the members of the 

>House Education and Labor Committee below with 

>their phone numbers.  You can also be connected 

>with Congressional offices by calling the 

>Capitol switchboard at (202) 225-3121.  Please 

>find your state in the lists below and call now, 

>then get your neighbors to call.  Ask relatives 

>and friends who live in other states to make these calls as well.

>

>

>

>Thank you all very much for your help on this 

>urgent matter.  If you have any questions, 

>please call me at (410) 659-9314, extension 

>2233, or e-mail me at jhartle at nfb.org.

>

>

>

>House Committee on Education and Labor

>

>Full Committee

>

>11/13/07

>

>

>

>Rep. George Miller (D CA-7), Chair

>

>

>

>Majority (27 D):

>

>

>

>Rep. George Miller (D CA-7) 202-225-2095

>

>Rep. Dale E. Kildee (D MI-5) 202-225-3611

>

>Rep. Donald M. Payne (D NJ-10) 202-225-3436

>

>Rep. Robert E. Andrews (D NJ-1) 202-225-6501

>

>Rep. Robert C. Scott (D VA-3) 202-225-8351

>

>Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D CA-6) 202-225-5161

>

>Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D TX-15) 202-225-2531

>

>Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D NY-4) 202-225-5516

>

>Rep. John F. Tierney (D MA-6) 202-225-8020

>

>Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D OH-10) 202-225-5871

>

>Rep. David Wu (D OR-1) 202-225-0855

>

>Rep. Rush Holt (D NJ-12) 202-225-5801

>

>Rep. Susan Davis (D CA-53) 202-225-2040

>

>Rep. Danny K. Davis (D IL-7) 202-225-5006

>

>Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D AZ-7) 202-225-2435

>

>Rep. Timothy H. Bishop (D NY-1) 202-225-3826

>

>Rep. Linda Sánchez (D CA-39) 202-225-6676

>

>Rep. John P. Sarbanes (D MD-3) 202-225-4016

>

>Rep. Joe Sestak (D PA-7) 202-225-2011

>

>Rep. Dave Loebsack (D IA-2) 202-225-6576

>

>Rep. Mazie K. Hirono (D HI-2) 202-225-4906

>

>Rep. Jason Altmire (D PA-4) 202-225-2565

>

>Rep. John Yarmuth (D KY-3) 202-225-5401

>

>Rep. Phil Hare (D IL-17) 202-225-5905

>

>Rep. Yvette Clarke (D NY-11) 202-225-6231

>

>Rep. Joe Courtney (D CT-2) 202-225-2076

>

>Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D NH-1) 202-225-5456

>

>

>

>Minority (22 R):

>

>

>

>Rep. Howard P. Buck McKeon (R CA-25) 202-225-1956

>

>Rep. Thomas E. Petri (R WI-6) 202-225-2476

>

>Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R MI-2) 202-225-4401

>

>Rep. Michael N. Castle (R DE-At Large) 202-225-4165

>

>Rep. Mark Souder (R IN-3) 202-225-4436

>

>Rep. Vernon J. Ehlers (R MI-3) 202-225-3831

>

>Rep. Judy Biggert (R IL-13) 202-225-3515

>

>Rep. Todd Russell Platts (R PA-19) 202-225-5836

>

>Rep. Ric Keller (R FL-8) 202-225-2176

>

>Rep. Joe Wilson (R SC-2) 202-225-2452

>

>Rep. John Kline (R MN-2) 202-225-2271

>

>Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R WA-5) 202-225-2006

>

>Rep. Kenny Marchant (R TX-24) 202-225-6605

>

>Rep. Tom Price (R GA-6) 202-225-4501

>

>Res. Comm. Luis G. Fortuño (R ) 202-225-2615

>

>Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (R LA-7) 202-225-2031

>

>Rep. Virginia Foxx (R NC-5) 202-225-2071

>

>Rep. Randy Kuhl (R NY-29) 202-225-3161

>

>Rep. Rob Bishop (R UT-1) 202-225-0453

>

>Rep. David Davis (R TN-1) 202-225-6356

>

>Rep. Tim Walberg (R MI-7) 202-225-6276

>

>Rep. Dean Heller (R NV-2) 202-225-6155

>

>

>

>Question:  "How do you eat an elephant?"

>

>

>

>Answer:  "One bite at a time."

>

>--A little philosophy from Dr. Kenneth Jernigan

>

>

>

>

>


David Andrews and white cane Harry.
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