HJ0073 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0073 LRB095 12462 MJR 37599 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Many deaf people across the United States use Video Relay Service to communicate with both hearing and other deaf individuals; and

WHEREAS, The Federal Communications Commission and its staff is intent on drastically reducing VRS rates; the potential cutbacks are so severe that some providers may choose to stop providing VRS service; and

WHEREAS, The VRS rate is vital to the program in that the revenue that is generated enables the program to serve more deaf people, provide quality interpreter training programs to ensure an adequate number of qualified interpreters for VRS and the local Deaf communities, and provide service and technology improvements to the people the program serves; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the FCC to maintain current funding levels for the VRS program; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable of this resolution be presented to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and FCC Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein, Michael Copps, Robert McDowell, and Deborah Tate.