Broadband Telecom Legislation: More Disability Gains!!!

Thanks to the advocates and activists who responded to a previous alert about the broadband telecom legislation in the U.S. Congress, the disability community secured additional gains in the “Communications, Consumer's Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006 (S. 2686).” Hooray!

Gains included the following requirements, offered as amendments on 6/22/06 at markup of the 6/16/06 draft bill, by Sen. Bill Nelson (FL) and Sen. John McCain (AZ):

1. Consumer premises equipment (i.e., VoIP phones) must be hearing aid compatible and must connect with relay services and adhere to accessibility/usability requirements, and the FCC must report biannually on the status of these obligations.
2. A requirement for disability representation on the DTV Working Group, charged with making consumer recommendations to the FCC on the analog to digital TV transition, and outreach to disabled consumers must utilize relay services, alternative formats and accessible websites.

Note that S. 2686 is a complex bill addressing reform of the Telecommunications Act. A full summary of all the Titles in this proposed Act is found here.

Action Alert:

1. Advocates in Florida and Arizona are encouraged to fax/write or telephone the offices of Senators Nelson and McCain to “thank them for their sponsorship of these essential disability amendments in S. 2686 broadband legislation.”

   Sen. Bill Nelson: Room 716 Hart Building, US Senate, Washington, DC 20510. Tel: 202-224-5274 or Fax 202-228-2183 or Tallahassee office Tel 850-942-8415;

   Sen. John McCain, Room 241 Russell, US Senate, Washington, DC 20510. Tel 202-224-2235 or Fax 202-228-2862 or Phoenix office Tel 609-952-2410.

2. Advocates from any state are encouraged to contact their U.S. Senator at his or her Wash DC office to ask him or her to “support all the disability provisions in S.2686, the broadband legislation, including the two Nelson-McCain amendments,” before the legislation goes to the Senate floor for a vote, expected later this summer. Phone calls and faxes are preferred as email may not get reviewed soon enough. Contact information for all U.S. Senators is on the website.

Your continuing interest in the disability provisions in this broadband legislation goes a long way in letting your U.S. Senators know you watch how they vote on disability concerns. And let them know "I'm a registered voter."

For further information on disability requirements in this legislation, please contact Jenifer Simpson, AAPD, email aapdjenifer@aol.com.