Welcome to the Washington Connection, the legislative and information service of the American Council of the Blind. The Washington Connection is brought to you by the ACB national office. If you have any questions or comments on the information provided, don’t hesitate to contact us and ask to speak with Swatha Nandhakumar.
The Washington Connection is updated any time we have new information to share with you. The following articles are available as of October 12, 2023. Messages 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8 are new.
- New! Duckworth, Sarbanes, Sessions Reintroduce Bicameral, Bipartisan Legislation to Help Make Websites and Software Applications Accessible for Americans with Disabilities
- New! Markey, Capito Announce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation Calling for Expanding Educational Opportunities for Children with Communications Disabilities
- HHS Publishes Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Update Section 504 Regulations
- New! Air Carrier Access Act Public Awareness Campaign
- New! Mark Your Calendars Now for This Year’s Audio Description Awards Gala
- For New Aira Service Location: Honolulu Airport!
- Order Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests for Blind or Low Vision People
- New! Social Security Benefits Increase in 2024
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Duckworth, Sarbanes, Sessions Reintroduce Bicameral, Bipartisan Legislation to Help Make Websites and Software Applications Accessible for Americans with Disabilities
WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2023 – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Representative John Sarbanes (D-MD) and U.S. Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX) reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to help break down the significant barriers that Americans with disabilities continue to face when accessing websites and software applications. The Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act would build on the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) — passed over 33 years ago — by requiring that entities currently covered by the ADA maintain websites and software applications that are accessible for Americans with disabilities. This legislation would establish a clear, enforceable accessibility standard, as well as establish a technical assistance center, grant program and advisory committee to provide advice, financial assistance and guidance on how to create and maintain accessible websites and applications. Additionally, it would authorize a study on addressing emerging technologies.
“So many Americans rely on access to the Internet for work, to order basic necessities and to connect with loved ones — and yet, too many websites and apps remain nearly impossible to use for Americans with disabilities, preventing them from fully participating in these experiences and opportunities,” said Senator Duckworth. “I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation with Congressmen Sarbanes and Sessions to finally help make the web and other technology more accessible for all users, including those in the disability community.”
“We live in a digital world where whether you are in the classroom, workplace or at home, it has become increasingly difficult to access and share information without being online,” said Congressman Sarbanes. “Unfortunately, three decades after the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act, many online spaces and mobile apps remain inaccessible to millions of people with disabilities, impeding their fundamental right and ability to participate fully in our society. I am proud to lead a bipartisan reintroduction of the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act of 2023 with Representative Sessions and Senator Duckworth to rectify this longstanding civil rights issue. By establishing clear and enforceable accessibility standards, we will take important steps to close the digital divide caused by inaccessible technologies and achieve equity and inclusion for all Americans.”
“Today, digital accessibility is not merely a convenience but a basic need,” said Congressman Sessions. “The introduction of the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act is a significant step to establishing a digital space that is cognizant of blind Americans’ needs and addresses barriers to digital access. This legislation represents our commitment to an America that recognizes the needs of the blind."
“Although the federal government has consistently said that the ADA applies to websites and some progress has been made through the courts and with collaboration agreements, what has long been needed is a clear, enforceable mechanism to keep pace with the rapid evolution of technology and its increasing dominance in our lives,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “We commend Senator Duckworth, Representative Sarbanes, and Representative Sessions for putting forward this common-sense legislation, and we urge their colleagues in Congress to swiftly pass it to make the digital world a welcoming space where all of us can equally contribute and participate.”
“Accessibility to the virtual world is as important as the physical world,” said Tony Coelho, former Democratic Congressman from California and author of the ADA. “In my view, this is a moral issue as important as the ADA. I applaud Senator Duckworth and Congressmen Sarbanes and Sessions for introducing it.”
Along with Duckworth, this legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ed Markey (D-MA).
In addition to the National Federation of the Blind and Tony Coelho, this legislation is supported by: Access Living, American Council of the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind and National Disability Rights Network.
A copy of the bill text can be found here.
Markey, Capito Announce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation Calling for Expanding Educational Opportunities for Children with Communications Disabilities
WASHINGTON, September 27, 2023 – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Pensions, and Labor Committee, and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), along with Representatives Matt Cartwright (D-PA) and John Rutherford (R-FL), announced the reintroduction today of the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act, legislation that would strengthen the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) while ensuring that that blind, deaf, deaf-disabled, and deafblind children receive the support and services from qualified personnel they need to succeed and thrive. Named for the first deaf student to be formally educated in the U.S. and for Helen Keller’s beloved teacher, the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act would improve services and educational opportunities for students who are blind, deaf, deaf-disabled, or deafblind. The legislation would also enhance reporting and evaluation measures for special education in each state, increase training for teachers and other special education professionals, and reaffirm the Department of Education’s mission and responsibility to ensure an accessible and quality education for all students.
