The most recent "Words from Washington" newsletter from the American
Foundation for the Blind addresses numerous technology and information
access issues. The AFB has approached the Chairman of the FCC for
mandates for audio description, introduced members of congress to the way
blind people access the Internet, and established a relationship with the
Office for civil rights in the Department of Education to begin a dialogue
on information access issues. The AFB is a member of the congressional
Internet caucus, as described in an earlier post.
kelly
Words from Washington
Vol. 106, No. 3
May 11, 1999
[material about a meeting with an RSA big shot snipped]
Blindness Advocates Meet with FCC Chairman on Video Description
Alan Dinsmore, representing AFB, Charles Crawford of the American
Council of the Blind, Tom Miller, of the Blinded Veterans Association,
and Margaret and Cody Pfanstiehl of the Metropolitan Washington Ear
met with Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard on
March 12 to urge him to issue a rule which would mandate video
description for selected television programs on a scheduled roll-out
basis. This is a position which the American Foundation for the Blind
has maintained in its filings with the FCC's notice of inquiry on
closed captioning and video description of video programming. Chairman
Kennard voiced support for these concepts while at the same time
indicating that advocates need to insure the support of congressional
committees which oversee the Communications Act. Chairman Kennard made
it clear that this support is a pre-requisite for FCC rulemaking on
video description of television programming.
Congressional Internet Caucus Sees Access to Internet via Voice Technology
Scott Marshall, Janina Sajka , and Alan Dinsmore staffed a
demonstration showing access to the Internet via voice technology at
the March 25, 1999 kickoff event for the Congressional Internet
Caucus. The Internet Caucus is a formally organized body of members of
Congress from key committees of jurisdiction over telecommunications
and the Internet. AFB is a member of the Congressional Internet Caucus
Advisory Committee and, in this role, will be working to insure that
the Caucus is aware of Internet access issues for people who are blind
or severely visually impaired.
AFB Meets with Department of Education, OCR
On April 14, Scott Marshall and Mark Richert met with Norma Cantu,
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OCR), Dept. of Education, to
develop an ongoing relationship with OCR. The major topic of
discussion was access to information for postsecondary students.
Linkage Bill Introduced
Representative Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. (R-MD-) introduced H.R. 1601 on
April 28, 99. His bill would "amend title II of the social Security
Act to restore the link between the maximum amount of earnings by
blind individuals permitted without demonstrating ability to engage in
substantial gainful activity and the exempt amount permitted in
determining excess earnings under the earnings test." Rep. Ehrlich
gathered 230 co-sponsors before introducing his bill, certainly a
Herculean effort. However, even such an impressive number of
co-sponsors, more than half the membership of the House, does not
necessarily guarantee passage. AFB will be tracking the bill.
_________________________________________________________________
Contributors to WFW include Scott Marshall, Alan Dinsmore, Mark
Richert and Barbara LeMoine.
WFW is published by the American Foundation for the Blind,
Governmental Relations Group, 820 First Street, N.E., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20002, 202-408-0200, Fax: 202-289-7880, E-mail:
[log in to unmask] Address questions regarding subscriptions or content
to Barbara LeMoine.
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