[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 73 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 73
Recognizing the need to improve physical access to many federally
funded facilities for all people of the United States, particularly
people with disabilities.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 18, 2022
Mrs. Hayes (for herself, Mrs. Lee of Nevada, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Himes,
Mr. Courtney, Mr. Payne, and Mr. Young) submitted the following
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education
and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary,
Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce, and Oversight
and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Recognizing the need to improve physical access to many federally
funded facilities for all people of the United States, particularly
people with disabilities.
Whereas the First Amendment to the Constitution prevents Congress from making
any law respecting an establishment of religion, prohibiting the free
exercise of religion, or abridging the freedom of speech, the freedom of
the press, the right to peaceably assemble, or to petition for a
governmental redress of grievances, and was adopted on December 15,
1791, as 1 of the 10 amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights;
Whereas the Bill of Rights, specifically the First Amendment to the
Constitution, calls for the right of all persons to peaceably assemble,
and to this end, all persons, regardless of their physical ability,
shall be offered equal opportunity to access all federally funded, in
whole or part, amenities;
Whereas, in the 32 years since the signing of the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) (in this preamble referred to as
the ``ADA''), there have been unprecedented advances in all forms of
technology, typified by automatic doors;
Whereas, in 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 1 in
4 adults, or 61,000,000 people, have a disability;
Whereas disability is a universal concern, as an aging population increases the
incidence of frailty and disability;
Whereas, as significant advances in medical treatment result in increased
survival rates, the incidence of disability increases;
Whereas, in 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 4,700,000 veterans
received service-related disability benefits;
Whereas, in 2019, the percentage of people in the United States who reported
having a work limitation due to a disability was 10.1 percent;
Whereas the Act entitled ``An Act to insure that certain buildings financed with
Federal funds are so designed and constructed as to be accessible to the
physically handicapped'', approved August 12, 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4151 et
seq.) (commonly known as the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968), was
enacted to ensure that certain federally funded facilities are designed
and constructed to be accessible to people with disabilities;
Whereas the United States Access Board (in this preamble referred to as the
``Board'') is in the process of developing new guidelines for public
rights-of-way that will address various issues, including access for
blind pedestrians at street crossings, wheelchair access to on-street
parking, and various constraints posed by space limitations, roadway
design practices, slope, and terrain;
Whereas the Board's new guidelines, when finalized, will cover pedestrian access
to sidewalks and streets, including crosswalks, curb ramps, street
furnishings, pedestrian signals, parking, and other components of public
rights-of-way;
Whereas the Board's aim in developing these guidelines is to ensure that access
for persons with disabilities is provided wherever a pedestrian way is
newly built or altered, and that the same degree of convenience,
connection, and safety afforded the public generally is available to
pedestrians with disabilities;
Whereas, once these guidelines are adopted by the Department of Justice, they
will become enforceable standards under title II of the ADA; and
Whereas the United States was founded on principles of equality and freedom, and
these principles require that all people, including people with
disabilities, are able to engage as equal members of society: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) recognizes that people with disabilities in the United
States experience barriers to access on a daily basis;
(2) reaffirms its support of the Architectural Barriers Act
of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4151 et seq.) and the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), and
encourages full compliance with such Acts; and
(3) pledges to make universal and inclusive design a
guiding principle for all infrastructure bills and projects and
will continue working to identify and remove the barriers that
prevent all people of the United States from having equal
access to the services provided by the Federal Government.
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