“It’s plain and simple: all students deserve an education system that provides the full support they need to learn and thrive,” said Senator Markey. “The Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act will ensure that we are following through on the promises of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act by guaranteeing deaf or hard of hearing, blind or low vision, deafblind, and deaf-disabled students the specialized instruction and qualified personnel they need to succeed in public schools. I thank Representatives Cartwright and Rutherford and Senator Capito for their efforts to ensure that our country’s education system is fair, just, and equitable for all.”
“Accessing the appropriate services can help each student reach their fullest potential,” said Senator Capito. “The Cogswell-Macy Act will help accomplish this goal by helping ensure deaf and blind students and their parents are aware of the services and specialized instruction available. I am proud to join my bipartisan colleagues in reintroducing this legislation that will help thousands of students across the country.”
“A high-quality education is about opening the doors of opportunity for every child in our nation, including those with hearing and vision disabilities. I’m proud to co-lead this bipartisan, bicameral effort to provide the resources, full range of services, and personnel training, to ensure every single student has the chance to reach their full potential in our education system,” said Representative Cartwright.
“As the representative for the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind and as Co-Chair of the Congressional Deaf Caucus, I have advocated for Deaf and hard of hearing Americans throughout my career in Congress,” said Representative Rutherford. “My experience with Deaf and hard of hearing students across my district has taught me how valuable equitable access to education can be for individuals with disabilities. I am proud to join Representative Cartwright and our colleagues in reintroducing the bipartisan, bicameral Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act, which would improve education and services for children and youth who are blind, visually impaired, Deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind. Every student deserves to learn in an environment that suits their needs.”
The legislation can be found HERE.
Co-sponsors include Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Representatives John Rutherford (R-FL), Colin Allred (D-TX), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Cori Bush (D-MO), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), André Carson (D-IN), John Carter (R-TX), Sean Casten (D-IL), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Donald G. Davis (D-NC), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Josh Harder (D-CA), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr. (D-GA), Summer Lee (D-PA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), Grace Meng (D-NY), Marcus J. Molinaro (R-NY), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Joseph Morelle (D-NY), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Norton (D-DC), Scott Peters (D-CA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Terri A. Sewell (D-AL), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), David Trone (D-MD), and Susan Wild (D-PA).
Specifically, the Cogswell-Macy Act would:
- Ensure that every blind or visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-disabled, or deafblind student is properly identified and served, regardless of the disability they are categorized under;
- Strengthen existing IDEA requirements regarding state-generated strategic plans to guarantee that students receive specialized instruction from qualified personnel and bolster accountability measures to ensure compliance;
- Assist parents and educators with up-to-date policy resources from the Department of Education; and,
- Establish a national collaborative organizational resource to proliferate evidence-based practices.
“The ultimate purpose of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was and is to promote equitable access to education everywhere for children with disabilities, and this bill will address some much-needed updates and gaps especially when it comes to addressing the current challenges in achieving age-appropriate language milestones among deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-disabled and deafblind children, including increased accountability for educational placements and data collection,” said Jeff Bravin, CEO of American School for the Deaf and President of CEASD.
“As the oldest educational administrator organization in the United States, the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD) is committed to ensuring equity in education, language and culture in all deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-disabled, and deafblind students, and this latest version of the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act will be vital in achieving that,” said Luanne Barron, EdD, Superintendent of the Kansas School for the Deaf.
“The Cogswell-Macy Act has always been intended to revolutionize special education in this country for kids with sensory disabilities. It’s long past time for America’s special education law to be modernized to meet the needs of our kids, and the significant refresh of the Cogswell-Macy Act being introduced today makes the bill even more relevant and responsive both to the chronic challenges and the changing times,” said Mark Richert, Esq., President-Elect of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired.
“Helen Keller, the most well-known individual with deafblindness, benefited from the services of Anne Sullivan who gave Helen access to information about people and things in her environment. That was critical to Helen’s ability to learn, communicate, and function in the world. Today, students who are deafblind can receive similar services from individuals with training and specialized skills in deafblindness called interveners. The language in Title III of Cogswell-Macy designates intervener services as a related service under IDEA. Recognizing interveners as related service providers will facilitate national awareness of the critical need for intervener services, support systems change at state and local levels, and result in significant and life-changing benefits for children and youth who are deafblind and their families,” said Linda Alsop, Co-Director of The National Intervener & Advocate Association.
“NFADB exists to empower the voices of families with individuals who are DeafBlind. Our families know that we do not have a law to protect our children. Families are at the mercy of their school districts because there is no law that says our children are entitled to qualified personnel trained to teach our children. IDEA currently requires Teachers of Deaf/Hard of Hearing or Teachers of Blind/Visually Impaired but does not require a Teacher of DeafBlind. We need both Teachers of DeafBlind and Interveners. Interveners will provide access to the information provided by the teacher. The Cogswell-Macy Act will meet this need!” said Jacqueline Izaguirre, Board Member of The National Family Association for Deaf-Blind.
