As usual, three issues were the focus of discussions at this years Washington Seminar on Capitol Hill.

First, Hybrid cars need to have a minimum sound of idling, deceleration, and acceleration. The Department of Transportation and the car manufactures need to ask congress for a minimum noise standard. There are already maximum noise standards in place. This affects the blind as well as the sighted community, and is a safety issue which must be addressed.

Second, Social Security needs to be raised back to the senior playing field so that blind people can pursue work and live at a comfortable level. When we go over the earning limit, we lose our benefits.

Third, Talking books are no longer produced on cassette tapes, and the parts for the machines are no longer manufactured, so we need to press for the conversion to digital books. We are behind in funding and need to ask the congress for full support. No less than literacy is at risk.

Jim McCarthy and Jessie Hartell discussed these 3 issues at the Gathering In. This year Gary Allen, Rob Palaski, Maryanne Melley, Jason Barone-Cichocki, Trevor Attenberg, Carol Lemieux, Sandee Kush, Charlie and Beth Rival were in attendance.

For more information, E-mail us at: info@nfbct.org