[Sasi] My latest H.R. 3101 letter

[Karyn Campbell]

Hello all,

As usual, please be careful with the reply to all as this is cross-posted to
several lists.  Pasted below my signature is my latest H.R. 3101 letter.  I
hoep that others are doing the same as we desperately need co-sponsors for
this legislation.  I highlighted two things that were important to me in
this letter.  Please tell your story when you do advocacy on this bill.  We
may never have a chance like this again.  Please don't squander it.

Karyn Campbell, karyn1421 at wowway.com
Check out my blog at packerbackerkaryn.blogspot.com
----Start of letter

October 22, 2009

Honorable Rep Peter J. Roskam
c/o Mark Skerjan, Legislative Assistant
507 Cannon House Office Bldg.
Washington D.C. 20515

Dear Honorable Rep. Roskam:

Once again I am writing with a request that you sign on as a co-sponsor of
H.R . 3101, the Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009.    This
legislation will do a number of things which will greatly enhance the lives
of people with disabilities.  These do affect me as someone who is blind and
has a mild to moderate hearing loss.

What are some of the things that this bill will do?  For starters, it will
require hearing aid compatibility (HAC) for all devices such as cell phones
and IP-based devices.  As I have said before, the last time my husband and I
upgraded our cell phones, I had to wait for him to upgrade so that I could
try his phone to make sure I could use it.  This should not be and HAC
requirements will insure that I can upgrade when I feel it is best for me
without having to wait for my husband to make a move just so we can be sure
I can use the phone.

Another thing this legislation will do is require accessible user interfaces
for devices and menus.  This will make it much easier to use things like a
DVD player without the need for a computer.  I have some DVDs from an old TV
series that I would love to watch but can't due to the fact that we cannot
access our DVD player, not to mention the menus on the DVD itself.

You might think that this type of regulation is not necessary.  Well the
free market has not worked in this case and people like me are going to fall
further behind if something isn't done and soon.  There are even some in the
telecommunications industry who think this legislation is a good idea, those
being AT&T and Verizon.  The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible
Technology (COAT) has been working with industry throughout the process of
bringing this legislation forward.  That speaks to the necessary cooperation
here but industry can't do it alone.  There needs to be some requirements
from the government here.

Again I urge you in the strongest terms possible to sign on as a co-sponsor
of H.R. 3101 so that people with disabilities in your district, such as me,
don't get left behind.  This is important for employment as well as just
being a part of society, something we all want.

Thank you once again for your time, attention and action that I hope will
result in signing on as a co-sponsor of this vital legislation.  It is
something which is necessary and whose time has come.

Sincerely;