HHS Publishes Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Update Section 504 Regulations
On September 14th, the Department of Health and Human Services published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) updating its Section 504 regulations to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in HHS funded programs and services. The proposed rule will address web and mobile accessibility for individuals with disabilities, crisis standards of care that bar access to medical treatment on the basis of disability, and access to durable medical equipment. To read the NPRM and submit comments, visit
Air Carrier Access Act Public Awareness Campaign
ACB is proud to have partnered with the U.S. Department of Transportation on the #AccessibleAirTravel campaign to promote the Air Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, a set of 10 rights that all airline passengers with disabilities are entitled to in both the airport and on the plane. Read the press release from DOT at https://tinyurl.com/5dzct7b2. To read the Bill of Rights, visit https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/disabilitybillofrights. View an audio-described video from DOT outlining the Bill of Rights at https://www.youtube.com/embed/a7U3rG08y8w?si=Napdc7F1rvD6qdpC. ACB will continue to work with DOT and the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection to advocate for equitable access to air travel for all individuals with disabilities, including those who are blind and low vision.
Mark Your Calendars Now for This Year’s Audio Description Awards Gala
Get your tux or sparkly evening dress ready — the Audio Description Awards Gala is only one month away! On Tuesday, November 14, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern, the third annual Awards Gala will recognize outstanding achievement in audio description by announcing winners in categories such as Innovation, Education, Popular Entertainment, Gaming, and Spanish Media. We’ll also be revealing which film and series got the most votes in the People’s Choice Award.
Join hosts Marilee Talkington and Conchita Hernandez, plus special celebrity guests, for the most glamorously inclusive awards show of them all! There will be captioning, audio description, and a simultaneous full Spanish translation. The show will be streamed on ACB Media, and there will be a Community watch party on Zoom and Clubhouse. Full details will be coming soon, so mark your calendar and visit ADAwardsGala.org for more information. You can also make a donation there to support ACB’s Audio Description Project and help us keep advocating for the audio description you love. We’ll see you on the virtual red carpet on November 14!
New Aira Service Location: Honolulu Airport!
The Hawaii Association of the Blind (HAB) has partnered with AIRA to provide 12 months of free, unlimited call services at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in hopes to support Hawai'i tourism for visitors and Kama'aina alike who are blind or visually impaired.
Founded in 2015, Aira is a live, human-to-human professional assistance service for the blind or visually impaired community. Simply download the app with your smart phone/device and receive instant engagement and enhanced independence. With real-time assistance, an Aira agent will help navigate you, step by step, with all of your airport needs. We hope to share the “spirit of aloha” with all of Hawaii.
HAB joins fellow Aira Access partners, Procter & Gamble, Google, McDonald's, Starbucks and Target, along with 39 colleges and universities, and 48 airports worldwide — and counting.
Order Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests for Blind or Low Vision People
As of September 25, 2023, you can place another order for one set of four free at-home tests with enhanced accessibility for blind or low vision people, while supplies last.
Here’s what you need to know about your order:
- Limit of one order per residential address.
- Your order will include four rapid antigen COVID-19 tests with enhanced accessibility for blind or low vision people (COVIDTests.gov has more details about at-home tests, including extended shelf life and updated expiration dates).
- Supplies of tests with enhanced accessibility are limited. Only order these tests if you do not have other options for using the standard COVID-19 tests.
- Tests require you to use a compatible, Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, as well as download and install an app from the App Store (for iOS) or Google Play (for Android).
Orders will ship free starting the week of October 2, 2023. To order yours, visit https://www.covid.gov/tests, or call 1-800-232-0233.
Social Security Benefits Increase in 2024
More than 71 million Americans will see a 3.2% increase in their Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments in 2024. On average, Social Security benefits will increase by more than $50 per month starting in January.
Federal benefit rates increase when the cost-of-living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI-W). The CPI-W rises when inflation increases, leading to a higher cost-of-living. This change means prices for goods and services, on average, are higher. The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) helps to offset these costs.
We will mail COLA notices throughout the month of December to retirement, survivors, and disability beneficiaries, SSI recipients, and representative payees. But if you want to know your new benefit amount sooner, you can securely obtain your Social Security COLA notice online using the Message Center in your personal account. You can access this information in early December, prior to receiving the mailed notice. Benefit amounts will not be available before December. Since you will receive the COLA notice online or in the mail, you don’t need to contact us to get your new benefit amount.
If you prefer to access your COLA notice online, you can log in to your personal my Social Security account to opt out by changing your preferences in the Message Center. You can update your preferences to opt out of the mailed COLA notice, and any other notices that are available online. Did you know you can receive a text or email alert when there is a new message waiting for you? That way, you always know when we have something important for you – like your COLA notice. If you don’t have an account yet, you must create one by November 14, 2023, to receive the 2024 COLA notice online.
“Social Security and SSI benefits will increase in 2024, and this will help millions of people keep up with expenses,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security.
January 2024 marks when other changes will happen based on the increase in the national average wage index. For example, the maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll tax in 2024 will be higher. The retirement earnings test exempt amount will also change in 2024.
The Substantial Gainful Activity amount for the blind will go up from $2,460 to $2,590 per month.
You can find more information about the 2024 COLA at https://www.ssa.gov/cola/.