COAT Thanks House Committee on Vote for H.R. 3101: Lauds Bi-Partisan Effort

July 21, 2010, Washington, D.C.-–COAT applauds and thanks the House Energy & Commerce Committee for its  vote today for H.R. 3101, the "Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010." Less than a week away from the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the measure would update the nation’s communications laws to ensure that new TV and phone technologies are accessible to people with disabilities. COAT particularly applauds the bi-partisan efforts lead by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), the original sponsor and champion of H.R. 3101, in addition to the bi-partisan leadership of House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Rep. Barton (R-TX), the Ranking member of this committee. The bi-partisan work of Rick Boucher (D-VA), the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL.), Subcommittee Ranking Member, was also crucial to the bill's vote at a markup session held today.

Once signed into law, this legislation will greatly improve the lives of millions of people with hearing, vision and other disabilities by ensuring expanded access to the technologies of the 21st century, including television, the Internet, and smart phones.

H.R. 3101 will:

• Restore and expand requirements for video description of television programs, in addition to requiring cable companies to make their program guides and selection menus accessible to people with vision loss;
• Mandate mobile phone companies to make web browsers, text messaging, and e-mail on smart phones fully accessible;
• Require television distributors to ensure captioning of programs when also shown on the Internet;*Allow users of different forms of telecommunications relay services to connect with each other;
• Require smart phones to be hearing aid compatible;
• Ensure people with vision loss have access to emergency broadcast information;
• Provide $10 million in funding each year for assistive technology for deaf-blind individuals;
• Improve enforcement of disability accessibility communications complaints.

COAT expects the U.S. House of Representatives to take up the bill next week on the 20th anniversary of the ADA as an extension to and a fitting commemoration of this landmark civil rights law. Once passed by the full House, COAT will ask the Senate to promptly pass H.R. 3101.

Photo of Committee in session; Photo of attendees at session.