NAD Receives Senatorial Support on Captioning Issue

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) announced support from Senators Tom Harkin (IA) and Senator Edward M. Kennedy (MA) who wrote to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Rod Paige urging the immediate reversal of the Department’s decision to disallow funding for captioning of nearly 200 television programs. Harkin and Kennedy urged Secretary Paige to direct the engagement of a fair, consumer-directed process to decide how to best allocate these vital funds.

"Captioning is an very important issue to over 28 million deaf and hard of hearing Americans," said Kelby Brick, Director of the National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center, "We are gratified to see Senators Harkin and Kennedy step up once again to take a leadership role in promoting full access."

"Without access to these news programs, deaf and hard of hearing students will be unable to participate in many conversations with their peers and unable to understand references to sports and popular culture, which are often used by teachers to make concepts relevant to youth. The disapproval of news shows and other programs also prevents deaf parents from reviewing these programs for their children –- depriving them of many valuable learning opportunities," the letter from the Senators said.

This will be a leading issue at the "Silent No More" rally, led by the Student Body Government of Gallaudet University, this Friday, April 16, 2004. More information about the Rally can be found at: http://www.nad.org/infocenter/newsroom/othernews/20040407silencerally.html [2]

A copy of the letter can be found at (2 pages):
http://www.nad.org/infocenter/newsroom/nadnews/20040414paigeltr.pdf [3]

A copy of the Senators’ press release can be found at:
http://www.nad.org/infocenter/newsroom/nadnews/20040414harkinkennedyltr.pdf [4]

Related info:
http://www.nad.org/openhouse/action/eow/vol3no1.html [5]