From: Carl Jarvis<mailto:carjar@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: acb<mailto:acb-l@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 3:01 PM
Subject: [acb-l] national federation of the blind to testify
National Federation of the Blind to Testify
Before House Subcommittee
NFB President Will Address Federal Court Ruling on Paper Currency
Baltimore, Maryland (July 29, 2008): Dr. Marc Maurer, President of
the National Federation of the Blind, the nation's oldest and largest
organization of blind people, will testify before the Subcommittee on
Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology of
the House Committee on Financial Services on July 30, regarding the
issue of paper currency identifiable by the blind.
On May 20, 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia Circuit upheld a ruling that could force a redesign of U.S.
paper currency so that blind people can distinguish denominations by
touch.
Dr. Marc Maurer said: "I appreciate the opportunity to share the
considered opinion of the National Federation of the Blind regarding
paper currency. We represent the largest group of blind people in
the United States, and each year we gather to consider important
matters affecting the blind. We strongly disagree with the federal
court ruling because the premise of the ruling is that the blind of
America are being unlawfully made victims of discrimination because
we lack "meaningful access" to paper money, which is patently
untrue. Hundreds of thousands of blind people use paper money every
day without difficulty. Identifying items by touch (including
currency) is convenient, but not essential to the ability of blind
people to participate fully in society. For a court to say that if
we cannot identify it by touch, we can't use it is a fiction and a
dangerous one. Millions of items that cannot be identified by touch
must be managed by the blind in business, industry, and education
every day; if the public comes to believe the myth that we cannot
manage those items, then we will be denied the equality and
opportunity we seek. If the paper money of the United States is to
be changed, then the National Federation of the Blind must be
consulted about what changes are to be made."
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