Chris Dodd: “this amendment No. 1082 provides $800,000 for the NFB-NEWSLINE Service in the Books for the Blind and Physically…”

“this amendment No. 1082 provides $800,000 for the NFB-NEWSLINE Service in the Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped program in the Library of Congress as a provision of H.R. 2985, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2006. The NFB-NEWSLINE service is a telephone-based electronic audio newspaper service developed by the National Foundation of the Blind, NFB. The Service ensures that newspapers are directly accessible to blind readers at the same time when print publications are released. In 1931, Congress established a national Books for the Blind program within the Nation's premier library, the Library of Congress, to be administered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, NLS. The Books for the Blind program continues to be the principal source of Braille and audio books and magazines for blind adults. At present, NFB-NEWSLINE offers over 150 newspapers and magazines daily. The ultimate goal of the Service is to ensure that blind-patrons have the same opportunity for access to daily newspapers as sighted-patrons. The following statistics support the need: Approximately 57,000 blind Americans are enrolled in elementary, secondary or post-secondary education programs. NFB-NEWSLINE helps them be more informed about current events. Approximately 300,000 blind Americans are of working age. NFB-NEWSLINE supports them in numerous employment activities.…”