[acbny-l] Fw: News notes from the national office
- From: "Frank Casey" <frcasey@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "acbny acbny" <acbny-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2003 23:34:23 -0400
Greetings,
Below, please find the latest edition of News Notes from the National ACB
Office in Washington, DC.
Enjoy,
Frank Casey
frcasey@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> NEWS NOTES FROM THE NATIONAL OFFICE
>
> for the week ending June 27, 2003.
>
> * Video Description survives big attack in U. S. Senate!
>
> thanks to the great advocacy of ACB members and many many
> other friends of video description, the restoration of the DVS
> rule remains a part of the committee bill to reauthorize the FCC.
> The compelling fairness of our cause and the voice of our people
> were heard loud and clear in the Senate; despite active
> opposition from MPAA and some of their associates.
>
> An amendment was added to make video description restoration
> more attractive to all blindness organizations. This amendment
> requires the FCC after reinstating the DVS rule, to undertake a
> serious review of voicing scripted text crawlers and other
> printed information to the screen. The review would be to
> determine the extent to which such additional accessibility would
> be feasible from an economic, technological and public interest
> point of view. Such a review would in fact be a good thing to
> once and for all deal with whether the additional access is
> really possible or necessary beyond the requirements of the
> original rule and could be done without interference with video
> description of programming.
>
> Our deepest gratitude goes out to all who made the calls and
> sent the emails, faxes, and letters. We ask that you continue to
> stay in touch with your Senators to insure they know you
> appreciate their efforts and vote in favor of restoring video
> description once the bill works it's way to the floor. the next
> challenge is the House of Representatives and with the
> determination we used with the Senate on our side, let's go for
> it!
>
> * Big surprise in store for Banquet goers at ACB
> convention!
>
> What? Charlie Crawford cooking the meal? Let's not get too
> wild about all of this eh? We do however have something that
> will make the evening just a thrill especially if there is anyone
> a century old coming out for our big end of convention event!
> Curious? You'll love it!
>
> * Project Action helps disabled transit riders and peds!
>
> ACB Executive director Charlie Crawford and Pedestrian
> Coordinator Phil Strong spent two days at the steering committee
> meeting of Easter Seal's Project Action where they worked to
> advance our interests. These included better bus stop design and
> location with accessibility in mind, better rural transportation
> and information access to what is available, and closing the gap
> between when folks need to request and when they get paratransit.
> We are pleased to report we were very successful and there will
> most likely be good funding for activities to achieve these
> goals.
>
> * ACB puts transportation issues on Congressional road map.
>
> this was a good week for our agenda in transportation.
> We've had some real success with key people in Congress in
> educating them to our issues and we have every reason to be
> optimistic about the outcomes.
>
> In a related story to hill issues, We are very pleased with
> the Senate version of the Individuals with Disabilities Education
> Act (IDEA,) which has all the major pieces we have been talking
> about in our education white paper and we congratulate Melanie
> and Krista for all the work they and all of our friends have done
> on this!
>
> to tell the truth, if everything continues the way it is
> going in congress, our legislative education goals will have
> surely experienced a banner year! Thanks to all for everything
> you do and for the caring you put into your great efforts. We
> are all uplifted by the spirit and giving of all ACB members and
> friends.
>
> * Hotels barking up the wrong tree with ACB!
>
> Guide dogs should have something to wag about this week!
> Not only did we see GDUI up to visit with Bush Administration
> departments, but we have been made aware of two ACB submitted
> guide dog-hotel discrimination complaints about to be resolved.
> We need to keep it all under the rug until the ink is dry and the
> rights of dogs and handlers are preserved in ways that are truly
> effective, but progress is surely being made for guide dogs and
> their handlers everywhere.
>
> * News notes to take a week off.
>
> Now what could delay news notes? Wedding bells are about to
> ring! She's a wonderful girl and he of course is the pride of
> the family! It will be truly marvelous, but don't know if going
> from the wedding right on to the convention will allow any time
> for doing up the news.
>
>
> ***
>
> News notes is a compilation of the highlights of the events
> of the preceding week and is not intended to provide a
> comprehensive listing of all activities, or treatment of the
> topics mentioned. For information and more detailed treatment of
> especially legislative concerns, call the Washington Connection
> at 800-424-8666 nights and weekends eastern time. Be sure to
> read the Braille Forum each month and check in with the ACB web
> site and radio at WWW.ACB.ORG and WWW.ACBRADIO.ORG respectively.
>
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