[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 67 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 67

 Recognizing the need to improve physical access to many United States 
  postal facilities for all people in the United States in particular 
                           disabled citizens.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 21, 2013

 Ms. Esty (for herself, Mr. Courtney, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Himes, and Mr. 
 Larson of Connecticut) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
 and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, the 
Judiciary, Energy and Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 
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 United States 
  postal facilities for all people in the United States in particular 
                           disabled citizens.

Whereas, in 2012, 12 percent of the civilian population in the United States 
        reported having a disability;
Whereas, in 2012, 16 percent of veterans, amounting to more than 3,500,000 
        people, received service-related disability benefits;
Whereas, in 2011, the percentage of working-age people in the United States who 
        reported having a work limitation due to a disability was 7 percent, 
        which is a 20-year high;
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.) (referred to in this preamble 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 and requires that physically handicapped people have ready 
        access to, and use of, post offices and other Federal facilities;
Whereas automatic doors, though not mandated by either the Architectural 
        Barriers Act of 1968 or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 
        U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), provide a greater degree of self-sufficiency and 
        dignity for people with disabilities and the elderly, who may have 
        limited strength to open a manually operated door;
Whereas a report commissioned by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers 
        Compliance Board (referred to in this preamble as the ``Access Board''), 
        an independent Federal agency created to ensure access to federally 
        funded facilities for people with disabilities, recommends that all new 
        buildings for use by the public should have at least one automated door 
        at an accessible entrance, except for small buildings where adding such 
        doors may be a financial hardship for the owners of the buildings;
Whereas States and municipalities have begun to recognize the importance of 
        automatic doors in improving accessibility;
Whereas the laws of the State of Connecticut require automatic doors in certain 
        shopping malls and retail businesses, the laws of the State of Delaware 
        require automatic doors or calling devices for newly constructed places 
        of accommodation, and the laws of the District of Columbia have a 
        similar requirement;
Whereas the Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service, published by 
        the General Services Administration, requires automation of at least one 
        exterior door for all newly constructed or renovated facilities managed 
        by the General Services Administration, including post offices;
Whereas from 2006 to 2011, 71 percent of the complaints received by the Access 
        Board regarding the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 concerned a post 
        office or other facility of the United States Postal Service;
Whereas the United States Postal Service employs approximately 522,000 people, 
        making it the second-largest civilian employer in the United States;
Whereas approximately 3,200,000 people visit 1 of the 31,857 post offices in the 
        United States each day; 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 the immense hardships that disabled United 
        States citizens must overcome every day;
            (2) reaffirms its support of the Architectural Barriers Act 
        and the Americans with Disabilities Act and full compliance of 
        the laws;
            (3) recommends that the United States Postal Service and 
        other public agencies install power-assisted doors to ensure 
        equal access to all citizens; and
            (4) pledges to continue to work to identify and rectify the 
        barriers that are preventing all United States citizens from 
        having equal access to the services provided by the Federal 
        Government.
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