The National Federation of the Blind, the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans, urges the members of the House of Representatives to cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act (ATAA), H.R. 1529. This bill will help blind Americans afford the high cost of qualified access technology by creating a refundable tax credit of 2,000 dollars for use over a three-year period.
Access Technology Affordability Act
In 2017, the National Federation of the Blind first introduced the idea of a tax credit for the purchase of qualified access technology for the blind. We know this initiative would help blind Americans to better handle the high cost of access technology that we need in order to be able to search for, apply for, and maintain steady and fulfilling employment.
In turn, with more of us working, we would actually be paying more into the federal government through income and payroll taxes while at the same time becoming less dependent on government benefits. Over time, this increased employment and reduced dependence will save the federal government approximately 315 million dollars over the course of five years according to an analysis by Mathematica, an independent economic analysis firm.
As of right now, we have 64 cosponsors in the House. The list of cosponsors is below:
Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16] – SPONSOR
Rep. Begich, Nicholas J. [R-AK-At Large]
Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31]
Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21]
Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34]
Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
Rep. Kiley, Kevin [R-CA-3]
Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]
Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]
Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4]
Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]
Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43]
Rep. Crank, Jeff [R-CO-5]
Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6]
Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]
Rep. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16]
Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
Rep. Rutherford, John H. [R-FL-5]
Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9]
Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25]
Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]
Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2]
Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12]
Rep. LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16]
Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]
Rep. Golden, Jared F. [D-ME-2]
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
Rep. Huizenga, Bill [R-MI-4]
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8]
Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3]
Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]
Rep. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2]
Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]
Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1]
Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]
Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3]
Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]
Rep. Edwards, Chuck [R-NC-11]
Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1]
Rep. Bynum, Janelle S. [D-OR-5]
Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]
Rep. Fleischmann, Charles J. "Chuck" [R-TN-3]
Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17]
Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33]
Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4]
Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]
Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]
Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1]
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]
Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large]
If your member’s name already appears in the above list, we are asking you to try something new. Contact your representative and urge them to contact the office of Chairman Jason Smith [R-MO-8]. Representative Smith is the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, which is the committee of jurisdiction for the ATAA.
If you call your rep who is already cosponsoring ATAA, encourage them to contact Chairman Smith and urge him to include the Access Technology Affordability Act in the next big legislative vehicle. If you did not read your member of Congress’s name on the above list, please contact their office and urge them to cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 1529.
We are hoping that a large surge of cosponsor support will give the bill a big momentum boost that will increase the chance of being included in one of the large legislative vehicles that are coming up. To do that, we need your help to spread the message of independence and savings to all members of Congress who have not yet signed onto the bill. We are asking that you call or email your representative and ask them to cosponsor the Access Technology Affordability Act.
Sample Script
When you call or email you might say:
“My name is [YOUR NAME] and I want to urge [REPRESENTATIVE NAME] to support the Access Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 1529. This bill will save the federal government an estimated 315 million dollars over the span of five years according to Mathematica, a well-respected economic firm. It will do this by creating a 2,000 dollar refundable tax credit for blind people for the purchase of specialized access technology.
This technology will help blind people search for a job, apply for a job, and then keep that job, which in turn increases the number of blind Americans who are working and paying into programs like Social Security and decreases the number of blind Americans who receive government benefits. Please help the blind of America achieve economic independence by cosponsoring the Access Technology Affordability Act.”
We suggest a subject like: “H.R. 1529 will save the federal government 315 million dollars over five years”
To find the contact information for your specific representative’s office, please download the House spreadsheet. It is organized alphabetically by state. You can also call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for the office in question.
If you are having trouble finding the contact information for your members of Congress, please contact Lindsey Walsh at [email protected].
If you email, please copy Jesse Shirek at [email protected].
About the National Federation of the Blind
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more.
Founded in 1940, the NFB is the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans with affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at nfb.org.
Government Affairs Contact
Jesse Shirek
Governmental Affairs Specialist
National Federation of the Blind
410-659-9314, extension 2348
[email protected]