NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY COMMENDS OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE RECOMMENDATION TO REQUIRE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESS

November 20, 2001

NEWS RELEASE

NCD #02-343
November 20, 2001
Contact: Mark S. Quigley
202-272-2004
202-272-2074 TTY
mquigley@ncd.gov

NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY COMMENDS OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE RECOMMENDATION TO REQUIRE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESS

WASHINGTON--The National Council on Disability applauds yesterday's announcement by the Congressional Office of Compliance recommending that Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which requires access to the Federal Government's electronic and information technology, be made applicable to all Congressional Accountability Act covered employing offices on Capitol Hill, including the Government Printing Office, the General Accounting Office, and Library of Congress.

According to NCD chairperson Marca Bristo, "NCD commends the Office of Compliance for their forward progress in advancing access to electronic and information technology to 54 million Americans with disabilities. This critical step is consistent with the advice and recommendation in NCD's June 14 report National Disability Policy: A Progress Report (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/01publications.html) that urged Congress to take whatever steps are necessary to amend the Congressional Accountability Act so that the Government Printing Office does not remain exempt from federal accessibility laws and regulations, including Section 508, as they pertain to Web sites."

"NCD encourages Congress to act promptly to incorporate these important recommendations from the Office of Compliance that will advance the civil rights of all people with disabilities," Bristo added.

The electronic information systems interim report from the Office of Compliance can be found at http://www.compliance.gov/.

For more information, contact Mark S. Quigley at 202-272-2004 or 202-272-2008.

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Note: NCD is an independent federal agency making recommendations to the President and Congress on disability policy. NCD first proposed and then drafted the original Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Currently, NCD is coordinating a multi-year study on the implementation and enforcement of ADA, the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other civil rights laws.