Legislation
Contact your House of Representatives and Senates - Why?
- Get to know them because they represent you and your interest.
- You can share your concerns about a bill and influence your legislators' opinion.
- Even if you voted for your legislator or not; your opinion counts.
Don't know who your senator or represenative is? Click on below link and put your zip code in and choose which office (House/Senate).
Who is your legislator for your area and Congress?
Or click on NWI Deaf's Indiana's Representative Page
Example: Zip 46410 - State: Rep. Chet Dobis and Senator Karen T
Congress: Rep. Pete Visclosky - Indiana's District 1 (NWI)
Senators Evan Byah and Richard Lugar (2 per State)
Important to Vote - Your lives depend on it!!! If you don't vote - you do not have a political voice to make changes.
Links:
Deaf Vote
Vote Smart
Rock the Vote
Register to Vote!
November 4, 2008 is Election Day!!!
To find out if you are a registered voter or to find your polling (voting) place location, visit
NAD (National Association of the Deaf) moves to a new address:
8630 Fenton Street, Suite 820
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Telephone numbers remain the same:
301-587-1788 Voice
301-587-4789 TTY
301-578-1791 Fax
www.nad.org
Voting Section
Civil Rights Division
U.S. Department of Justice
P.O. Box 661128
Washington, D.C. 20035-6128
www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting
(800) 253-3931 (Voice/TTY)
Policies Impacting You
National Policies
Ten digit phone numbers for all videophone users
The NAD and other consumer organizations strongly believe that all video phone users should be part of the same system as voice phone users. By connecting all devices and services (videophones, voice phones, captioned telephones, and various forms of relay services) to the ten digit phone numbering system and database, all users will be able to connect directly to each other without any extensions or special telephone numbers or IP addresses.
The FCC is seeking comments on the use of a numbering system for Video Relay Services (VRS). The NAD, along with other consumer groups has argued that the FCC should require that all relay service providers provide ten digit geographic telephone numbers to videophone users that are reachable from regular telephone systems. This is a continuation of long-time NAD efforts to get the FCC to connect deaf and hard of hearing users to the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) and make ten digit phone numbers available to such users.
Take action
We need to persuade the FCC to agree to set up a system.
It is not complicated. We need YOU to tell the FCC to do this! It is easy
for you to take action! For more information and to take action, just
go to:
http://www.nad.org/fccnumberaction
I am also excited to announce the first NAD action alert
website video. This video will also explain this issue further. You can
find the video online at:
http://www.nad.org/vpnumbersystem
State Policies
- Bureau of Motor Vehicles decides that you get an interpreter from your local agency (given by Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services). You need to get an interpreter within 14 days. You can request your own interpreter, if available, they will come, if not you will just use the interpreter available.
- Federal Law: Telecommunications Act of 1996. The date for 100% captioning starts January 1, 2006. If you find that your favorite TV show or channel does not have caption, please send your complaint to FCCinfo@fcc.gov with date, time and channel number to resolve caption issue. Or go to http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/upload_v2.cgi and enter "05-231" in the upper left corner field box under the name of "proceeding."
- American Sign Language Bill is in need of Updates to make teaching and learning sign language on equal standing with foreign langauges taught in High Schools and Colleges across the state. If you are interested in joining Indiana Association of the Deaf in strengthing the ASL Bill, please contact us at IndyIAD@aol.com
Accessibility of videophones and internet videos
The U.S. Senate is expected to take up floor consideration of the Advanced Telecommunications and Opportunity Reform Act (Stevens-Inouye), S. 2686, some time in July or August. The NAD worked closely with other consumer organizations to successfully include disability access legislation into this bill. It would extend Section 255 (accessibility of telecommunications products and services) to Internet-based communications, including Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. Today, Section 255 only applies to traditional landline or wireless phone service. The bill also takes important steps to ensure a good future for the Universal Service Fund (USF) that keeps phone rates low, especially in rural areas. And the bill would outlaw "locking you in" by Video Relay Service (VRS) providers that tie your relay service to their own proprietary equipment and software. In fact, the disability provisions in Senate bill are superior to those in the House bill (HR 5252) that was passed a month ago.
Take action
Tell your Senators that the disability provisions in the Stevens-Inouye bill are important to you.
If you took action on this telecommuniations action item
before July 17, 2006, you supported the House bill and urged the Sentate
to propose a bill. Now things have changed and we need you to support
the new Senate bill that has been proposed! You can connect directly to
your Senators and urge them to support the Senate bill at:
http://www.nad.org/BroadbandBillAction