Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology

December 21, 2007

On December 21, 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives released a draft bill, the long-awaited “Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act.” This proposal is a dramatic and comprehensive step forward for consumers with disabilities. It proposes to amend the Communications Act – the main statute that impacts the telephone and video programming industries – to add new consumer protections that will ensure people with disabilities do not get left out or left behind as telephones and television programming increasingly rely on digital and Internet Protocol (IP) technologies. The proposals will allow greater numbers of people with disabilities to become independent and productive members of society, as well as to enjoy all the new electronic gadgets and devices that everyone else takes for granted.

The draft bill (PDF only).

The summary of the bill (Word).

Utility Commissioners Issue Resolution in support of the Legislation.

IMMEDIATE ACTION STEPS!!! To help pass these simple communication fixes that will bring communications into the 21st century for people with disabilities, please send letters as soon as you can to the following House members who are the leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee (the committee that is assigned this bill). Make sure to ask them for their sponsorship of the legislation:

Rep. John Dingell, (D-MI), Chairman, House Energy and Commerce Committee, Room 2328 Rayburn House Building, Washington, DC 20515.

Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), Chairman, House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Room 2125 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515.

Minority Members:

Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Ranking Member, House Telecom & Internet Subcommittee, Room 2370 Rayburn House Building, Washington, DC 20515

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), Room 2109 Rayburn House Building, Washington, DC 20515.

Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), Room 2322A Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515.

Also send letters to your own representatives if they are members of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, which will review the bill first (This subcommittee is within the full House Committee.) You can see list of subcommittee members and their addresses. Snail mail is preferred.

Please send copies of your letters to: COAT, c/o of AAPD, 1629 K Street NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20006, attn: J. Simpson.

Your letter could help make sure that there really is 21st century electronic communication for people with disabilities!

Additional Action Steps will follow! Please stay alert!

THANKS!

The COAT Steering Committee