[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 23, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE 22ND ANNUAL RADIO VISION RECOGNITION DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 23, 2002

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 
volunteers of Radio Vision in Orange County, New York for their 22 
years of devout service in my Congressional district. Radio vision is a 
radio reading service for over 600 blind and visually handicapped 
listeners located in the Mid-Hudson region of southeastern New York. 
This outstanding organization informs its listeners of local events and 
news, which is broadcast by Radio Vision's dedicated volunteers.
  To the more than 8 million Americans with visual impairments, 
programs such as Radio Vision are valuable assets.
  Radio Vision, an outreach service of the Ramapo Catskill Library 
System, is a radio reading program for the blind, visually handicapped 
and print impaired listeners 24 hours a day in the lower Hudson Valley 
region.
  Radio Vision allows listeners daily to stay informed with news of 
their community and the world-at-large and thus enables them to 
participate in discussions of local and current events. This service is 
made possible by the dedication of volunteers that have helped make 
this service a success since 1979, and it is supported by Outreach 
Funds from the New York State Legislature.
  Many of us take the gift of sight for granted, especially with our 
ability to watch television or read newspapers in order to learn of the 
daily worldwide events. We are incapable of knowing what it is like to 
be blind and have no other means of gathering information without the 
sense of sight. Radio Vision provides the blind residents of our Mid-
Hudson region the opportunity to find out news and current events, 
since the means of conveying information via television and newspapers 
to the blind is impossible.
  It is our duty in the United States Congress to help the citizens of 
our nation with disabilities and to support the programs that focus on 
creating a better life for others.
  Moreover, I have cosponsored H.R. 1601, which would have amended the 
Social Security Act to restore the link between the maximum amount of 
earnings by blind individuals permitted without demonstrating their 
ability to engage in substantial gainful activity and the exempt amount 
permitted in determining excess earnings under the earnings test.
  Last year, I supported the Medicare Vision Rehabilitation Coverage 
Act which would have provided for coverage of vision rehabilitation 
services under the Medicare Program. These bills will increase older 
individuals' access to vision rehabilitation services and increase 
Medicare reimbursement for vision services, respectively.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to bring Radio Vision, their cause, and the 
honorable deeds of those devoted volunteers at Radio Vision to the 
attention of Congress and I invite my colleagues to join me in praising 
their continuing efforts in helping the blind.

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