Hello everyone,
I hope that those of you who had the opportunity to attend the 2008 ACB Legislative Seminar found it to be informative and entertaining. We are now two weeks past our Hill visit day and I wanted to send a friendly reminder regarding two important issues.
I've received some feedback forms from Congressional visits but know there are many more out there. I would encourage those of you who haven't had the opportunity as yet to go to 2008 Hill Visit Report Packet and fill out these forms. This will help me greatly as I continue to move our legislative agenda forward.
As you're completing these forms, it is also an excellent opportunity to follow up with the legislative staff who met with you to inquire about their interest in further pursuing any of our imperatives. By doing this, you have the chance to maintain or enhance your relationship with these individuals and to re-establish ACB's issues.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.
On December 21 the House Energy and Commerce Committee elected to make public draft legislative language that the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) had negotiated with committee staff over the past several months. While this draft legislation has been made public, it has not been formally introduced and does not have a bill number.
A summary of the language pertaining to video description and accessible user interfaces appears below. This is a positive step in what we hope are several legislative advancements regarding these issues. There will be more information to come, so stay tuned.
Sec. 202. -- This section reinstates the FCC's modest regulations on video description. Those rules, originally promulgated in 2001, were struck down by a U.S. Court of Appeals. It authorizes the FCC to promulgate additional rules to (1) ensure that video description services can be transmitted and provided over digital TV technologies, (2) ensure that digital TV equipment can make available the delivery and use of video description, (3) require non-visual access to on-screen emergency warnings and similar televised information, and (4) increase the amount of video description required. It also adds a definition for video programming to include programming distributed over the Internet. This section is intended to ensure the continued accessibility of video programming to Americans with disabilities, as this programming migrates to the Internet.
User Interfaces. Sec. 203.-- This section requires devices used to receive or display video programming, including devices used to receive and display Internet-based video programming, to be accessible by people with disabilities so that such individuals are able to access all functions of such devices (such as turning these devices on and off, controlling volume and selecting programming). It contains requirements for (1) audio output where on-screen text menus are used to control video programming functions, and (2) a conspicuous means of accessing closed captioning and video description, including a button on remote controls and first-level access to these accessibility features when made available through on-screen menus.
Access Video Programming Guides and Menus. Sec. 204 -- This section requires multichannel video programming distributors to make their navigational programming guides accessible to people who cannot read the visual display, so that these individuals can make program selections.
On Wednesday morning, March 5, the House Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch will hold a hearing to discuss the budget of the Library of Congress. This hearing will include the discussion of the National Library Service (NLS) and its Digital Talking Book Program.
After requesting $19.1 million for fiscal-year 2008 and only receiving $12.5 million in funding, NLS is requesting $12.5 for FY09. The program was originally designed to be completed in four years time with annual appropriations of $19.1 million. Given the current state of funding it could now take significantly longer to insure the successful conversion to this program. Blind and visually impaired users will be in danger of losing access to publications.
The American Council of the Blind supports the original funding request of $19.1 million and feels strongly that Congress should address the $6.6 million shortfall from the previous appropriations cycle. Congress should appropriate $25.7 million in order to keep this vital program on schedule!
We urge you to contact the subcommittee members below and let them know that ACB is not satisfied with current funding levels. To contact the subcommittee members, call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 225-3121.
For those who live in the greater DC area and are interested in attending this hearing, the information regarding its time, location, and witness list is below.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Hearing
Library of Congress Budget
10:00 a.m., H-144, The Capitol
Dr. James Billington, The Librarian of Congress
Jo Ann Jenkins, Chief Operating Officer, Library of Congress
Deanna Marcum, Associate Librarian for Library Services
Rubens Medina, Law Librarian
Marybeth Peters, Register of Copyrights, Copyright Office
Daniel Mulhollan, Director, Congressional Research Service
Kurt Cylke, Director, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
On Nov. 19, a three-judge panel from the United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, heard oral arguments in ACB's suit against the United States Treasury Department. Presentations were made by lawyers for both the Treasury Department and ACB in defense of the positions they had previously taken in their written briefs. The judges peppered the lawyers with questions throughout the proceeding. A brief statement was also made by an attorney representing the National Federation of the Blind, who asserted that blind people already have access to United States currency and that the government has begun to take steps to make it more distinguishable by people with low vision. Therefore, access is not a problem, and besides, this issue is not that important to their membership.
As usual, Jeff Lovitky, arguing ACB's case, did an admirable job in setting forth our position that people who are blind do not currently have meaningful access to U.S. currency, that the decision of the District Court was appropriate, and that we need a court order that will result in the Treasury Department having to come up with a plan for addressing the accessibility issues surrounding paper currency.
At this point, we are engaged in another waiting game. Lovitky estimated that it could take as long as six months to get the decision from the Circuit Court. We will advise you as soon as we hear anything further on the subject.