>HOUSE RELEASES 21ST CENTURY COMMUNICATIONS AND VIDEO ACCESSIBILITY ACT FOR
>PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES > >On December 21, 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives released a draft >bill, the long-awaited "Twenty-first Century Communications and Video >Accessibility Act." This proposal is a dramatic and comprehensive step >forward for consumers with disabilities. It proposes to amend the >Communications Act - the main statute that impacts the telephone and video >programming industries - to add new consumer protections that will ensure >people with disabilities do not get left out or left behind as telephones >and television programming increasingly rely on digital and Internet >Protocol (IP) technologies. The proposals will allow greater numbers of >people with disabilities to become independent and productive members of >society, as well as to enjoy all the new electronic gadgets and devices that >everyone else takes for granted. > >To see the draft bill (PDF only) please go to ><<http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/draft_of_telecom_legislation.pdf <http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/draft_of_telecom_legislation.pdf> >http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/draft_of_telecom_legislation.pdf <http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/draft_of_telecom_legislation.pdf> > >http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/draft_of_telecom_legislation.pdf <http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/draft_of_telecom_legislation.pdf> > >To see a summary of the bill (Word) please go to ><<http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/summary_of_telecom_legislation.doc <http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/summary_of_telecom_legislation.doc> >http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/summary_of_telecom_legislation.doc <http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/summary_of_telecom_legislation.doc> > >http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/summary_of_telecom_legislation.doc <http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/summary_of_telecom_legislation.doc> > >Or go to <http://markey. <http://markey./> >http://markey. ><http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content <http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3236&Item > &task=view&id=3236&Item <http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content <http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3236&Item > &task=view&id=3236&Item> >id=46> house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3236&Itemid=46 >and CLICK on the documents. > >IMMEDIATE ACTION STEPS!!! To help pass these simple communication fixes >that will bring communications into the 21st century for people with >disabilities, please send letters as soon as you can to the following House >members who are the leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee >(the committee that is assigned this bill). Make sure to ask them for their >sponsorship of the legislation: > >Rep. John Dingell, (D-MI), Chairman, House Energy and Commerce Committee, >Room 2328 Rayburn House Building, Washington, DC 20515. >Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), Chairman, House Subcommittee on Telecommunications >and the Internet, Room 2125 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC >20515. > >Ranking Minority Members: > >Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), Room 2109 Rayburn House Building, Washington, DC >20515. > >Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), Room 2322A Rayburn House Office Building, >Washington, DC 20515. > >Also send letters to your own representatives if they are members of the >House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, whichwill review >the bill first (This subcommittee is within the full House Committee.) You >can see list of subcommittee members and get their addresses at ><<http://energycommerce.house.gov/Subcommittees/telint.shtml <http://energycommerce.house.gov/Subcommittees/telint.shtml> >http://energycommerce.house.gov/Subcommittees/telint.shtml <http://energycommerce.house.gov/Subcommittees/telint.shtml> > >http://energycommerce.house.gov/Subcommittees/telint.shtml. <http://energycommerce.house.gov/Subcommittees/telint.shtml.> Snail mail is >preferred. > >Please send copies of your letters to: COAT, c/o of AAPD, 1629 K Street NW, >Suite 503, Washington, DC 20006, attn: J. Simpson. > >Your letter could help make sure that there really is 21st century >electronic communication for people with disabilities! > >Additional Action Steps will follow! Please stay alert! > >THANKS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
