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COAT advocates for accessibility and usability of technology for people with disabilities. Enacting the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (21st CVAA) was a huge step forward and we are working to implement this new law. COAT’s overall aim is to ensure accessibility, usability, and affordability of all broadband, wireless, and Internet technologies for people with disabilities.

Advocate's Toolkit

Here and attached below are materials to use to advocate for the COAT agenda.

Note: Today (8/5/2010) we have an Action Alert for the Senate version of H.R. 3101, which S. 3304. 

One pager on HR 3101 is on the COAT website 

Website to help you find your Senator or Representive, with tips on writing them.

Template letter to U.S. House of Representatives member

Below attached are materials for your HR 3101 campaign. These include:

  • "Dozen Tips for your HR 3101 Campaign."
  • "Instructions for an HR 3101 Petition Drive" and "Petition Blank"
  • "Crash Course on the HR 3101 Legislation"
  • "Sample Letter to US Senator"
  • ""Elevator Speech--instructions on meetings with legislators and their staff"
  • "Sample Email messages to legislators"
  • Verizon's statement of support for HR 3101
  • AT&T's statement of support for HR 3101
  • US Telecom's statement of support for HR 3101
  • Key Congressmen & Senators you must contact
  • Letter to Key House  Members by National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) with Resolution, in Support of Universal Service provisions in HR 3101.
  • Your Organization's Letter to Key House Members

You can download and use all these materials. For instance, you can copy and paste the sample letters on your own organization's letterhead. You can attach copies of the Verizon and AT&T statements to your correspondence. You can start a petition drive or get an email campaign going.

Remember persistence pays and stay encouraged! This is how all disability legislation and regulation is passed and while it seems to take "too long" the effort works!

Only with YOUR efforts will this legislation be enacted! You have the power! Lead on!

 

AttachmentSize
DOZEN TIPS FOR YOUR HR 3101 CAMPAIGN B.doc31.5 KB
INSTRUCTIONS FOR A PETITION DRIVE B.doc27.5 KB
CRASH COURSE ON the Legislation--a comprehensive comm BILL.doc30.5 KB
Sample Letter from Group to US House of Rep Member.doc30.5 KB
PETITION Blank B.doc25 KB
Verizon Statement of Support for HR 3101.doc51.5 KB
USTELECOM statement of support re HR 3101.doc24.5 KB
Contact Information for Key Congressman and Senators.doc34 KB
ATT Statement of Support for HR 3101 B.doc57.5 KB
UPDATED Sample EMAIL messages re legislation.doc27 KB
NARUC DEC 2009 Support HR 3101 LTR TO HOUSE.pdf48.42 KB
ELEVATOR SPEECH or TIPS for MTG Legislators.doc31.5 KB
Your Organizations Letter to Key Members of Congress.doc35 KB
Sample Letter to US Senator.doc27 KB

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COAT leaders at the FCC

Andrew Phillips, National Association of the Deaf; Eric Bridges, American Council of the Blind; Mark Richert, American Foundation for the Blind; and Jenifer Simpson, American Association of People with Disabilities, outside the FCC building, Washington DC, after meetings on pending rules under 21st CVAA.

Celebration of the bill's final passage

Rep. Ed Markey and Legislative Director Mark Bayer celebrate the bill’s final passage on September 28, 2010, in front of the Helen Keller statue, with the leaders from the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology: Karen Peltz Strauss, formerly with Communication Service for the Deaf; Jenifer Simpson, American Association of People with Disabilities; Rosaline Crawford, National Association of the Deaf. Their hands symbolize clapping in sign language.

21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act

President Obama signs the Accessibility Act

President Obama signed the 21st
Century Communications & Video Accessibility Act into law on October 8, 2010, with many key advocates and lawmakers in attendance.

Senator Mark Pryor (AR)

Senator Mark Pryor (AR) received AAPD’s Justice For All Award July 26, 2011 for his leadership with Senate passage of the 21st CVAA.

Key FCC Staff working on 21st CVAA

Key FCC staff working on 21st CVAA: Karen Peltz Strauss, Rosaline Crawford, Eliot Greenwald

Sesame Street video with captioning and description. Sesame Street video with captioning and description.

Closed Caption button on remote. Closed Caption button on remote.