COAT Witnesses Provide Crucial Testimony at House HR 3101 Hearing June 10, 2010

On June 10, 2010 the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) was very pleased to sponsor two witnesses from leading COAT affiliates to testify at a U.S. House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet hearing on the "21st Century Communications & Video Accessibility Act" (H.R. 3101) on June 10, 2010.  These witnesses were Lise Hamlin, Director of Public Policy of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) and Sergeant Major Jesse Acosta, of the American Council of the Blind (ACB), a distinguished army veteran whose vision was seriously injured in Iraq, among other injuries.  These witnesses testified to the need for passage of legislation to ensure that, as our nation migrates from legacy telephone and television products to more  versatile and innovative digital and Internet-based communications and video programming, people with disabilities cannot be left behind. See related COAT story for what happened at the hearing. COAT witness' testimonies variously made reference to the following specific provisions in H.R. 3101:

--Extend the closed captioning mandates to certain Internet-based video programming;

--Require video devices with screens smaller than 13-inches to display captioning;

--Reinstate video description on television so people who are blind can have access to program content and visual emergency information; 

--Require accessible user interfaces/menus on video programming devices such as TVs, VCRs, and DVR players;

--Ensure hearing aid compatibility on "smart" or Internet-enabled phones;

--Allow eligible consumers with disabilities who must use broadband for phone calls to apply their Universal Service Fund (USF) discounts to high speed Internet service;

--Establish a Real Time Text standard for digital & IP communications to replace traditional analog TTY tones; and

--Allocate USF funds for the distribution of specialized equipment needed to provide telecommunications access for individuals who are deaf-blind.

The Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology, or COAT, has over 300 national, regional, state, and community-based affiliates and has worked diligently for three years to achieve these modest proposals. Other witnesses from industry also providec testimony.